TOKYO -- Part of Japan's plan to ease its severe labor shortage involves enticing retirees back to work. But even they are in short supply these days, crippling industries that once had an ample labor pool of seniors willing to work.
Industries that depend on seniors for a significant portion of their workforce -- like security, cleaning and building management -- have seen job applicants plummet recently. Now, these industries are in a fight with other sectors as more companies extend their retirement age to hold onto aged employees.