일본의 노동법개혁과 그 시사점

Recently, Japanese Government has revealed its strong determination to revitalize its economy and make breakthroughs by implementing "work style reform" aiming at reforming established employment order by comprehensively changing awareness and practices of both companies and workers, and legal systems with respect to labor, as part of so called Abenomics, which is a strategy for economic development. To formulate action plans to implement the "work style reform" ("Action Plan"), Abe Government has set up the Action Council for the Realization of Work Style Reform having tripartite structure of labor, business, and state ("Action Council"). Even though Abe Government does not use a term, "labor market reform", as it did before, the contents of Action Plan passed at the Action Council amount to the level of labor market reform in that it seeks to fundamental changes in many aspects. The Action Plan proposes a wide range of measures encompassing almost all problems and challenges on work style to be addressed. Among them, particularly noteworthy are the proposals for diversification of limited regular employment, legislation of equal pay for equal work, and legislation of plans to restrain long working hours. As Japanese Government is carrying the Action Plan into practice with speed for legislation, it is expected that a revised bill to be submitted to the National Diet will be released soon. Considering Abe's strong will to achieve successful work style reform, it is advisable to pay special attention to the outcome of the Action Plan in terms of its realization as planned. In conclusion, given the similarities of labor market status, practices, legal systems, and awareness on labor of companies and workers between Korea and Japan, Korea can obtain constructive suggestions and insights from Japan by carefully keeping track of how the work style reform is realized such as under what governance; by what methods and procedures; and with what contents.