Kumanichi offers two interesting statistics. One is that there are 45 political entities in the prefecture comprised of towns, wards, and villages; I assume that this number does not include the prefecture itself. This has always struck me as excessive: Kumamoto’s massive city hall, within a short trolly ride from the more massive prefectural hall (two buildings!), should be a symbol of government waste.
As one ascends the flanks sloping up towards Aso, where the automotive and hight-tech companies are located, one will notice a plethora of staffing company offices whose mission is to enable local companies to employ workers with zero benefits or job security. The second statistic Kumanichi reports is that such disposable workers now make up almost one-third of the Kumamoto workforce.
This problem is not limited to Kumamoto; it has been ongoing nationwide for quite some time. One may wonder why the excessive number of public employs enjoy job security and benefits unavailable to those whose labor actually benefits the prefecture. - William
