1.7 M. people seen working as freelancers in Japan

April 13, 2019

Tokyo--About 1.7 million people in Japan are estimated to work as freelancers, a labor ministry think tank said Friday.

Of them, 1.3 million people live mainly from such workstyles, while 400,000 people do freelancing on the side, the Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training said.

The estimate was based on an online survey of people aged between 20 and 69 conducted in January and February.

These freelancers include technicians or workers in the construction and civil engineering sectors, as well as information technology workers and designers.

The think tank said 29.4 pct of the freelancers, the largest proportion, have an average annual income of less than 500,000 yen, followed by 11.2 pct earning between 500,000 yen and one million yen.

Of those living mainly from such workstyles, 20.8 pct, the largest proportion, earned less than 500,000 yen a year.

Freelancers are not covered by labor laws that guarantee minimum wages and provide for labor insurance coverage and maternity or child care leave.

The labor ministry is considering whether it is possible to protect such workers under the laws because their number is believed to be rising. Jiji Press