>One has to wonder what the rationale for all of this is -- what are they afraid of? If they are suddenly left to their own devices, are these people going to s

>One has to wonder what the rationale for all of this is -- what are they afraid of? If they are suddenly left to their own devices, are these people going to starve to death? Has no-one ever been faced with the prospect of having to find a new job? Practically. A little perspective on Japanese culture might help to answer this question. The Japanese value company loyalty, tradition, and conformity. They have more than 21,000 companies that are more than a hundred years old. [0] From a 'pure market' perspective, most of these companies should have given way to market forces, yes, but Japan is deeply averse to what that entails for individual workers. [0]https://www.tofugu.com/japan/oldest-businesses-in-japan/ https://www.tofugu.com/japan/oldest-businesses-in-japan/