West meets east over work-life balance

Wed 16 Jan 2008

A representative from the European Union is visiting Japan for four days to exchange ideas on employment and work-life balance issues.

Vladimir Spidla, EU Commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, will meet the Japanese government, businesses and workers and share information on the diversification of employment.

The Commissioner said both countries are "ageing societies" which he believes "face a number of very similar challenges in the area of employment and social policy".

He will be part of the 12th international EU-Japan symposium. Mr Spidla's visit will help address how both countries combine flexibility on the labour market with employment security for workers - known in Europe as 'flexicurity'.

"Our discussions will help improve our understanding of policy responses developed in both regions and find the best approaches to address similar issues," he said.