Economy minister Takeo Hiranuma asked the leaders of two major business lobbies Monday to propose ways to boost employment, particularly for young people.

In a meeting at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Hiranuma urged Hiroshi Okuda, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), and Nobuo Yamaguchi, chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to come up with something soon, according to a METI official.

The business lobbies are expected to draft proposals by May, the official said.

Hiranuma is keen to boost employment among part-time employees in their 20s who work in dead-end service jobs, such as fast food and retail. They are known as "freeters" -- a collocation of free part-timers.

Okuda and Yamaguchi said they share Hiranuma's concern. The three agreed that government and industry should cooperate on the issue, the official said.

Okuda urged the government to follow through on implementing new policies once industry submits its proposals, the official said.

Yamaguchi said it is important to conduct job-training for freeters, and that the roles of family and society are important, the official said.

The number of such part-time workers grew to 1.93 million in 2000 from 1.01 million in 1992.

Hiranuma proposed to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy on Wednesday that the government launch a program to foster entrepreneurialism among freeters.