Once upon a time, Japanese civil servants were the "golden job" that countless people dreamed of, with stable jobs, generous treatment, and high social status, which made countless young people flock to them. Nowadays, Japanese civil servants seem to be no longer in good spirits, and even a little bleak, and they have been reduced to stealing manhole covers and part-time custom shops. Unbelief? Then look down.
Theft of manhole covers
In February of this year, a manhole cover theft occurred in Mie Prefecture, Japan. After investigation, the people involved were Yukio Ottaoshi, a member of the local parliament, and his son. They stole 14 manhole covers from a local warehouse, with a total value of about 50,000 yen (about 2,400 yuan). When questioned, Yukio said that as a civil servant, his salary was low, and his motive for stealing was "wanting money" as a way to increase his income.
Part-time custom shop incident
In addition to the theft of manhole covers, there have been many reports of Japanese civil servants working part-time in custom shops due to financial pressure. For example, three female civil servants in their 20s at the Tokyo National Tax Bureau were suspended for working part-time at pornographic establishments such as custom shops. They work part-time outside of working hours and earn about 1.36 million to 2.39 million yen (about 67,000 to 120,000 yuan). According to the investigation, two of the women said that the purpose of doing so was "to pay for the cost of going to the cowherd's shop". Another Japanese female civil servant took more than 150 days off in two and a half years, worked part-time in a number of custom places, and earned 8 million yen (about 390,000 yuan). She explained that this was to earn more money to pay for living expenses and pay off debts.
In the past, Japanese civil servants were also very popular.
Since the bursting of the economic bubble in the early 90s, Japan has entered a "lost decade". During this period, many private businesses laid off employees or closed down, resulting in massive job losses. In this context, the "iron rice bowl" job of civil servants has naturally become the first choice for young people. For a time, the craze for public examinations swept Japan, and the examination counseling books in bookstores were out of stock, and public examination counseling institutions around universities sprung up like mushrooms after a rain. At that time, even graduates of prestigious universities gave up their dreams of scientific research and entrepreneurship and joined the ranks of civil servants instead, as if the end of the universe was the entrance examination.
Thirty years in the east of the river, thirty years in the west of the river. Today, the number of applicants for the civil service in Japan is at a record low. What is the reason for this? Could it be that the profession of civil servant has lost its former charm?
In fact, the salary package of Japanese civil servants is not low, with an average annual salary of about 290,000 yuan (local civil servants are slightly lower, about 260,000 yuan). But compared to the high cost of living in Japan, this salary is a bit stretched. Especially in a metropolis like Tokyo, where rents and prices are high, it is difficult to live comfortably on the salary of a civil servant.
What is even more troubling is that there is limited room for promotion among Japanese civil servants, and the phenomenon of seniority is very serious. Young people often need to stay up for many years to get promoted. Moreover, even if you survive to a high position, you may not be able to enjoy the treatment and power that matches it. This kind of promotion system of "staying up for years" has discouraged many young people.
In addition, the intensity of the work of Japanese civil servants should not be underestimated. Although on the surface it may seem like a short working day, in reality overtime is commonplace. Sometimes it even needs to be rotated continuously, and there is no family and personal life at all. This kind of high-intensity work pressure has also made many people retreat.
The embarrassing situation of Japanese civil servants is inseparable from the predicament of local finances. In some economically sluggish areas, government finances are stretched thin, and the salaries of civil servants are difficult to guarantee. In some places, civil servants can only maintain the operation of the government by reducing their salaries. Under such circumstances, it is naturally difficult for the civil service profession to attract talents.
At the same time, the salary system and working environment of Japanese private companies are constantly improving. In order to attract talent, many companies have increased their salary packages and benefits. Moreover, the promotion mechanism of private enterprises is relatively flexible, and more attention is paid to the ability and contribution of employees. In contrast, the profession of civil service is somewhat rigid and outdated.
In this way, Japanese civil servants have been reduced from the "golden rice bowl" of the past to the "chicken ribs" of today.