|
|
Change Your Life! |
Lower house approves bill to cut jobless insurance |
|
News
|
April 15, 2000
TOKYO, APR 14 (AP) - Japan's lower house of Parliament approved a bill Friday meant to slash unemployment benefits despite growing joblessness blamed on the prolonged economic slump.
Benefits would be cut by more than 20 percent under the bill, and premiums would be raised.
Starting April 1, 2001, workers would pay 1.2 percent of wages into the fund, up from 0.8 percent, said Yuichiro Ono, a lower house official in charge of labor issues.
The bill goes on to the less powerful upper house, but even if it were to be rejected there the lower house could implement it anyway.
There have been protests against the bill, but public debate has been minimal.
Contributions to the unemployment insurance plan are compulsory. Benefits payments last from 90 to 180 days. Those whose jobs were lost in bankruptcy or restructuring get an additional 150 days.
Japan's unemployment insurance program is facing difficulties because of rising joblessness during the worst economic slump since World War II.
The unemployment rate rose to a record 4.9 percent in February. The number of jobless people totaled 3.27 million, up 4.5 percent from the same month a year ago.
The previous high was 4.8 percent, most recently recorded in June.
|