Freeter in Japan: between freedom and precariousness

In Japan, the term "freeter" (フリーター) refers to precarious workers between the ages of 15 and 34 who hold a succession of part-time or temporary jobs. First appearing in the late 1980s, this status now concerns over 10 million people. Freeters symbolize the drifts of an increasingly dual labor market and the difficulties of social integration for a whole section of Japan's youth. Let's dive into the world of these "free workers" on the bangs of Japanese society.

Who are Japanese freeters? Profile and motivations

The word "freeter" combines the English word "free" and the German word "arbeiter". Originally, in the 80s, it referred to young people who voluntarily rejected the traditional model of lifelong employment to enjoy their freedom. But with the bursting of the economic bubble in the 90s, the number of freeters exploded. From less than 1 million in 1990, they rose to over 4 million in 2001. Many became freeters out of necessity, as they were unable to find stable employment when they left school.

Tokyo's business district, symbol of the post-war economic miracle

wikipedia

In the absence of job security, freeters move from job to job. They are mainly to be found in konbinis (24-hour mini-markets), the hotel and catering industry or in materials handling. With an average salary of 139,000 yen per month in 2000 (around €950), it's hard for them to become independent. Many continue to live with their parents, becoming "parasaito shinguru" (parasitic bachelors).

The jobs held by freeters are rarely declared. They offer no health cover, pension contributions or protection against unemployment. Career prospects are almost non-existent, as Japanese companies prefer to hire young, fresh graduates. Freeters over the age of 30 have very little chance of finding stable employment.

Konbini, where freeters often work

wikipedia

Faced with this impasse, some freeters are mobilizing to defend their rights. In Tokyo's Kōenji district, a hotbed of Japanese counter-culture, activist Hajime Matsumoto launched "The Great Slingshot of the Poor" in 2001. Objective: to demand an alternative lifestyle by organizing street banquets, free zones..

The NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) Union in Kōenji also fights against precariousness and isolation by demanding free housing. Some people take it upon themselves to "enjoy their poverty" by testing new ways of living together, on the bangs of consumer society. A reaction to the image of the salaryman who exhausts himself at work, sometimes to the point of "karōshi" (death from overwork).

koenji

A street in the Koenji district

Aymeric Geoffre

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