Yuka Mizuno

In recent years, there has been great interest in temporary work as a symbol of unstable employment. It has stimulated a great deal of still expanding academic research. Here I review some important recent studies regarding temporary work in Japan to provide core information about the employment conditions of temporary workers. First, I point out problems related to temporary work that have resulted from the revision of the Worker Dispatching Act, and note some of the recent academic controversies. Second, I clarify the situation of temporary workers based on data compiled from both questionnaire surveys and personal interviews. Based on this research conducted over several years, I discuss the career possibilities of temporary workers. Finally, in order to deepen our understanding of unstable employment and changing career paths, I synthesize my findings with recent research detailing the diversity of temporary workers. With this data, I hope to provide insights on how temporary workers can find work with greater stability and prospects for future career development.