经济的服务业化和女性劳动

Economic Trends in a Service Economy and Women in the Workforce

作为日本经济增长战略中的一部分,安倍晋三内阁提倡女性积极参与劳动。但在发达国家中,日本女性的就业率仍然很低,尤其从低到高各年龄层的女性劳动力参与比例呈现出M型。30多岁的女性多处于育儿期,这一阶段女性就业率低的主要原因是幼儿保育所的不足,为了克服这一问题,政府决定采取措施来减少保育所的"待机儿童"数。女性的劳动参与率随着经济的服务业化而得到提高,服务产业的扩大吸收了大量的女性劳动力。然而服务产业的生产率相对较低,并且薪酬待遇也偏低,因此对女性劳动力需求的增加实际上只是增加了廉价劳动力的数量。这种情况如果不能得到改善,即使女性劳动参与率有所提高,也并不意味着国民富裕度的增加。

The Shinzo Abe Cabinet has advocated women’s participation in the workforce as one of the economic growth strategies of Japan. To be sure, among advanced nations, the rate of participation of women in the workforce in Japan is low. Especially, women’s participation ratio by age group forms an M shape with the 30s at the bottom. Women in their 30s are looking after their children. One of the main causes of their low rate of participation in the workforce is the shortage of day-care centers for small children. To overcome this, the Abe Cabinet decided to reduce the number of children waiting for day-care centers. Now, the participation rate of women in the workforce has risen in an economic trend towards a service economy. This is because the demand for women workers has increased with the expansion of the service industry. Productivity of the services industry is relatively low and the wages are low. It can be said that the increase in the demand for women in the workforce has increased the number of low-paid workers. This will not lead to national wealth even if the participation rate of women in the workforce improves, unless the situation is improved.