Fixed Term Contracts: An exploration of employment conditions in Japanese universities

Abstract

This study looks at current employment practices and terms in the field of tertiary education in Japan. The importance of this study is highlighted by the growing prominence of the “academic underclass” (Itakura, 2021), or university teachers who are undervalued and underappreciated by their employer and in turn lacking in motivation and fearful of their lack of job security. This research focuses particularly on international university teachers in Japan, who are hired under the terms of FTCs (Fixed Term Contracts). The significance of this study is drawn from the importance on securing a strong and steady teaching staff, who can in turn be a foundation on which the quality of a university can be assured. The findings are based upon qualitative data collected from a semi-structured interview with a native Japanese staff member at a Japanese university, whose opinions and experiences offer a clear insight into the impact FTCs and employment practices have on employees at Japanese universities. This data is also triangulated with existing studies and contemporary Japanese journalism. These findings point to the potential dangers of FTCs and the drawbacks of universities in Japan viewing their staff as an expense instead of an asset.