abstract: 'The `Work Style Reform'' (WSR) initiative, spearheaded by the late former

  Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has advocated for the adoption of `fukugyo''

  (''side jobs'') as an additional source of income for workers. While this

  initiative is often uncritically viewed as a possible solution to

  insecure employment, especially for women employed in low-paying,

  temporary positions, this article argues that the WSR''s promotion of

  fukugyo, reinforces patriarchal norms rather than challenging them.

  Furthermore, it critiques the neoliberal ideology that underpins the WSR

  initiative, which portrays underpriviledged groups of workers, such as

  working women in non-regular employment earning less than their male

  counterparts, as `flexible'', `autonomous'' and `entrepreneurial'', capable

  of juggling multiple jobs while fulfiling their domestic duties. The

  article claims that the WSR''s promotion of fukugyo lacks sufficient

  legal safeguards and social welfare support for fukugyo workers, the

  majority of whom are not recognised as `workers'' under Japan''s labour

  law. As a result, it could exacerbate the problems of employment

  insecurity and gender inequality in Japan.'
affiliation: 'Hamada, I (Corresponding Author), Monash Univ, Japanese Studies, Melbourne,
  Australia.

  Hamada, Iori, Monash Univ, Japanese Studies, Melbourne, Australia.'
author: Hamada, Iori
author-email: iori.hamada@monash.edu
author_list:
- family: Hamada
  given: Iori
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1080/09555803.2023.2240804
earlyaccessdate: JUL 2023
eissn: 1469-932X
files: []
issn: 0955-5803
journal: JAPAN FORUM
keywords: 'flexible labour market; gender inequality; informal labour; Japan;

  labour policy; neoliberalism; pay gap; platform economy; precarious

  employment; side jobs; >'
language: English
month: 2023 JUL 27
number-of-cited-references: '60'
orcid-numbers: Hamada, Iori/0000-0003-2433-9968
papis_id: 6c92449297126ac25b5480793ccb56e1
ref: Hamada2023doubletruth
times-cited: '0'
title: 'Double truth: employment insecurity and gender inequality in Japan''s neoliberal
  promotion of side jobs'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:001037352000001
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '0'
web-of-science-categories: Area Studies
year: '2023'