ABSTRACT
Part-time work is not a form of paid work that empowers women in Japan, nor improves their overall working conditions. Although large companies such as Daiichi offer better employment conditions and financial benefits than smaller companies, employment opportunities for women returning to the paid workforce are restricted by age limits. The available options for these women include contract or piece work which have lower rates of pay and no employment insurance, annual payments or holiday pay. Further compounding these inequities, these contract workers have insecure tenure and poor working conditions. Within this range of options, part-time work is a favourable 'choice' for many women seeking to return to the paid workforce.
