OECD Calls on Japan to Beef Up Job Support to Women

Tokyo, July 9 (Jiji Press)--The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Thursday called on Japan to redouble efforts to help women secure jobs and improve the quality of jobs in the country. In its Employment Outlook report for 2015, the OECD pointed out that the employment rate in Japan stood at 73 pct in October-December 2014, some 7 percentage points higher than the average among OECD member countries. As the rate improved compared with the level in 2008, when a global financial and economic crisis erupted, the OECD named Japan as one of the developed countries that have weathered the crisis most successfully. Still, an official of the OECD stressed at a press conference that there is a problem in the quality of work in Japan, noting that an increase in the ratio of nonregular workers is one of the factors limiting a rise in real wages in the country. The official called on the Japanese government to provide support and improve conditions for women to get high-wage jobs and have bright career prospects. END