If we don't make efforts to raise labor productivity, Japan won't survive going forward. As the population continues to decline, there's a possibility that public and private services may become unavailable.

I sure hope productivity doesn't rise too much; my job and all of my coworkers' would vanish overnight!

Still, seeing as how any change in Japan takes centuries to happen, not too worried.

Any comment from Yanai San must be taken seriously. He has earned that respect.

And he is correct that productivity in Japan is extremely low. On the other hand if workers can become more productive there will be no shortage of workers. Stil many are doing unnecessary work. Over bureaucracy in government and with Japanese multinationals. Overstaffing is common in offices. Everywhere really.

Also Japan’s need for workers is declining with decreasing population which means less of everything. But if this would have been anticipated it would have increased quality of life in Japan. Sadly…

In hospitality and retail customer servicing jobs’ productivity can easily be increased. It in Europe one server handles, without problems, 10 to 15 tables. In Japan barely 5.

But also in Europe a good waiter makes very good money. And is respected by the clients. Of course they are paid at least double from Japan in comparison.

How is it possible to increase productivity with no incentive. Taxes are crippling. Income tax, consumption tax. Why should people work harder when their money buys less and less each year?

Callous and hypocritical statement of Tadashi,considering most of his factories, if not all, are outside Japan, in China, Miyamar, Thailand, etc.

Unlike most countries, Japan has a fair bit of redundancy in its system and could make much better use of its labour pool with smarter working. Companies have been employing x new staff every year regardless, finding them odd jobs to do. Traditional business practices could be modernised reducing workloads and staff requirements. Give staff more responsibility. Promote competent people. Allow folk to switch jobs easily as the needs of companies change. Value/pay part time workers as you may only need a few hours out of some folk.

Alternatively, have a referendum: Open up to migrant labour, or no migrants and everyone has to work extra hours and all weekends for the same pay, and cannot retire for an extra decade.

Haha, that is the wrong sequence, adjusting by beginning with the very last point. The situation has become such, that productivity first has to be lowered, so that everyone has a little time to make and care for more babies. Then, second, all those newborns have to be well and much better educated, so that among them raises a probability for a few Einsteins. And then, if there are some again, then they maybe can find a way to increase productivity again. Anything else is nonsense. There won't be more productivity within an aging and shrinking population or refills from even lower productivity countries.

If there's a market for them, private services will be available.