## (Conditions for "Freeters" and Unemployed Youth)

There were 2.13 million "freeters" (referring to young part-timers, etc.) in 2004 if their numbers are specially calculated utilizing the same methods used in the "2004 White Paper on the Labour Economy" (Figure 35). In addition, using a concept similar to "NEET" (Not in Education, Employment or Training), those in the 15–34 age group who were neither keeping house nor attending school and not in the labour force in 2004 numbered 640,000.

Looking at the person not in the job who have never engaged in job seeking activities, the most common reason given is "I'm not confident in getting along with people and other aspects of life in society", indicating that many of them experience anxiety regarding communication with people in and out of the workplace if they were to find jobs. Among those who have sought work but are no longer looking, the most common reasons given for that are "Health reasons", "I couldn't find a job I wanted", and "I lost confidence in my ability to work". This indicates that these young people cannot figure out or decide what kind of work they want or they have lost confidence while looking for work. Among young people currently seeking work, about 20 percent say, "I just want to work, so I'd accept a job somewhat different from my preference". Although youth are troubled by being not engaged in work, they are not urgently seeking immediate employment.

In this way, youth who are not engaged in work are troubled by the fact that they do not have jobs, but they are bothered more by anxiety over not knowing what kind of occupation they want and worries about communicating with others than they are by economic concern about making a living.

## (Transition from School to Work)

Looking at the perceptions of high school seniors who are looking for work, the percentages who feel that there are few job openings in their preferred fields and who do not know what jobs or workplaces are like are high (Figure 36).

Looking at reasons for taking internships as found in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Survey on current conditions in internships", 80% responded "To experience what work is like" (Figure 37).

In order for student work experiences to be beneficial both to students and to the companies that accept them for internships, students should clearly set their goals for participation and select companies that match those goals. Such a proactive approach would enhance the effects of the work experience. Universities should also work to instill a clear sense of purpose and a certain amount of professionalism in students who accept internships by actively undertaking advance counseling, providing information, and grasping the needs of companies.

## (Retention of Youth in the Workplace)

Among youth who leave work and find a new job, the percentage of those who accept non-regular employment is on an upward trend, with a particular increase in those who move from regular to non-regular jobs (Figure 38). The increasing rate of leaving jobs after a short time and the increase in "freeters" and youth who are not engaged in work means that more young people are unable to obtain the work knowledge and skills that they should, leading not only to immediate difficulty finding employment, but also to a lack of job skills and unstable employment in the future. The rising rate of early job leaving is influenced by changes in the attitudes of young people, specifically, the increasing number who accept employment without clear plans for their work lives, who take jobs reluctantly, or who don't seek stability in employment first. In addition, this may indicate that the power of the workplace itself to hold young people may be declining.