Regarding the June 25 article "Unpaid overtime excesses hit young": Many things need to change to reach a pluralistic society: the lack of political opposition, the abusive amakudari system (high-ranking government officials' "retiring" into lucrative private jobs), the excessive power of corporations, the absence of real unions, an education system that reduces self-affirmation, and the planned recruiting system, which effectively abolishes a free labor market.
All these things make citizens less than free in choosing an occupation. The labor market in Japan is rigged for company interests. All those who decide they don't want to play under these rules are left to the "damaged worker market": low pay, part-time employment, low insurance, unpaid overtime, etc. It's a high price to pay for nonconformism. And because corporations ensure they "own" a majority of households, the system is rigged and impossible to change. It's a very impressive piece of social control.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
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