1. ^aDepartment of Sociology, School of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9SN, UK. E-mail: k.j.mccormick@sussex.ac.uk
2. ^bSchool of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University, 2-1 Naka Kunitachi, Tokyo 186-8601, Japan. E-mail: y.kurata@srv.cc.hit-u.ac.jp
3. ^cTokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7, Konan, Minatoku, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan. E-mail: tsuzaki@tctv.ne.jp

Received 30 June 2006; Revised 12 January 2007; Accepted 5 March 2007.

Abstract

This paper examines alleged shortages and institutional weaknesses in the education, training and employment of Japan's IT labour force at the beginning of the 21st century. In particular, the paper focusses on recent initiatives taken by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to develop IT skill standards (ITSS) in order to promote external labour markets for IT professionals. Drawing on official sources, surveys and interviews with officials in Japan and the UK, the authors argue that similarities between skill standards in Japan and the UK are more apparent than real. The authors argue that the development, design and application of skill standards must be understood in their respective national institutional contexts.