日本“鸡娃”大败局

Group 1 - The core belief in the 1980s Japan was that graduating from university guaranteed a stable life, leading to a strong demand for university graduates in the job market [2][3] - Companies offered attractive benefits to recruit graduates, including free meals, gifts, and even cars, creating a culture of educational elitism [3][5] - The tutoring market in Japan saw significant growth, with a market size exceeding 1.2 trillion yen in 1985, as parents invested heavily in their children's education [3][4] Group 2 - The economic bubble burst in the 1990s led to a drastic decline in the job market, with corporate profits dropping by 20% and over 10,000 companies going bankrupt [7][8] - The job market faced an overwhelming influx of graduates from the baby boom generation, resulting in a sharp decline in employment rates starting in 1992 [9][10] - The once-coveted status of university graduates diminished, with many graduates struggling to find jobs despite sending out numerous applications [9][10] Group 3 - The trend of pursuing further education, such as graduate school, emerged as a coping mechanism, but it did not alleviate the worsening employment situation [12][13] - The number of applicants for civil service positions nearly doubled from 1991 to 1995, reflecting the high demand for stable jobs during the employment crisis [13] - The government implemented various measures to address the employment crisis, including increasing funding for higher education and promoting job training programs [17][18][22] Group 4 - The introduction of labor dispatch laws in 1999 led to a significant rise in non-regular employment, with non-standard employment forms becoming more prevalent in the job market [23][24] - The proportion of non-regular employees reached 34.6% by 2003, indicating a shift in employment dynamics and the challenges faced by job seekers [27] - Many individuals from the "lost generation" continued to struggle with non-regular employment, facing societal stigma and financial difficulties [28][29] Group 5 - In recent years, the employment market for university graduates in Japan has shown signs of recovery, with a record high employment rate of 98.1% for 2024 [31] - The demographic shift, characterized by an aging population and declining birth rates, has created a labor shortage, leading to improved job prospects for graduates [32] - The historical context of educational devaluation highlights the need for economic innovation and industry upgrades to align educational outcomes with labor market demands [33]