BY IZUMI OKUHARA

Until recently, Japanese people have commonly thought that, on graduation from college, the young will usually get a job. These days, however, the number of permanent part-timers has been increasing. Those who have a part time job rather than a regular job are called "freeters", and a company can employ more ﾒfreetersﾓ than regular employees by paying them lower wages. Working conditions for ﾒfreetersﾓ, however, are bad, and we wonder why anyone should want to be a "freeter". We can assume, however, that among the reasons has been a change in the way people are thinking about work, as well as the difficulty of finding work in the first place.

We can divide permanent part-timers into several types. The first group consists of those who have no choice, and the main reason for the increasing number of permanent part-timers is that the number of unemployed persons has increased and it is therefore difficult to get a job. Such permanent part-timers are far from being traditional ﾒfreetersﾓ because they always aim to become a regular employee. At the same time, some people have certain specific targets. For example, those who want to become good craftsman may work part-time to develop their technique. Others work part-time to become a singer or an actor. They are thus contemplating their own future.

As for those in the second group, these are people who refuse to get a steady job. They do not feel the necessity for working as a regular employees. Besides, some people become permanent part-timers to seek for freedom. Yet, while seeming to live a happy life, there is some doubt whether they are contemplating their own future seriously. If we try to think about it carefully, we can realize that they are able to live comfortably thanks to the grace of their parents: such people are called "parasaito", or, in English, parasites. Although they seem able to live on the earnings of their part time jobs, they really get by thanks to the presence of their parents.

It will, however, be impossible for them to take care of their own children when they became parents in their turn. Consequently, the image of a "freeter" does not make a good impression. On the other hand, we want young people to have a very hard time so that they can consider this point, while on the other hand encouraging parents not to have a prejudice against ﾒfreetersﾓ. In future, it will be necessary for us to erase the word ﾒfreeter.ﾓ That means that we shall have to provide more jobs and create more jobs than ever before. If not, the day will never come when the young who earn their living by working part time can live in the world in agreement together.

At one time, Japan had a bad economy. Now, it is rich. Consequently, an increasing number of young people still have a lot to learn. We shall need to change our consciousness of labor to one which differs completely from that of our parents' generation. Moreover, it is a fact that the number of young people with quirky thinking is also increasing. This, in turn, is related to the increase in the number of part-timers, the so-called ﾒfreetersﾓ. We cannot, however, deny, that it is important to get a suitable job. So, with the efforts of both the young and the older generations, it may be possible to reduce the number of "freeters."

We wonder if, in future, it will be a good thing to use the word ﾒfreeterﾓ as easily as we do now. If we were to suggest that to be a ﾒfreeterﾓ is the king of occupations, this will cause misapprehension. At present, it is desirable that we create a pleasant environment for laborers working as permanent part-timers and so take on the burden of carrying the responsibility for the next generation. If we can create the new environment, we shall change people's consciousness of work in a big way. Today, for instance, as members of the ﾓIT societyﾓ, people can work from their own homes, and we shall not be able to bind in the word ﾒfreeterﾓ to the forms of occupation that such a change will bring about. The working conditions of life today constitute a sign of the coming of that age.