The COVID-19 pandemic has been with us for more than two years since Japan declared its first state of emergency in April 2020. Last year saw an unprecedented situation where some places in Japan were under a state of emergency or quasi-emergency for more than 70% of the year.

Over the last two years, one of the biggest challenges in Japan was to sustain socioeconomic activities with minimal disruptions while preventing the spread of the new coronavirus. In the temporary staffing industry, in which we operate, we have taken various steps to help ensure employment stability and create new job opportunities for temporary workers. With the increase of vaccine uptake, the number of infections is gradually declining. While we must continue to watch the situation carefully, we are also on track on the transition from maintaining the status quo to focusing on growth again in our business activities.

Acceleration of population shrinkage and aging and declining birthrate have been a serious issue in Japan. The Japanese government predicts that, by 2050, population will decline by 20 million and people aged 65 and older will account for nearly 40% of the total population. As the working-age population is projected to decline dramatically, significant boost in productivity is essential for sustainable growth. We believe that the key enabler for this is to unleash the potential capabilities of people through educational programs and support for career development. It is indispensable to build an environment where workers are able to envision their own future, develop skills that they need, and work vigorously with satisfaction. In a VUCA world, it is becoming more difficult to look into the future. JASSA is committed to ensuring stable employment and building a society where everyone feels empowered and satisfied at work.

In May, Japan's Prime Minister Kishida stated in a speech in London that Japan would focus on reskilling. In the Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform (Basic Policies) 2022, investment in people is defined as one of the focused investment fields. As a staffing expert, JASSA offers consulting services that support workers to envision their future, encourages them to move to growth industries such as IT through reskilling and career development programs, and enables diverse ways of working and job opportunities. Through these activities, we can play significant roles to help build an environment where more people feel empowered and satisfied at work. JASSA will continue to collaborate and join forces with all stakeholders for a better future.

June 2022