Japan has shown a unique pattern of welfare state development in comparison with other advanced industrial countries. Its government welfare spending has been kept low, its statutory welfare system is highly segmented, and private company welfare rather than statutory welfare plays an important role in the livelihood of workers.
But in 1973, which is called Fukushi Gannen (the First Year of Social Welfare), there was a reorganization of the welfare system. The aim of this study is to explain why such a change was introduced and to describe why such a reform was short-lived.
One conclusion of this study is that the 1973 reform was the direct result of the conservative ruling party´s effort to regain its supporters and restore its legitimacy. Moreover, a rapid economic growth has helped to expand such private welfare programs as life insurance, rather than statutory welfare. As long as the provision of statutory welfare remains poor, the rapid economic growth has forced more and more Japanese citizens turn to private insurance for the protection of their future livelihood. Japan is one of the least developed welfare states amongst the advanced capitalist democracies. But, such a lack of statutory protection has been balanced by the recently developed private protection measures.
|