2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Gradual withdrawal strategy in Japanese coal industry and the support systems for the re-employment of the workers.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20730349
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Sociology
Research Institution	Taisho University
Principal Investigator	SAWAGUCHI Keiichi Taisho University, 人間学部, 准教授 (50338597)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2010
Keywords	炭鉱 / 石炭産業 / 旧産炭地 / 労働組合 / 就職支援 / 失業 / いわき市 / 出向
Research Abstract	In Japanese coal industry, the timing of mine closure was delayed by the national policy to ensure the employment of coal workers and economy. In case of Joban Tanko in Iwaki city, the company adopted the gradual withdrawal strategy from coal mining in early 1950s. As a result, the city successes to overcome the damage of the closure and is now the most successful industrial city in Tohoku region. The factors associated with the successful transition were the diversification strategy of the company, the industrial promotion strategy by the local government and the labor-management cooperative union.