701 contract professionals at Japan universities were laid off before reaching 10-year mark
TOKYO -- A total of 701 instructors and researchers on fixed-term contracts at Japan's national universities had their job contracts terminated just before the 10-year mark when they were supposed to be able to switch to indefinite employment, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned through a freedom-of-information request.
The data provided on a voluntary basis by the education ministry also details the number of such job cuts by university, highlighting possibilities that the universities that have led Japan's research capabilities are more likely to terminate the job contract of many researchers they have employed for many years.
The Mainichi Shimbun obtained the education ministry's survey on employment status of researchers and instructors at national universities for the academic years of 2023 and 2024.
Ten years has passed since the revised Labor Contracts Act came into force in 2013, and the survey found that since the 2023 academic year -- when those on fixed-term contract first became eligible to gain the right to indefinite-term employment -- the highest number of faculty and researchers whose contracts were terminated just before reaching the 10-year mark were at the University of Tokyo and the University of Osaka, with 92 people each. They were followed by Tohoku University with 69 people and Kyoto University with 65.
Until now, only the total number of such cases across national, public and private universities and research institutions had been made public. This is the first time the breakdown by individual university has been revealed.
Meanwhile, according to the survey, the number of people who gained the right to indefinite-term employment was 296 at the University of Tokyo, eight at the University of Osaka, 38 at Tohoku University, 137 at Kyoto University, 12 at Kyushu University and 21 at Hokkaido University. However, the number of people who actually exercised that right was only 55 at the University of Tokyo, zero at the University of Osaka, also zero at Tohoku University, five at Kyoto University, zero at Kyushu University and four at Hokkaido University.
It is believed that some researchers and instructors were unable to exercise their rights after being presented with changes in employment conditions, such as worsened treatment.
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701 contract professionals at Japan universities were laid off before reaching 10-year mark
TOKYO -- A total of 701 instructors and researchers on fixed-term contracts at Japan's national universities had their job contracts terminated just before the 10-year mark when they were supposed to be able to switch to indefinite employment, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned through a freedom-of-information request. The data provided on a voluntary basis by the education ministry also details the number of such job cuts by university, highlighting possibilities that the universities that have led Japan's research capabilities are more likely to terminate the job contract of many researchers they have employed for many years. The Mainichi Shimbun obtained the education ministry's survey on employment status of researchers and instructors at national universities for the academic years of 2023 and 2024. Ten years has passed since the revised Labor Contracts Act came into force in 2013, and the survey found that since the 2023 academic year -- when those on fixed-term contract first became eligible to gain the right to indefinite-term employment -- the highest number of faculty and researchers whose contracts were terminated just before reaching the 10-year mark were at the University of Tokyo and the University of Osaka, with 92 people each. They were followed by Tohoku University with 69 people and Kyoto University with 65. Until now, only the total number of such cases across national, public and private universities and research institutions had been made public. This is the first time the breakdown by individual university has been revealed. Meanwhile, according to the survey, the number of people who gained the right to indefinite-term employment was 296 at the University of Tokyo, eight at the University of Osaka, 38 at Tohoku University, 137 at Kyoto University, 12 at Kyushu University and 21 at Hokkaido University. However, the number of people who actually exercised that right was only 55 at the University of Tokyo, zero at the University of Osaka, also zero at Tohoku University, five at Kyoto University, zero at Kyushu University and four at Hokkaido University. It is believed that some researchers and instructors were unable to exercise their rights after being presented with changes in employment conditions, such as worsened treatment.
