Insecurity, disillusionment pervade Japan's 30-something generation/Thirty-somethings spent their youth and transition into adulthood in the teeth of

Insecurity, disillusionment pervade Japan's 30-something generation


Along with another reporter, I recently interviewed many people in their 30s for a series on the employment situation of that generation. Both my colleague on the project and I are also in our 30s.

Thirty-somethings spent their youth and transition into adulthood in the teeth of the "lost two decades" that followed the bursting of the speculation- and asset inflation-driven "bubble economy" in the early 1990s, and had a hard time finding jobs in the "employment ice age" that came with the stagnant economy. The interviewees complained that living in modern Japanese society is tough.

It is difficult to explain what "tough" means in a few words. A 31-year-old man who lost his part-time job -- one he'd worked for many years -- said, "Even though I worked hard as a part-timer, I wasn't able to acquire enough skills to find a full-time job. I still can't get away from the instability in my life."

A 30-year-old woman said, "Society will never help you no matter what happens to you. I'm saving money in case the company I work for goes under."

They feel a serious sense of stagnation, and not just in terms of the employment situation.

Most people in their 30s began their careers after the economic bubble burst. They believed that the economy would pick up again eventually and that they could make a living as long as they worked hard. This, however, turned out to be little more than wishful thinking.

Kensuke Suzuki, associate professor of sociology at Kwansei Gakuin University, says the generation in their 30s put faith in society only to be betrayed. Moreover, many of them blame themselves for not making enough effort, unlike people in their 20s, who grew up with no illusions about what society would provide for them.

A 31-year-old man now hunting for a job after being dismissed as a temporary worker was particularly striking. He began working as a part-timer after graduating from high school. He later found work at an automobile factory through a temp agency. However, he was dismissed because the factory operator went into the red after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. He is now on welfare.

"I should've taken as many job interviews as possible, even if I failed repeatedly, and found a full-time job -- even at a small company," he said regretfully.

Shortly after graduating from high school, he worked part-time to earn enough money to cover tuition at a vocational school, which he believed was the easiest way to find a full-time job. However, he was unable to save enough money even though he worked at a convenience store and a restaurant 14 hours a day. When he started work at the car factory, he never imagined he would lose the job because of a recession emanating from the United States.

"I think I made the wrong choice," said the man, his eyes downcast.

According to a survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the unemployment rate among those between 25 and 34 stood at 6.4 percent in January 2011, as compared to a mere 2.4 percent in January 1992 -- shortly before the "employment ice age" began.

The ratio of non-regular workers in the same age bracket, which stood at 10.9 percent in 1991, rose to 25.9 percent in 2010.

Under the prolonged recession, it has become more difficult for people to get out of unstable non-regular employment as they grow older. Any misstep in selecting a career after graduation makes it extremely difficult for them to start over. It is only natural that they are filled with a sense of helplessness, save as much money as possible and take other measures to protect their livelihoods. While nodding at what the man had to say, I felt like telling him, "Don't blame yourself too much."

Many of those who have sent their comments on the series to the Mainichi Shimbun are in their 30s. I introduced these comments on Twitter (@real30s), and more than 4,000 people read them.

"Your efforts won't be rewarded," one reader wrote.

"The age when everybody was able to be happy was something special," another commented.

I also tweeted, "I can't imagine what would've happened to me if I had made a wrong choice."

A 30-year-old man, whom I interviewed but did not quote in the series, had joined a leading paper manufacturer but resigned a year after being unable to endure the pressure of managing its budget, worth hundreds of millions of yen. When I interviewed him, he was working part-time at a supermarket.

"My productivity is quite low. I simply move without thinking about anything," he said.

However, he became cheerful when the topic changed to his hobby. He works from 5 a.m. to noon at the supermarket, after which he visits art museums on a daily basis.

"I was sick and tired of commuting to the company on a packed train, and struggled to get up in the morning. I wonder why I can now get up earlier than when I was a full-time company worker," he said. He is trying to achieve emotional balance by pursuing happiness that is accessible to him.

Unlike the past, it now seems difficult to find motivation in work, and many people in their 30s are trying to find it in something else. In the eyes of many others, however, they are self-centered or simply failing to make enough effort. Those in their 30s are at a loss what to do as they have not been shown any other choices but to work hard to achieve what they want.

Many 30-somethings wonder what would have happened to them if they had had different choices, and are worried that if they make another wrong choice, they will lose their chance of success and happiness forever. Such worries and a prevailing tension are apparently what make them feel it's tough to live in Japanese society today.

Many older people are critical of these people in their 30s for failing to get stable jobs. However, I feel like asking these elderly people, "Would you want to live in modern society if you were in your 30s now? Do you think you could be happy if you lived in the same way as you did in the past?" ("As I see it" by Kenichi Mito, Tokyo Lifestyle News Center)