Older men have more experience, skill and motivation than younger ones, yet it is extremely difficult for them to find work -- any work. "Old age" is given as the main excuse. In fact, nine in 10 companies set an age limit of 40 for job seekers. Leaving these well-motivated and talented people out in the cold is a waste of human resources. They should be allowed to play an active role in society for as long as they are healthy.
As the white paper points out, there is a "growing need to build the kind of society in which people can work regardless of age." Re-employment will not only keep older men financially independent but also enable them to make continued use of their knowledge and experience. To make that possible, however, it is necessary to scrap some employment rules, such as arbitrary age limits. One step in this direction would be to enact legislation similar to the U.S. act banning age-related job discrimination. Such legislation is urgently needed as unemployment is expected to climb as the "no pain, no gain" economic reforms of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administration begin to bite.
An effective labor policy demands that full attention be paid to the 8-million-strong versatile "baby-boomer generation" -- the chief player in our aging society. Its continued involvement in the workplace and community is an essential condition for an elderly but vigorous society.
-Pei Luan
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