NEETS ARE THE NEW DISCOURAGED WORKERS IN JAPAN
Who are the new discouraged workers in Japan?
In Japan, there is growing concern about young people who are not joining the labor force. Young workers who have given up looking for work and often receive support from their parents are known as NEETs—"not in education, employment, or training." Because Japan has an aging population and does not encourage immigration, it is concerned about labor shortages and has focused attention on the NEETs. Many in Japan are concerned over this phenomenon because it potentially signals a change in the strong Japanese work ethic.

However, the number of individuals in this category is quite small, only 2 percent of Japan’s 33 million young people between the ages of 15 and 34. Nonetheless, the fact that the Japanese decided to name this group suggests that it is socially significant to them. In the United States, individuals not seeking work and supported by their parents would be out of the labor force and possibly marginally attached workers.
-Labor shortages in Japan increased focus on the NEETs. This labor shortage is caused by:

Question

NEETS ARE THE NEW DISCOURAGED WORKERS IN JAPAN
Who are the new discouraged workers in Japan?
In Japan, there is growing concern about young people who are not joining the labor force. Young workers who have given up looking for work and often receive support from their parents are known as NEETs—"not in education, employment, or training." Because Japan has an aging population and does not encourage immigration, it is concerned about labor shortages and has focused attention on the NEETs. Many in Japan are concerned over this phenomenon because it potentially signals a change in the strong Japanese work ethic.

However, the number of individuals in this category is quite small, only 2 percent of Japan’s 33 million young people between the ages of 15 and 34. Nonetheless, the fact that the Japanese decided to name this group suggests that it is socially significant to them. In the United States, individuals not seeking work and supported by their parents would be out of the labor force and possibly marginally attached workers.
-Labor shortages in Japan increased focus on the NEETs. This labor shortage is caused by:

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The passage states that Japan is concerned about labor shortages due to its aging population, which means that the best choice is C. A) is incorrect because a strong work ethic is mentioned as potentially changing due to the NEET phenomenon, and is not the cause of the labor shortage. B) is incorrect because there is no mention of a population boom causing a labor shortage. D) is incorrect because there is no mention of a recession causing a labor shortage.