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Social disparity refers to the differences within a society that arise due to inequalities in various aspects such as economy, education, employment, and geography. In Japan, there was a time known as the era of “middle mass society,” but since the 1980s, disparities have begun to widen, especially after the burst of the economic bubble in the 1990s, the term “disparity society” has gained attention.
The expansion of disparity is also reflected in the increase of the Gini coefficient, a measure that indicates the deviation in income distribution, which has been on an upward trend since 2001. The rise in the elderly population and the decrease in wages among the young are cited as the main reasons for this trend.
The primary causes of social disparity include the increase in non-regular employment, the rise in single-parent households, aging population, migration to urban areas, and changes in industrial structure. These factors contribute not only to income disparity but also to inequalities in education and employment opportunities, potentially affecting the overall growth of society.
Measures to address these disparities include promoting work style reforms, ensuring equal pay for equal work, considering a basic income, and addressing educational disparities. However, these require national-level initiatives and are difficult to resolve through individual efforts alone.
Moreover, social disparity is not only a domestic issue in Japan but also a global concern. The widening gap in income and wealth is caused by various factors such as wage stagnation, a decrease in the labor share of income, the decline of the welfare state, inadequacies in social security, tax reforms, deregulation of financial markets, technological changes, and automation.
Thus, the issue of social disparity is complex and requires a multifaceted approach. A change in societal consciousness and the implementation of policies are needed to address these challenges.