In Japan, Wages Are Barely Growing Despite a Tight Labor Market
日本就業市場緊縮 薪資仍凍漲
刊登日期：2017-06-01
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日本經濟正面臨一個巨大的難題：失業率維持在20年來低點，勞動力需求已達逾40年來的新高，然而儘管勞動力嚴重短缺，薪資仍然幾乎沒有成長。 |
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In Japan, Wages Are Barely Growing Despite a Tight Labor Market 日本就業市場緊縮 薪資仍凍漲 Japan’s economy is facing a great conundrum: unemployment is at a two-decade low, labor demand has risen to its strongest in more than 40 years, and yet despite severe labor shortages, wages are barely growing. 日本經濟正面臨一個巨大的難題：失業率維持在20年來低點，勞動力需求已達逾40年來的新高，然而儘管勞動力嚴重短缺，薪資仍然幾乎沒有成長。 The country’s ratio of open jobs to applicants rose to 1.48 in April from 1.45 in the previous month, the highest figure since February 1974, when the ratio was 1.53. The jobless rate held steady at 2.8 percent in April, matching the lowest since June 1994. 日本4月求才求職比例由前月的1.45上升至1.48，寫下自1974年2月以來的最高水準，當時的求才求職比例為1.53。4月份失業率維持在2.8％，為1994年6月以來的最低紀錄。 The tightness in the labor market is caused by a declining supply of workers as the baby boom generation retires. 勞動市場緊縮的原因是勞動人口隨著嬰兒潮世代退休而減少。 Economists have put forward many explanations as to why stronger labor demand is not driving up wages. The theories range from a significant number of women entering the workforce to reticence about demanding or offering higher pay after decades of intermittent deflation. But recently a new theory has gained ground: some companies are cutting working hours and abandoning less productive work to avoid paying more for staff. 經濟學家提出許多的解釋，說明為何勞動需求增強並未造成薪資調漲。他們所提出的理論包括大量的女性進入勞動市場，及日本數十年來間歇性的通貨緊縮使得勞工對爭取調薪，或企業對提供較高薪水持保留態度。但最近有一項新理論受到經濟學家的支持：有些公司正在縮短工時，放棄較無生產力的業務，以避免更多的人事支出。 “Some companies are scaling back the level of services they offer instead of going out and getting the workers they need,” said Hiroaki Muto, economist at Tokai Tokyo Research Center Co. “This is not likely to lead to higher take-home pay.” 東海東京研究中心的經濟學者武藤弘明指出：「有些公司在縮減服務規模，而不是出來尋找需要的人力，這不太可能會拉高實得工資。」 But some believe a tight labor market will accelerate the pace of wage growth. They argue that since there are more job offers than job seekers, more workers may switch companies in search of better benefits. Companies will actively raise pay in order to retain employees. 但是有些經濟學者認為，緊縮的勞動市場將會加速薪資成長的步伐。他們主張因為工作機會多過求職者人數，會有更多的勞工為尋求更好的福利而跳槽，企業最終仍須主動調高薪資來留住員工。 The Bank of Japan last month also predicted that a tight labor market will push up wages and eventually spur inflation towards its goal of 2 percent. 日本央行上個月也預測緊縮的勞動市場將促使薪資調漲，最終將刺激通膨指數達到2％的目標。 |
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