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（英会話リスニングスクリプト）
Lifetime employment is still quite common
in Japan.
An employee joins a company, willing to
commit his working life to that company and, in return,
the company promises to look after him and his family until
they die.
However, recently, due to economic hard
times, companies have been laying off their staff.
Some people think that lifetime employment
may be heading the same way as the dinosaur.
Some people think that lifetime employment
is desirable.
It makes workers feel that they are part
of one big family.
There is no fear of being fired and loyalty
is rewarded with automatic promotions.
This reduces stress, enabling employees
to concentrate on their work.
There are usually benefits such as a pension
and recreational facilities.
Some people say that it is the best environment
for workers.
However, other people think that lifetime
employment is bad for both workers and companies.
Having the same job for all your life can
demotivate employees, making them feel as though they are
in prison.
They think that people work better when
they are free to change their jobs, and with lifetime employment,
incompetent workers get the same rewards as workers who
perform well, which cannot be good for a company.
These people believe that lifetime employment
is, although very secure, bad for both Japanese companies
and their employees.
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