Japan, Fall of the Rising Sun

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0:00:02 > 0:00:05'In Greece, people my age are rioting on the streets.

0:00:05 > 0:00:09'In Ireland, an entire generation is leaving the country for good.'

0:00:09 > 0:00:11I just hope it works out for her.

0:00:11 > 0:00:15'In Japan, young people can't even find love.'

0:00:15 > 0:00:20Let's get married. Nice guy, nice face, whatever - just soon.

0:00:20 > 0:00:23They're just all asking for husbands.

0:00:23 > 0:00:25'I'm Stacey Dooley and in this series,

0:00:25 > 0:00:28'I'm visiting three countries affected in different ways

0:00:28 > 0:00:32'by the worst economic meltdown in living memory.'

0:00:32 > 0:00:34And the sign basically says,

0:00:34 > 0:00:37if you're here to take your own life because you're worried about money, don't.

0:00:37 > 0:00:40You have to think about the kind of place you'd have to be in

0:00:40 > 0:00:43to come somewhere like this and think, "My only way out..."

0:00:43 > 0:00:46'I want to find out what it's like for the young,

0:00:46 > 0:00:51'caught up in the crisis, and what might be in store for us in the UK.'

0:00:51 > 0:00:53Welcome to Ireland, 2012.

0:00:53 > 0:00:57'Tonight, I'm heading to the other side of the world, to Japan,

0:00:57 > 0:01:02'to see what it's like to live in a country that's been struggling for 20 years.'

0:01:02 > 0:01:05I can't believe how many people there are here.

0:01:05 > 0:01:09'I discover what it's like to live rough in Tokyo.'

0:01:09 > 0:01:11Would you like the Big Issue today?

0:01:11 > 0:01:15Can you imagine staying somewhere like this for a couple of years? I can't. I'd lose me mind.

0:01:15 > 0:01:19'I'm shocked by how far people go to get a job...'

0:01:21 > 0:01:22SHOUTING IN JAPANESE

0:01:22 > 0:01:27These guys are training to be in the army, or something very regimented.

0:01:27 > 0:01:29They're uni graduates.

0:01:29 > 0:01:33'..and I follow in the footsteps of those who lost all hope.'

0:01:33 > 0:01:38- What does it say? - We're all dead, we're all dead.

0:01:49 > 0:01:52So, here I am in Japan, just arrived in Tokyo.

0:01:52 > 0:01:56It's all very exciting. If you ask me my impressions of the young Japanese,

0:01:56 > 0:02:01I'd tell you they're uber-trendy, they're massively into fashion here, gadgets are huge.

0:02:01 > 0:02:06So it's crazy to think that I'm here to understand how Japan has been struggling.

0:02:07 > 0:02:11'In the '80s, Japan was the envy of the world.

0:02:11 > 0:02:15'It was an economic powerhouse, and nearly everyone had a job for life.

0:02:16 > 0:02:20'They made everything from cameras to cars, and became very, very rich.'

0:02:23 > 0:02:27Share prices in Japan have suffered their sharpest fall since Black Monday...

0:02:27 > 0:02:31'Japan's bubble burst by 1991, with the Stock Market

0:02:31 > 0:02:34'and property crash that wiped 85% off house prices,

0:02:34 > 0:02:38'and the economy has barely grown over the past 20 years.

0:02:39 > 0:02:44'In 2008, they were hit again by the global financial crisis.'

0:02:44 > 0:02:46'This is the human face of Japan's recession.'

0:02:46 > 0:02:50'Almost half a million people lost their jobs.'

0:02:53 > 0:02:57What's interesting about Japan is that they've been living through a slow economy

0:02:57 > 0:03:01for over 20 years. So, could they teach us a thing or two?

0:03:01 > 0:03:04You know, is this what OUR future could potentially hold?

0:03:07 > 0:03:12'I'm not in Tokyo long before I begin to notice the signs of Japan's decline.'

0:03:15 > 0:03:20Just stumbled across this lane. It's like mini-camps. It's like where the homeless people base themselves

0:03:20 > 0:03:23and they've literally made it into like a mini community.

0:03:23 > 0:03:27So they've got doors and their homes are immaculate.

0:03:29 > 0:03:35This is the side of Japan that I never, in a million years, thought existed.

0:03:40 > 0:03:43And then look, five seconds round the corner -

0:03:43 > 0:03:47this is what you think when you think Tokyo. It's crazy.

0:03:48 > 0:03:52'These shelters are tucked away all over Tokyo,

0:03:52 > 0:03:54'but there's no sign of the occupants.'

0:03:56 > 0:04:02And I would just absolutely love to know whether or not young people are living in places like this.

0:04:07 > 0:04:09So, we think it's around here, Fu?

0:04:09 > 0:04:12I get the feeling that it's there. See? I think it's there.

0:04:12 > 0:04:16'I've come with my translator, Fu, to a soup kitchen

0:04:16 > 0:04:19'to see if we can find some young homeless people.'

0:04:29 > 0:04:32Can't believe how many people there are here.

0:04:32 > 0:04:34- A couple of hundred, no?- Yeah.

0:04:34 > 0:04:37HE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE

0:04:37 > 0:04:39'10,000 people now sleep on the streets.

0:04:39 > 0:04:42'That's over twice the rate as in England.

0:04:42 > 0:04:45'But chatting to them is proving tricky.'

0:04:45 > 0:04:47When you've finished, can I speak to you?

0:04:47 > 0:04:52I'm trying to look for young people who are homeless.

0:04:52 > 0:04:55Could I just speak to you for a minute? No?

0:04:55 > 0:04:58Can I have a word with you? Is that OK?

0:04:58 > 0:05:02'Most of the people here are older and no-one wants to go on camera.

0:05:02 > 0:05:06'One of the organisers tells me there are young homeless in Japan

0:05:06 > 0:05:09'but they don't come to places like this.'

0:05:09 > 0:05:13I'm just really keen to know why there's so few young people here.

0:05:13 > 0:05:16TRANSLATION:

0:05:32 > 0:05:35Well, listen, thanks ever so much for having a chat with me. Really grateful.

0:05:35 > 0:05:37Arigato.

0:05:37 > 0:05:38Thank you.

0:05:38 > 0:05:42There are young homeless people here in Tokyo,

0:05:42 > 0:05:45but I'm not going to give up. They exist, they're somewhere.

0:05:45 > 0:05:48I'll just have a nose somewhere else, aren't I?

0:05:51 > 0:05:55'The next day, I learn that the Big Issue,

0:05:55 > 0:05:57'the magazine sold by the homeless, has an office here.

0:05:57 > 0:06:01'I've come to see if they can help me find young homeless people.'

0:06:01 > 0:06:05- Hello. How's things?- Hi. - Nice to meet you. I'm Stacey.

0:06:05 > 0:06:08'Miku Sanu runs the Big Issue office.

0:06:08 > 0:06:13'Over the years, she's had nearly 1,000 homeless people selling the magazine.'

0:06:13 > 0:06:15Are you noticing a change in the vendors?

0:06:15 > 0:06:18Are they the same type, are different people coming through?

0:06:18 > 0:06:21It's been changing, especially after the Lehman shock.

0:06:21 > 0:06:26We've started seeing much younger vendors,

0:06:26 > 0:06:29and also the number increased rapidly, especially in Tokyo.

0:06:29 > 0:06:35How many young people, just young, do we think are homeless on the streets at the minute?

0:06:35 > 0:06:39- We don't know.- You don't know. - It's difficult to tell,

0:06:39 > 0:06:42because youth homeless

0:06:42 > 0:06:46- is different here from what you see, probably, in UK.- OK.

0:06:46 > 0:06:49If one walked by you, you couldn't tell.

0:06:49 > 0:06:56- So they're not the stereotypical homeless guys that you'd perhaps think, "They're homeless"?- No.

0:06:56 > 0:06:59They don't always sleep on the street.

0:06:59 > 0:07:02Well, I can introduce you to one of my vendors,

0:07:02 > 0:07:07who's in their 30s, and you can see how he lives his life.

0:07:07 > 0:07:10Wow. I'd be really, really interested to see that, yeah.

0:07:11 > 0:07:14'Just over 8% of Japan's youth are unemployed,

0:07:14 > 0:07:17'compared to nearly 22% in Britain.

0:07:17 > 0:07:22'But many young people here can now only get poorly paid, temporary jobs

0:07:22 > 0:07:25'that won't even pay the rent.

0:07:25 > 0:07:27'It's causing a new type of homelessness.'

0:07:27 > 0:07:29So, this is our guy?

0:07:29 > 0:07:31HE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE

0:07:31 > 0:07:34Konnichiwa. I'm Stacey.

0:07:34 > 0:07:37THEY CONVERSE IN JAPANESE

0:07:38 > 0:07:40So how long have you been homeless for?

0:07:44 > 0:07:46So where are you staying now?

0:07:48 > 0:07:50How does that work?

0:07:50 > 0:07:52I've never heard of this before.

0:07:52 > 0:07:55It's a shop that has computer... internet connection,

0:07:55 > 0:07:59but also has a reclining chair and you can stay overnight.

0:07:59 > 0:08:02That's really... I've never known this before.

0:08:02 > 0:08:03That's really interesting.

0:08:08 > 0:08:11'It's extraordinary to think that people are actually

0:08:11 > 0:08:14'living in internet cafes, but thousands are.

0:08:14 > 0:08:18'I want to experience a night in one myself,

0:08:18 > 0:08:21'so I've arranged to meet Masami where he's staying.'

0:08:21 > 0:08:22Hello!

0:08:22 > 0:08:24Konnichiwa.

0:08:24 > 0:08:27'He often sleeps in different cafes every night.'

0:08:27 > 0:08:31- Do we have to check in? - Yeah, you check in.

0:08:39 > 0:08:42First impressions are really different to what I imagined.

0:08:42 > 0:08:47I thought it would be like an open space with computers,

0:08:47 > 0:08:49you know, like you have at home, and just chairs.

0:08:49 > 0:08:54It's actually like little baby huts, and so imagine the computer's behind this.

0:08:54 > 0:08:59I am going to see where I'm sleeping for the night. Ready?

0:09:07 > 0:09:09- WHISPERS:- This is like a box.

0:09:12 > 0:09:16I just want you to get a sense of how small this is.

0:09:16 > 0:09:19You can't put your hands out. It's horrible.

0:09:21 > 0:09:26Can you imagine staying somewhere like this for a couple of years?

0:09:26 > 0:09:27I can't. I'd lose my mind.

0:09:30 > 0:09:33So what is it like, living in an internet cafe?

0:09:51 > 0:09:56But will you be able to do that with the money that you're getting now? Realistically?

0:10:00 > 0:10:04'Masami used to work in construction but jobs have now dried up.

0:10:04 > 0:10:07'He says once you fall through the cracks in Japan,

0:10:07 > 0:10:11'it's almost impossible to come back.'

0:10:14 > 0:10:19- OK, night, Fu.- Night. - I'll see you in the morning.

0:10:25 > 0:10:29'With harsh strip lighting and a constant electrical hum,

0:10:29 > 0:10:32'it takes me a while to get to sleep.'

0:10:42 > 0:10:46'The next morning, Masami leaves early for another day

0:10:46 > 0:10:50'spent looking for work and selling his magazines.'

0:10:55 > 0:10:58I don't think it's completely and utterly out of the question

0:10:58 > 0:11:01to think that things like this could start popping up

0:11:01 > 0:11:04if the cost of living continues to go up and up and up,

0:11:04 > 0:11:07and our wages just stay the same, and loads of us are losing jobs.

0:11:07 > 0:11:12I'm sure Japan didn't think, 20 years ago,

0:11:12 > 0:11:16that a lot of their youngsters would be living somewhere like this.

0:11:16 > 0:11:19So, you know, crazier things have happened.

0:11:21 > 0:11:24'I want to find out how big this problem is,

0:11:24 > 0:11:27'so I go to meet a man with some answers.'

0:11:27 > 0:11:31- Hello! How's things?- Hey. - I'm Stacey.- Hi, Stacey. - A real pleasure to meet you.

0:11:31 > 0:11:36'David McNeill is a journalist who has lived here for 12 years.'

0:11:36 > 0:11:39I just think it's quite fascinating because if you look at it,

0:11:39 > 0:11:44- you think, "Hang on, things are still ticking along nicely."- That's a Japanese phenomenon, in a way.

0:11:44 > 0:11:49The things on the surface often look very good but underneath, there's problems.

0:11:49 > 0:11:53It's not the kind of place where their problems are easily revealed. You have to dig.

0:11:53 > 0:11:58So, David, what are the real changes that Japan is seeing at the minute?

0:11:58 > 0:12:01This is the country that gave the world lifetime employment,

0:12:01 > 0:12:04and this generation now is getting used to the idea

0:12:04 > 0:12:08that that system that they used to have is crumbling

0:12:08 > 0:12:11and also, there's about a third of the workforce, which is irregular,

0:12:11 > 0:12:14and the big struggle for young people

0:12:14 > 0:12:19is to avoid that kind of irregular part-time, insecure employment.

0:12:21 > 0:12:26'David says, to understand how hard it's become to get the old, secure jobs for life,

0:12:26 > 0:12:29'I should find someone applying for one,

0:12:29 > 0:12:33'so I'm going to a Tokyo suburb to meet a young woman who's been looking for two years.'

0:12:44 > 0:12:47- Konnichiwa.- 'Konnichiwa.' - It's Stacey.

0:12:47 > 0:12:52- Ooh. Konnichiwa.- Konnichiwa. - How are you?

0:12:52 > 0:12:54You look lovely.

0:12:54 > 0:12:58This pile is from companies that you've shown interest in?

0:13:00 > 0:13:02It's so much, so many.

0:13:02 > 0:13:07'Akane, a university graduate, has applied for over 60 jobs.

0:13:14 > 0:13:19'She's even got advice telling her exactly what she should look like.'

0:13:20 > 0:13:22That's just insane.

0:13:22 > 0:13:25Is that showing you how to wash your face?

0:13:26 > 0:13:28That just seems totally excessive, doesn't it?

0:13:30 > 0:13:33As if, you know, maybe you're washing your face wrong

0:13:33 > 0:13:35and that's why you're not getting the right job(!)

0:13:35 > 0:13:38What happens if you are really unlucky

0:13:38 > 0:13:41and you don't find a job in the next year?

0:13:44 > 0:13:46How would you feel about that?

0:13:50 > 0:13:54It sounds like there's a lot of pressure on your shoulders.

0:14:06 > 0:14:09Akane's in an incredibly difficult situation,

0:14:09 > 0:14:12she's been looking for a couple of years. Time is running out,

0:14:12 > 0:14:16it's going to become very, very hard indeed, I think.

0:14:21 > 0:14:22BELL RINGS

0:14:22 > 0:14:25'Nine out of ten graduates get jobs here.

0:14:25 > 0:14:28'In Britain, only eight out of ten do.

0:14:28 > 0:14:32'But here, more and more graduates are ending up in part-time jobs

0:14:32 > 0:14:33'they will never escape from.'

0:14:36 > 0:14:38THEY SPEAK IN JAPANESE

0:14:39 > 0:14:40I'm Stacey.

0:14:43 > 0:14:45A pleasure to meet you.

0:14:45 > 0:14:47Do you worry, just as a mum,

0:14:47 > 0:14:50um, the pressure that your daughter is feeling?

0:15:01 > 0:15:05Oh! Oh... What are you doing getting... I'm so sorry.

0:15:05 > 0:15:08- Did she know her mum felt this way? - What are you doing getting upset?

0:15:13 > 0:15:15Please don't cry.

0:15:19 > 0:15:23Well, I mean, how much harder does she need to work to make sure

0:15:23 > 0:15:24she's setting herself up properly?

0:15:24 > 0:15:27She's been looking for a job non-stop for two years.

0:15:29 > 0:15:32To see her in bits and to see her upset is just showing

0:15:32 > 0:15:35this girl's really worried about her future.

0:15:35 > 0:15:38Best of luck. Lots of love.

0:15:39 > 0:15:41- SIGHS - Bye, guys!

0:15:45 > 0:15:47SIGHS

0:15:51 > 0:15:54I think what makes Japan so unique is the fact that you know

0:15:54 > 0:15:56it's always had these extremely high standards -

0:15:56 > 0:15:58that's nothing new.

0:15:58 > 0:16:02But when you throw the fact that jobs are harder to get

0:16:02 > 0:16:05that makes it even harder still, so you're really up against it

0:16:05 > 0:16:08if you're a young person here in Japan at the minute

0:16:08 > 0:16:11trying to find decent full-time employment.

0:16:21 > 0:16:24'As good jobs become increasingly scarce,

0:16:24 > 0:16:28'people here are going to any lengths to get a competitive edge.

0:16:28 > 0:16:30'Parents can spend thousands

0:16:30 > 0:16:32'sending their children to special schools

0:16:32 > 0:16:35'that teach them how to impress a potential employer.

0:16:37 > 0:16:39'And I'm meeting Akane at one.

0:16:41 > 0:16:45'I've been sent precise instructions on what to wear.'

0:16:45 > 0:16:49- So you've got to wear flat shoes. - Yeah.- Which I've done. Trousers.

0:16:49 > 0:16:51And the shirt's totally ironed.

0:16:51 > 0:16:55I don't think I could iron it any more. And a blazer.

0:16:55 > 0:16:57- So how do I look?- You'll find out.

0:16:57 > 0:16:59- LAUGHS - Oh, no.

0:17:01 > 0:17:02SPEAKS IN JAPANESE

0:17:03 > 0:17:05- Hello. - Like to take a chair.- Stacey.

0:17:05 > 0:17:08- Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you. - Bringing down Stacey.

0:17:08 > 0:17:13'Mr Watanabe and Yamakowa are tutors at the school.

0:17:13 > 0:17:16'Their first lesson focuses on my dress sense.'

0:17:16 > 0:17:18IN JAPANESE

0:17:18 > 0:17:21He told you to dress like this but the only thing

0:17:21 > 0:17:25that's common between this dress and your dress is the colour.

0:17:25 > 0:17:28- Why is that?- Don't you think I...?

0:17:28 > 0:17:33- Honestly, do you not think I look a little bit like that?- No.

0:17:36 > 0:17:39How embarrassing is that? I've got people re-dressing me.

0:17:39 > 0:17:45'Akane is told to tidy me up before we start our next lesson...'

0:17:45 > 0:17:48Yeah, brilliant. Thanks ever so much. Thank you.

0:17:48 > 0:17:52' ..how to make a good first impression.

0:17:55 > 0:17:58'We learn how to walk...talk.'

0:18:03 > 0:18:09Hi, my name is Stacey Dooley and I am very excited to meet you.

0:18:13 > 0:18:16Hi, my name is Stacey Dooley and I'm very excited to meet you.

0:18:22 > 0:18:23'We even learn

0:18:23 > 0:18:26'how to perfect your smile using chopsticks.'

0:18:35 > 0:18:37Every single thing that you do

0:18:37 > 0:18:41is scrutinised within a inch of its life. Absolutely everything!

0:18:41 > 0:18:44'Even the way you walk into a room has its hazards.'

0:18:45 > 0:18:49- OK, you don't look behind.- OK. Oh, gosh.- After you enter.

0:18:51 > 0:18:53Oh, yeah, my bum.

0:18:53 > 0:18:55Your butt is sort of in...

0:18:55 > 0:18:59- Yeah, that's not what anyone wants to see.- Yeah, they don't want that.

0:18:59 > 0:19:01- No, no-one wants that. - No-one wants that.

0:19:02 > 0:19:04'Akane and her friend, Yuki,

0:19:04 > 0:19:08'have spent £1,400 for ten of these all-day sessions.'

0:19:08 > 0:19:11How difficult is it to get the job that you want?

0:19:25 > 0:19:27And has it always been that way?

0:19:27 > 0:19:29Were your parents in the same position?

0:19:29 > 0:19:31Back, back in the day, yeah, there was a time

0:19:31 > 0:19:36that you'd submit an entry sheet and you would pretty much get accepted.

0:19:36 > 0:19:39- Really? Really?!- Back in the day when the economy was good.

0:19:39 > 0:19:44'Today the pressure is on from all sides, not just to get a job

0:19:44 > 0:19:46'but the right kind of job.'

0:19:56 > 0:20:00It's a lot more serious than I probably imagined.

0:20:00 > 0:20:04I probably underestimated it. It's very important for you guys.

0:20:06 > 0:20:10There is a real feel of desperation.

0:20:10 > 0:20:14I asked a couple of the lads, "What if you don't get the job you want?"

0:20:14 > 0:20:16They said, "I cannot even think about that." And one said,

0:20:16 > 0:20:19"You'd have to take me to hospital." I just wonder

0:20:19 > 0:20:22whether or not this is a sign of the times. Could this happen at home?

0:20:22 > 0:20:25Everyone tells me how tricky it is to find a job and I do get that.

0:20:25 > 0:20:27So maybe we do have to look at

0:20:27 > 0:20:29alternative ways to try and prep ourselves.

0:20:29 > 0:20:32We do need to make ourselves so amazing

0:20:32 > 0:20:35that they can't turn us down.

0:20:35 > 0:20:37And honestly, I've got my fingers crossed for you.

0:20:37 > 0:20:42I'm sure you'll get there. Oh, look, have you not heard of this before?

0:20:42 > 0:20:43Fingers crossed.

0:20:43 > 0:20:44LAUGHTER

0:20:44 > 0:20:47I've given you a bit of English culture.

0:20:53 > 0:20:57'I've seen how getting a secure job for life has become a struggle

0:20:57 > 0:21:01'but I've heard that hanging onto one can be even harder.'

0:21:01 > 0:21:05There's a security company that have hired university graduates.

0:21:05 > 0:21:08So they've said I can come along and see the training,

0:21:08 > 0:21:10and take part and get a real feel for what it's like.

0:21:13 > 0:21:16'I've been invited by one of Japan's biggest security firms,

0:21:16 > 0:21:20'Alsok, to spend 24 hours training

0:21:20 > 0:21:22'with their new crop of managers, just outside Tokyo.'

0:21:23 > 0:21:26Let's do this.

0:21:26 > 0:21:29SHOUTING

0:21:29 > 0:21:32Stop it! What is that? (I don't like it.)

0:21:32 > 0:21:34SHOUTING

0:21:34 > 0:21:36- I don't know.- Fu, please don't.

0:21:36 > 0:21:38SHOUTING

0:21:46 > 0:21:48Stacey Dooley.

0:21:49 > 0:21:50Stacey Dooley.

0:21:53 > 0:21:56IN JAPANESE

0:22:00 > 0:22:04'Intense training routes for new recruits are common here.

0:22:04 > 0:22:07'I've been enrolled on one of the tougher regimes.'

0:22:07 > 0:22:08Sheet.

0:22:08 > 0:22:12It's like I'm in the army. Oh, thank you. Hello.

0:22:13 > 0:22:18- Hello, my name is Yuhi Umishima. - Oh, lovely to meet you. I'm Stacey.

0:22:18 > 0:22:20Hello!

0:22:20 > 0:22:23'There's no time to talk to Yuhi.'

0:22:25 > 0:22:27Oh. I'm coming!

0:22:43 > 0:22:48'The 350 trainees here have beaten thousands of interested candidates

0:22:48 > 0:22:50'to get to this camp.

0:22:52 > 0:22:54'But they must now pass this training week

0:22:54 > 0:22:56'or Alsok won't employ them.'

0:22:56 > 0:22:59I think the thing that surprised me most is the fact that

0:22:59 > 0:23:01these guys aren't joining to be in the army

0:23:01 > 0:23:03or something very regimented.

0:23:03 > 0:23:07They're uni graduates and they're training to be in management.

0:23:07 > 0:23:11And this is the kind of training. It's totally unbelievable.

0:23:11 > 0:23:15'I have a feeling it's going to be a tough 24 hours.'

0:23:46 > 0:23:47'It's roll call in 15 minutes

0:23:47 > 0:23:50'and everything must be checked before we go.'

0:23:50 > 0:23:52Neck tie, yes!

0:23:53 > 0:23:57The tie is fine. The table is good. The bin is good.

0:23:58 > 0:24:01STACEY WAILS

0:24:03 > 0:24:04SHOUTING

0:24:07 > 0:24:12They're just going through the rules now that we have to adhere to.

0:24:12 > 0:24:17To stay focused. Shout your answers at the top of your lungs.

0:24:17 > 0:24:21'The recruits have to master military drills,

0:24:21 > 0:24:24'self-discipline and company policy in the space of a week.

0:24:24 > 0:24:26'This will teach them

0:24:26 > 0:24:30'to work together and test their focus and resolve.

0:24:33 > 0:24:37'22-year-old Yuhi has already been here for 24 hours.'

0:24:41 > 0:24:44So how's your training going? How are you finding it?

0:24:47 > 0:24:51- I mean, are you excited? Are you happy that you've got this job?- Yes.

0:24:51 > 0:24:53How many did you go for?

0:25:15 > 0:25:19'It might not be my first choice of job, but the effort that you hear

0:25:19 > 0:25:24'that the others are putting into their training is extraordinary.'

0:25:24 > 0:25:27IN JAPANESE

0:25:27 > 0:25:31How do you feel knowing that you've got a full-time job?

0:25:58 > 0:26:01I've been pulled out of training and I'm going to go

0:26:01 > 0:26:03and have a chat with the camp commander.

0:26:03 > 0:26:05This is really important.

0:26:05 > 0:26:07Stacey Dooley, trainee!

0:26:14 > 0:26:16Thank you.

0:26:16 > 0:26:20'Mr Kwai says Alsok has been running this training programme

0:26:20 > 0:26:22'for over 30 years.'

0:26:22 > 0:26:28Have you seen any significant differences with the recruits now?

0:26:28 > 0:26:30You know, since the economy slowed down?

0:26:37 > 0:26:39Do you think that's because they can't believe

0:26:39 > 0:26:42that they've got a job? Do you think they're more grateful?

0:27:08 > 0:27:10'If they pass, these employees will start on

0:27:10 > 0:27:14'a basic wage of about £30,000 which will rise

0:27:14 > 0:27:17'every year until they retire.

0:27:22 > 0:27:25'These are the people that are the lucky ones.'

0:27:25 > 0:27:28But I think they realise they have to work that much harder.

0:27:28 > 0:27:31They strive to make sure that they're going above and beyond

0:27:31 > 0:27:34all the time, just to make sure that they're still employed

0:27:34 > 0:27:36and keeping the job they've managed to get.

0:27:36 > 0:27:38Um, and they don't seem to mind.

0:27:38 > 0:27:40You know, they really seem up for it

0:27:40 > 0:27:43and they're going to give it their all, no matter what.

0:27:44 > 0:27:47'It's time for me to go but I'll return at the end of the week

0:27:47 > 0:27:50'to see if my new friends graduate or if they fail.'

0:27:53 > 0:27:55Wow...

0:27:55 > 0:27:56This is their personal time.

0:27:56 > 0:28:00This is down time, actually. It's ten past nine.

0:28:00 > 0:28:04They've got a lesson at ten till eleven and they're up again at six.

0:28:13 > 0:28:16Now, when you're flicking through the papers at home, you often read

0:28:16 > 0:28:20articles saying our generation aren't ready for the workplace.

0:28:20 > 0:28:22We don't know how easy we've got it.

0:28:22 > 0:28:25And they say that immigrants tend to work harder than us.

0:28:25 > 0:28:28And I've often taken that with a pinch of salt, if I'm honest,

0:28:28 > 0:28:32but spending time here and seeing these guys in action,

0:28:32 > 0:28:33they're not mucking about.

0:28:33 > 0:28:35Maybe we do need to step our game up,

0:28:35 > 0:28:39especially if our economy continues to be really slow.

0:28:42 > 0:28:44Alsok's recruits may be happy,

0:28:44 > 0:28:46but others are finding that hard times

0:28:46 > 0:28:51mean harder working conditions, to the point where some believe

0:28:51 > 0:28:53their health is being put on the line.

0:29:00 > 0:29:03ANNOUNCEMENT IN JAPANESE

0:29:06 > 0:29:09I'm on my way to meet someone, who felt her employer's demands

0:29:09 > 0:29:12were so outrageous, she complained to her trade union.

0:29:14 > 0:29:15Hello. Erika?

0:29:15 > 0:29:18Erika! Konnichiwa! Stacey.

0:29:18 > 0:29:21SHE SPEAKS JAPANESE

0:29:21 > 0:29:24Lovely to meet you. Will we go in? It's cold!

0:29:24 > 0:29:2924-year-old Erica is a trainee manager

0:29:29 > 0:29:31at a popular restaurant chain.

0:29:48 > 0:29:50Is this a widespread problem?

0:30:06 > 0:30:08I noticed that the manager of the cafe

0:30:08 > 0:30:11was taking an interest in our conversation.

0:30:11 > 0:30:15You've been nodding throughout. Do you agree with what Erica is saying?

0:30:23 > 0:30:26How many times a week are you doing them?

0:30:28 > 0:30:30That is a ridiculous amount of hours.

0:30:30 > 0:30:32It's a miracle you're still stood up.

0:30:32 > 0:30:36If these working hours continue, what are your main concerns?

0:30:48 > 0:30:50What is karoshi? I've not heard of this.

0:30:57 > 0:31:03So there's an actual term for being worked to death, karoshi?

0:31:21 > 0:31:23It's insane to think that you've got

0:31:23 > 0:31:28so many young Japanese people feeling completely overwhelmed

0:31:28 > 0:31:31because they're so desperate to get these full-time jobs,

0:31:31 > 0:31:34yet I'm hearing that once you've got the full-time job,

0:31:34 > 0:31:36sometimes things are so overwhelming

0:31:36 > 0:31:40because you cannot keep up with the constant workload

0:31:40 > 0:31:41and the constant pressure.

0:31:41 > 0:31:46So much so that they're working themselves to death in some cases.

0:31:46 > 0:31:48It's something that I've never heard of at home

0:31:48 > 0:31:53but it's a term that's known over here - karoshi.

0:31:56 > 0:31:59The Government says that there are 300 deaths from overwork every year.

0:31:59 > 0:32:05Some unions say the true figure runs into the thousands.

0:32:10 > 0:32:13Death from overwork isn't the only phenomenon costing lives.

0:32:15 > 0:32:17Over the past three years here,

0:32:17 > 0:32:19the number of young people taking their own lives

0:32:19 > 0:32:22because they are struggling to find work has nearly trebled.

0:32:22 > 0:32:26I'm heading to a forest that is notorious as a place where people go

0:32:26 > 0:32:29to end their lives.

0:32:32 > 0:32:34Over the past 20 years,

0:32:34 > 0:32:36thousands have come here to die.

0:32:47 > 0:32:48Konnichiwa!

0:32:48 > 0:32:50Hello!

0:32:50 > 0:32:53It's a vast, lonely place and easy to get lost.

0:32:53 > 0:32:54Luckily, I've got guides.

0:32:56 > 0:32:59We've literally stepped foot in the forest

0:32:59 > 0:33:01and already we've come across this sign.

0:33:01 > 0:33:05The sign says if you're here to take your own life

0:33:05 > 0:33:09because you're so worried about money, don't. Ring this number.

0:33:09 > 0:33:11It's really shocking.

0:33:11 > 0:33:14It gives you an idea of the scale of the problem here.

0:33:16 > 0:33:17HE SPEAKS JAPANESE

0:33:17 > 0:33:21Suicide counsellors Mr Sowaguci and Mr Yoshida put up the sign.

0:33:21 > 0:33:25They come here every month from Tokyo to maintain it.

0:33:27 > 0:33:29- Thank God.- Come this way.

0:33:30 > 0:33:31Thank you.

0:33:33 > 0:33:35I feel a bit uneasy.

0:33:37 > 0:33:38Look. What is that, Hiro?

0:33:38 > 0:33:42People who come here to think about end their lives,

0:33:42 > 0:33:48they will use a rope to lead the way back to the exit.

0:33:48 > 0:33:50In case they've had a change of heart, they've left a trail.

0:33:53 > 0:33:56It's heartbreaking how many of these things there are.

0:33:56 > 0:33:59There is no way of knowing why each line came to be here,

0:33:59 > 0:34:02but every year, up to 100 bodies are found.

0:34:08 > 0:34:10You have to think about the kind of place you'd have to be in

0:34:10 > 0:34:12to come somewhere like this and think,

0:34:12 > 0:34:14"This really is my only way out."

0:34:18 > 0:34:19What is that?

0:34:21 > 0:34:23We've come across an old camp.

0:34:23 > 0:34:26The trees surrounding it are covered in writing.

0:34:26 > 0:34:29Hiro, what does it say?

0:34:30 > 0:34:32"We're all dead. We're all dead."

0:34:34 > 0:34:36Are these bodies?

0:34:39 > 0:34:41Are they bodies?

0:34:43 > 0:34:44Nothing there. Nothing.

0:34:44 > 0:34:48Since 1998, in the wake of the slump,

0:34:48 > 0:34:52suicides have risen to over 30,000 a year.

0:34:52 > 0:34:57Mr Sowaguci and Mr Yoshida think the young are particularly vulnerable.

0:34:57 > 0:34:59HE SPEAKS JAPANESE

0:35:13 > 0:35:14Let's go.

0:35:20 > 0:35:23Around the corner, we come across some flowers

0:35:23 > 0:35:24where a body was found.

0:35:27 > 0:35:30These people weren't totally alone

0:35:30 > 0:35:32because people have come here to put flowers.

0:35:32 > 0:35:34Perhaps if they had just...

0:35:34 > 0:35:39I hope he or she rest in peace now.

0:35:43 > 0:35:47This is important to have a think about because

0:35:47 > 0:35:51at home we're all moaning and say, "The Government, the economy,

0:35:51 > 0:35:53"X,Y,Z, things aren't great."

0:35:53 > 0:35:59But I don't think we're seriously worried that it could affect

0:35:59 > 0:36:01our whole generation at this stage.

0:36:01 > 0:36:06But what if our economy is in a bad way for 20 years

0:36:06 > 0:36:09like Japan has been?

0:36:09 > 0:36:11So...

0:36:12 > 0:36:16It's a real worry, isn't it? It's a big thing.

0:36:35 > 0:36:37For many here, life goes on.

0:36:46 > 0:36:47THEY SPEAK JAPANESE

0:36:50 > 0:36:53The Japanese are just so polite!

0:36:53 > 0:36:56There's a church behind me and every person that walks in,

0:36:56 > 0:37:00they are welcoming and saying hello to. It's lovely!

0:37:05 > 0:37:07I'm travelling to Imado in Tokyo

0:37:07 > 0:37:10to learn about an unexpected impact the economy is having

0:37:10 > 0:37:11on everyday life.

0:37:11 > 0:37:17A record number of men in their early 30s are now unmarried.

0:37:17 > 0:37:20On reason for this is they feel too financially insecure

0:37:20 > 0:37:22to get hitched.

0:37:22 > 0:37:24I've never been anywhere like this.

0:37:24 > 0:37:27Since the dip in the economy, a trend that has got bigger over here

0:37:27 > 0:37:28is konkatsu.

0:37:28 > 0:37:31This basically means marriage hunting, looking for love!

0:37:31 > 0:37:34I've come to a shrine that's devoted to that.

0:37:34 > 0:37:37I'm meeting a girl and she's going to talk me through her story

0:37:37 > 0:37:38and tell me her thoughts on it all.

0:37:39 > 0:37:42This ancient shrine is said to bring luck to those looking for love.

0:37:42 > 0:37:46Today it's crammed with women praying for partners.

0:37:48 > 0:37:49Konnichiwa!

0:37:49 > 0:37:54- Nice to meet you!- Nice to meet you! I'm Stacey.- My name is Hannah.

0:37:54 > 0:37:59Hannah, 33, works in accounting. She's looking for a husband.

0:37:59 > 0:38:02How long have you been looking for a husband?

0:38:03 > 0:38:06BELL TOLLS

0:38:06 > 0:38:09How important is it that you find this husband?

0:38:23 > 0:38:26Japanese women's desire to marry men in stable jobs

0:38:26 > 0:38:29is a big factor behind the konkatsu trend.

0:38:31 > 0:38:34It certainly seems to be the case that konkatsu is booming.

0:38:34 > 0:38:36It's a really big industry.

0:38:36 > 0:38:39All these things that you can see - and there are thousands -

0:38:39 > 0:38:42are what people write their prayers on.

0:38:42 > 0:38:44They pray for a husband, pray for a wife

0:38:44 > 0:38:48and tie it to this big...frame.

0:38:48 > 0:38:51"Love, love."

0:38:52 > 0:38:53This one... Come and see this.

0:38:53 > 0:38:54"Let's get married."

0:38:54 > 0:38:58"Nice guy, nice face. Whatever. Just soon."

0:38:58 > 0:39:00THEY LAUGH

0:39:00 > 0:39:01That's brilliant!

0:39:05 > 0:39:08Hannah and I decide to try one of the shrine's special rituals

0:39:08 > 0:39:10designed to bring luck in the hunt for a partner.

0:39:10 > 0:39:17- Stacey.- Stacey.- Yeah.- Stacey...

0:39:17 > 0:39:20This shrine is old but the priest tells me

0:39:20 > 0:39:23the konkatsu trend has kept her very busy for the past three years.

0:39:25 > 0:39:27SHE BANGS GONG

0:39:33 > 0:39:37SHE CHANTS IN JAPANESE

0:39:37 > 0:39:39SHE CLAPS

0:39:41 > 0:39:45Konkatsu has started a multi-million pound industry.

0:39:45 > 0:39:47This ancient ceremony cost £20.

0:39:49 > 0:39:53The shrine does a booming trade in good-luck charms.

0:39:56 > 0:40:00Single ladies but not for long!

0:40:00 > 0:40:03- Happy, come on, come on. - Happy, happy.

0:40:03 > 0:40:06But to maximise her chances, Hannah says

0:40:06 > 0:40:07she's got something else up her sleeve.

0:40:07 > 0:40:09What are the plans for today?

0:40:14 > 0:40:16- Can I come? - Yes.- Let's go!

0:40:16 > 0:40:20We can't keep the man of your dreams waiting.

0:40:20 > 0:40:21THEY LAUGH

0:40:24 > 0:40:26I don't know if it's that quick.

0:40:26 > 0:40:28You think it could happen tonight?

0:40:28 > 0:40:30We find our husbands?

0:40:30 > 0:40:34- Konkatsu party?- Yeah.- I hope so.

0:40:34 > 0:40:37Every week, thousands of young, single ladies across Japan

0:40:37 > 0:40:41go to konkatsu parties.

0:40:41 > 0:40:43It's a bit like speed dating but there's no messing about.

0:40:43 > 0:40:47It's all focused on getting hitched to a Japanese salary man.

0:40:48 > 0:40:53Hannah, can you tell me any advice for these parties?

0:40:53 > 0:40:54- Keep smiling.- OK.

0:40:54 > 0:40:57And don't hesitate.

0:40:57 > 0:41:00Our konkatsu party, costing £50,

0:41:00 > 0:41:05is set up to help the ladies bag a man earning over £60,000 a year.

0:41:06 > 0:41:07Lucky 15.

0:41:07 > 0:41:09Now, I'm a bit nervous.

0:41:09 > 0:41:12Yes.

0:41:12 > 0:41:14All guests fill out questionnaires

0:41:14 > 0:41:15to learn more about each other.

0:41:15 > 0:41:18Did you have experience...

0:41:18 > 0:41:20SHE SPEAKS JAPANESE

0:41:20 > 0:41:22Have you been dumped by somebody?

0:41:22 > 0:41:23STACEY LAUGHS

0:41:23 > 0:41:25Yes!

0:41:25 > 0:41:26HE SPEAKS JAPANESE

0:41:26 > 0:41:29An emcee is on hand to make sure everything goes smoothly.

0:41:29 > 0:41:32My name is Stacey. Are you OK?

0:41:35 > 0:41:37Do you feel OK?

0:41:37 > 0:41:39HE SPEAKS JAPANESE

0:41:39 > 0:41:40Don't get yourself in a tizz...

0:41:40 > 0:41:44Unfortunately, you can't plan for first-night nerves.

0:41:44 > 0:41:47- Don't be nervous.- He's real nervous. - I know. Just relax.

0:41:47 > 0:41:49What is he trying to say?

0:41:49 > 0:41:52That could not have been more awkward. The poor guy

0:41:52 > 0:41:57was dripping with sweat so much that we had to stop!

0:41:58 > 0:42:01THEY SPEAK JAPANESE

0:42:04 > 0:42:09At home, we do have speed dating and online dating

0:42:09 > 0:42:10but here it's just another level.

0:42:10 > 0:42:12It's on steroids. It's marriage.

0:42:12 > 0:42:16They're not looking to date. They're looking to find husbands and wives.

0:42:16 > 0:42:17Fast.

0:42:17 > 0:42:20My favourite holiday is... I like sunbathing...

0:42:20 > 0:42:21THEY SPEAK IN JAPANESE

0:42:21 > 0:42:24- He likes it too.- Ah!

0:42:24 > 0:42:27THEY SPEAK JAPANESE

0:42:27 > 0:42:29I like funny men.

0:42:30 > 0:42:33After seven dates each, the results aren't exactly encouraging.

0:42:33 > 0:42:35What does it say?

0:42:40 > 0:42:44'It seems neither of us would be leaving with a husband.'

0:42:44 > 0:42:47It's crazy to think that the economy has affected

0:42:47 > 0:42:49so many different aspects of people's lives,

0:42:49 > 0:42:51and relationships is a really big thing,

0:42:51 > 0:42:53and you just never know, do you?

0:42:53 > 0:42:56England's in recession, things are tough at home.

0:42:56 > 0:43:00Could that have an effect on our dating scene? You never know.

0:43:03 > 0:43:05'I've been in Japan for two weeks

0:43:05 > 0:43:10'and finding positive stories about young people's experiences here has been hard.

0:43:10 > 0:43:14'But I've heard that some are learning to adapt.'

0:43:14 > 0:43:17The thing about Japan is that the younger people here

0:43:17 > 0:43:20aren't openly protesting, so they're not out on the streets

0:43:20 > 0:43:22and they're not saying how tough it is for them.

0:43:22 > 0:43:24I've arranged to go and meet a guy.

0:43:24 > 0:43:26He said he's going to take me to a place

0:43:26 > 0:43:30that he thinks will quite surprise me. I'll find out more there.

0:43:32 > 0:43:35- Hello! How's things?- Hi, hello.

0:43:35 > 0:43:37- Real pleasure to meet you. - Yeah, me too.

0:43:37 > 0:43:39- I'm Stacey.- I'm Noritoshi.

0:43:39 > 0:43:43'Noritoshi, a sociologist, has written a book that says

0:43:43 > 0:43:47'some young people are starting to thrive in these hard times.'

0:43:47 > 0:43:52So, talk me through this book, Happy Youth Of A Desperate Country.

0:44:04 > 0:44:09Cos I've seen a very different side to the side you speak of,

0:44:09 > 0:44:11so it'd be good to see both sides.

0:44:12 > 0:44:16'To prove his point, Noritoshi sends me

0:44:16 > 0:44:18'to a Tokyo suburb to meet some people who have come up with

0:44:18 > 0:44:22'an extraordinary new way of surviving in Japan today.'

0:44:26 > 0:44:28SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR

0:44:28 > 0:44:32- Hello, you must be May.- Yes.- I'm Stacey. Real pleasure to meet you.

0:44:32 > 0:44:37- Thanks for having me.- Yes.- So this is your home?- Right.- Wow.- Come in.

0:44:37 > 0:44:41- Looks like lots of people live here. - Right. This is the first floor.

0:44:41 > 0:44:45- Oh, Konnichiwa.- Hello. - This is where people work.

0:44:45 > 0:44:48- And how many people live here? - Around 20.

0:44:48 > 0:44:53- 20 people in this one house?- Right.

0:44:53 > 0:44:54'And they share one office,

0:44:54 > 0:44:58'one kitchen, one bathroom and just one bedroom.'

0:44:58 > 0:45:01- This is where people sleep.- Oh, wow.

0:45:01 > 0:45:05A few people can sleep in here and if more people want to sleep,

0:45:05 > 0:45:08they have to find a place in the living room or basement,

0:45:08 > 0:45:09somewhere else.

0:45:09 > 0:45:14- So you don't have a bedroom? - This is a bedroom, but we share.

0:45:16 > 0:45:18'This group came about after one of its members

0:45:18 > 0:45:21'searched for like-minded people online.'

0:45:21 > 0:45:25Do not step on this one. It's got lizard in...

0:45:25 > 0:45:29- A lizard?- Yeah. - In here?- Yeah.- Where?

0:45:29 > 0:45:32A living lizard?!

0:45:34 > 0:45:37Of course there's a lizard in a bag on the stairs!

0:45:37 > 0:45:39- Everyone's cool with that?- Yeah.

0:45:39 > 0:45:41Bathroom there.

0:45:41 > 0:45:45Oh, I've just seen a naked Japanese boy!

0:45:45 > 0:45:48THEY LAUGH

0:45:50 > 0:45:52'To many Japanese,

0:45:52 > 0:45:56'the way these part-time workers live is anything but normal.'

0:45:56 > 0:46:01People who are hired permanently within our age

0:46:01 > 0:46:05thinks that we're, like, misfits.

0:46:05 > 0:46:09Has anyone actually worked for an organisation or a business full time?

0:46:13 > 0:46:16And what was wrong with the workplace?

0:46:16 > 0:46:22She had to work all night long for quite often,

0:46:22 > 0:46:25like, three or two times in the week, so she couldn't go back home,

0:46:25 > 0:46:28she couldn't take a bath for three days straight.

0:46:28 > 0:46:29Really?

0:46:31 > 0:46:32You're sleeping at work?

0:46:37 > 0:46:42And she came to think about herself, "Why am I doing things like this?"

0:46:42 > 0:46:45So she decided to quit.

0:46:45 > 0:46:47'Many of them feel that the hours

0:46:47 > 0:46:50'you have to put into full-time jobs isn't worth it.'

0:46:53 > 0:46:55He's more frightened to get the whole job

0:46:55 > 0:46:57rather than working part time,

0:46:57 > 0:47:00cos he's 28 right now

0:47:00 > 0:47:05and he's been watching his friends getting jobs, and they start

0:47:05 > 0:47:11to become sick mentally or getting fat and sometimes sent to hospital.

0:47:11 > 0:47:13He's been seeing, like,

0:47:13 > 0:47:18part-time jobs can earn more than full-time job

0:47:18 > 0:47:22if you think in hourly wage.

0:47:26 > 0:47:28So if we calculate when she was working,

0:47:28 > 0:47:33the wage would be like 300 yen per hour.

0:47:33 > 0:47:36That's under three pounds.

0:47:36 > 0:47:39That's under minimum wage at home in the UK.

0:47:39 > 0:47:41'Most are happy to work part time,

0:47:41 > 0:47:44'but I wanted to know if they'd faced the same problems

0:47:44 > 0:47:45'as others I'd met.'

0:47:45 > 0:47:49Did you guys feel any real pressure from the parents

0:47:49 > 0:47:51to get that permanent job?

0:47:53 > 0:47:55He does. She does. He does feel...

0:47:57 > 0:48:00So you've done this to try and prove to society

0:48:00 > 0:48:03that you don't have to take the traditional route?

0:48:03 > 0:48:06You can still continue to live a life.

0:48:06 > 0:48:08Right.

0:48:09 > 0:48:13'Everyone here supports each other financially,

0:48:13 > 0:48:16'and they use their spare time and money to pursue their passions.'

0:48:22 > 0:48:24I study print-making.

0:48:24 > 0:48:26I'm a producer and DJ.

0:48:28 > 0:48:29I'm a musician.

0:48:29 > 0:48:31Director.

0:48:31 > 0:48:35'It's a unique living arrangement, but it seems to work.'

0:48:38 > 0:48:40THEY CHEER

0:48:42 > 0:48:45These guys won't sit around and tell you how petrified they are

0:48:45 > 0:48:49about the future and that they worry about the economy all day every day.

0:48:49 > 0:48:51I think they take it into account,

0:48:51 > 0:48:54but they're very much about the here and now, enjoying life now.

0:48:54 > 0:48:58One of the lads said, "I don't want to live a life where,

0:48:58 > 0:49:00"if I died tomorrow I wouldn't be happy."

0:49:00 > 0:49:03So it's a very different approach

0:49:03 > 0:49:07to that I've heard before here in Japan, but I like it.

0:49:07 > 0:49:09DANCE MUSIC PLAYS

0:49:13 > 0:49:16'Later that night, there was a party,

0:49:16 > 0:49:19'and Noritoshi came round to visit.'

0:49:19 > 0:49:22Why have you suggested I spend time in this house?

0:49:35 > 0:49:37'Noritoshi says surveys are starting to show

0:49:37 > 0:49:41'that more and more people in their 20s are happy.

0:49:41 > 0:49:44'He believes they've stopped worrying about the future.

0:49:44 > 0:49:46'Instead, they are downsizing

0:49:46 > 0:49:49'and finding security in friendships and family.'

0:49:49 > 0:49:51Not getting that full-time job,

0:49:51 > 0:49:55not getting that lifetime position isn't always a bad thing?

0:50:10 > 0:50:12It's a bit of a mixed bag, I suppose.

0:50:12 > 0:50:16The first half of the day I spent feeling really inspired by them,

0:50:16 > 0:50:18and I was really pleased for them that they were able

0:50:18 > 0:50:21to feel happy in the here and now.

0:50:21 > 0:50:24But speaking with Noritoshi and thinking about it a bit deeper,

0:50:24 > 0:50:27you kind of think, "Well, what about their future?

0:50:27 > 0:50:29"What does their future hold for them?"

0:50:29 > 0:50:34'Who knows? Perhaps if you take care of the present,

0:50:34 > 0:50:36'the future will take care of itself.

0:50:40 > 0:50:43'Before leaving Japan, I returned to see my friends at Alsok.'

0:50:43 > 0:50:46So it's graduation day today.

0:50:46 > 0:50:50They have to take this test and then they find out if they've passed or not.

0:50:50 > 0:50:52So it'll be a great opportunity to speak to them,

0:50:52 > 0:50:55hear how they're feeling, see if they've perhaps got any concerns

0:50:55 > 0:50:59or they're worried about how hard they might have to work to keep this job.

0:51:03 > 0:51:07Konnichiwa? Ah, Konnichiwa.

0:51:07 > 0:51:09Konnichiwa, Stacey.

0:51:09 > 0:51:12Oh, there it is! Thank you.

0:51:12 > 0:51:14We must hurry.

0:51:14 > 0:51:17I'm actually really excited. I hope today goes well for them.

0:51:17 > 0:51:20It's a big deal getting a job, especially in this day and age.

0:51:26 > 0:51:28Hello! How are you feeling?

0:51:31 > 0:51:33How's the rest of the week been?

0:51:38 > 0:51:40Good for you. And how are you feeling?

0:51:40 > 0:51:42D'you think you'll have passed?

0:51:52 > 0:51:54Arigato gozaimasu.

0:51:55 > 0:51:58What have they done to my friend?

0:51:58 > 0:52:01He's not mucking about, he means serious business.

0:52:01 > 0:52:03Oh, God, I hope they both do well.

0:52:06 > 0:52:09HE YELLS ORDERS

0:52:19 > 0:52:22'To pass, these management recruits

0:52:22 > 0:52:25'must perform their military drill flawlessly.'

0:52:31 > 0:52:32I can't believe it.

0:52:32 > 0:52:38'The transformation in the space of a week is impressive.'

0:52:38 > 0:52:40THEY SHOUT

0:52:49 > 0:52:51I think that's it.

0:52:59 > 0:53:02'With so much riding on this,

0:53:02 > 0:53:05'I was worried how people would react if they failed.'

0:53:14 > 0:53:17I'm just so, so pleased for them.

0:53:28 > 0:53:30They're all getting really emotional.

0:53:33 > 0:53:36'As they are congratulated by their instructors,

0:53:36 > 0:53:38'there isn't a dry eye in the house.'

0:53:41 > 0:53:45I've listened to so many people telling me how desperate they are

0:53:45 > 0:53:48to get a job and how important this is,

0:53:48 > 0:53:54but I don't think you can really understand the enormity of it until you come somewhere like this.

0:53:54 > 0:53:56This is a momentous time in their life

0:53:56 > 0:54:00and it's a real pleasure to see it.

0:54:00 > 0:54:02THEY CHEER

0:54:08 > 0:54:11Congratulations! How are you feeling?

0:54:13 > 0:54:15You did it!

0:54:15 > 0:54:17What are your parents going to say?

0:54:20 > 0:54:24Congratulations. What does this mean for you?

0:54:24 > 0:54:26You passing today, what does it mean?

0:54:37 > 0:54:38- Two more days.- Yeah.

0:54:40 > 0:54:45If you think of the reasons why Japan is so successful,

0:54:45 > 0:54:49one of the main things is because they're so big on teamwork.

0:54:49 > 0:54:53On the flip side, so many young people here are panicking

0:54:53 > 0:54:56and struggling because they're not part of a team

0:54:56 > 0:55:00and there's a pressure to be a part of this team, be part of society.

0:55:00 > 0:55:05The very thing that makes Japan so great and successful

0:55:05 > 0:55:08is also the same thing that's putting fear in youngsters.

0:55:14 > 0:55:18'It's the end of my time in Japan

0:55:18 > 0:55:21'and the end of my journey to discover how my generation

0:55:21 > 0:55:24'are coping with the worst economic crisis in living memory.

0:55:26 > 0:55:30'I've been to Greece, where they're in the middle of a catastrophe...'

0:55:36 > 0:55:38We're going to resist and we're going to win.

0:55:38 > 0:55:41'..and Ireland, where they're losing hope...'

0:55:41 > 0:55:43Good luck.

0:55:43 > 0:55:46It's not that I'm going because I want to go.

0:55:46 > 0:55:47I'm going cos I have to go.

0:55:47 > 0:55:50'Here, I've seen the suffering of a generation

0:55:50 > 0:55:53'that hasn't known any good times.

0:55:53 > 0:55:56'But what I'll remember the most are the stories of those

0:55:56 > 0:55:59'who have taken the sometimes difficult steps

0:55:59 > 0:56:01'to try and improve their lives.'

0:56:01 > 0:56:05It is possible to make it work for you

0:56:05 > 0:56:08if you're willing to try new things, if you're willing to accept

0:56:08 > 0:56:11that the heyday may not come back for a very long time.

0:56:11 > 0:56:14We're living here, let's make it work.

0:56:14 > 0:56:17That can only be a good thing, can't it?

0:56:17 > 0:56:20I'm under no illusion that it's easy to live through a recession

0:56:20 > 0:56:23or a crisis, because it's not. I've seen how difficult it can be.

0:56:23 > 0:56:25But we're here, we might as well accept the fact

0:56:25 > 0:56:27that it's not going anywhere.

0:56:27 > 0:56:28We're going to have to live through this,

0:56:28 > 0:56:32so we've got to make it work for us, got to make it happen.

0:56:35 > 0:56:37Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd