22 Jan
A survey shows companies in Japan asked at least 18,000 employees to take voluntary retirement last year, as the coronavirus pandemic battered businesses.
Tokyo Shoko Research says 93 listed firms offered early or voluntary retirement packages in 2020.
That's 2.6 times the figure for 2019.
Firms in the apparel and textile goods sector were especially keen to downsize their workforces, with 18 of them offering early retirement.
They were followed by the auto and the electronics industries, with 11 firms in each sector. Seven restaurant operators and an equal number of retailers did the same.
The research firm says this year, 22 companies have already started approaching workers willing to take voluntary retirement. That's up 50 percent compared to the same period last year.
Researchers say Japan's employment situation may deteriorate further if the pandemic worsens.
nhk
