Female Labor Migration from Okinawa to Central Japan

Current Conditions and Future Prospects

Presenter: Michiyo Yoshida

Setsunan University, Osaka, Japan

The 4th International Conference on Population Geographies

The University of Hong Kong: 10-13 July 2007

(1) Study background and concerns

Main study concern: What has been the

impact of the employment of foreign ‘trainees’ on job opportunities for female high school graduates in Okinawa, at present and in the future?

Figure 1. Migration flow from Okinawa to Central Japan

Okinawa Prefecture

Central Japan

(2)Data collection

Interviews with staff members of: a public employment agency the labour management section of a

textile company a junior college

(4) Structure of presentation

1. Okinawa’s labour market

2. Ichinomiya’s industries

3. Methods used to recruit female workers: from the 1950s to the mid-1980s

4. Decline of the work-study programme: from the late 1980s to the present day

1. Okinawa’s labour market

Figure 2. Unemployment rates in Okinawa and Japan (1972-2003)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

Year

％

J apanOkinawa

Figure 3. Unemployment rate of new high school graduates by prefecture (2004)

Females (Okinawa)21.2%

Males (Okinawa)23.8%

by Takeda, et al. (2007) / Source: Gakko Kihon Chosa

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1972

1975

1978

1981

1984

1987

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

Year

Per

sons

Males(J HS)Females(J HS)Males(HS)Females(HS)

Figure 7. The number of new graduates who were employed outside Okinawa (1972-2003)

2. Ichinomiya’s industries

Location and population of Ichinomiya

Figure 4. Location of Aichi Prefecture Figure 5. Location of Ichinomiya City

NagoyaIchinomiya

Population of Ichinomiya:

381,036 (April 2007)

A=Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing, B=Mining, C=Construction, D=Manufacturing, E=Electricity, Gas & Water Supply, F=Communication Services, G=Transport, H=Wholesale & Retail Trade, I=Finance & Insurance J=Property, K=Cafes,Restaurants & Hotels, L=Health & Community Services, M=Education, N=Combination of Services, O=Other Services

Figure 6. Percentage distribution of employed people in Ichinomiya and Japan by industry in 2004

(2)Industries

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

Industry

% Total J apanIchinomiya

★

Textile and related industries

Workers: 36% of those of a total of manufacturing industries

Workers: 8742 → 6517 (2001-2003)Factories: 2086 →1660 (2001-2003)

3. Methods used to recruit female workers

From the 1950s to the mid-1980s

The south-west areas of Kyushu and Okinawa

Tohuku

Figure 7. Source regions of labour migration of junior high school and high school graduates

1954 – 1972

The administrative young workers’ labour migration programme with Junior high sc

hool graduates

1968 - today

The work-study programme with high school gradu

ates

The characteristics of the employment programme for high school graduates

A three-year part-time course in junior college with full-time work in factories

Fringe benefits ex. Loan for college fees Accommodation

⇒The peak of the programme – the early 1980s (400 workers/50 factories)

4. Decline of the work-study programme

From the late 1980s to the present day

(1)Multiple sources of labour force in the 1980s and 1990s

Figure 9. Structure of female labour force in the textile and related industries in Ichinomiya

New Graduates

Japanese-Brazilians

Former Employees

Foreign Trainees

(2) Discontinuation of the work-study programme in the 2000s

Figure 10. Change in the structure of female labour force in the textile and related industries in Ichinomiya

New Graduates

Japanese-Brazilians

Former Employees

Foreign Trainees67,343 yen

(Japan’s average of all industries in 2004)

149,500 yen(Ichinomiya in 2007)

Foreign

Trainees

The number of company participants: 1

The number of new enrolment: 15

The work-study programme in the electric industries in Ichinomiya

2 factories in 2000

↓

０　ｂｙ 2003

Conclusion

　　 Employment opportunities for high school graduates in Okinawa after the work-study programme ・・・ Temporary contract work　

⇒Fewer chances for upward occupational mobility