関西日本スウエーデン協会

関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Social welfare system in Sweden

Presentation to (NPO) Kobe-Youth Net

- a brief reflection and some differences

compared to Japan

Joakim Fahlstedt
Nov 26, 2003
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Content
• Sweden in brief
• The Swedish welfare system in general and some challenges
• Examples of welfare system coverage in Sweden
- employment & equality of gender
- health care system
- family benefits, parental insurance & child care services
• Some differences between Sweden and Japan
• A conclusion from own perspective
• For more information: sources and reference
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Sweden in brief
• Large geographical country (20% bigger than Japan)
• Small population of 9 million people (20 people/km2)
• Sweden exports about 43% of its GDP (2% to Japan)
compared with Japan’s exports of 10% of its GDP
• Diversified economy from base of iron ore and wood
• Many multinational companies such as Ericsson,
Electrolux, Volvo, Saab, SKF, Tetra Pak, Alfa Laval,
IKEA
• Large public sector – child & elderly age care, health
care and education – financed through taxes. Total
tax burden to GDP is above 50% (compared with
in Japan)
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

“from the cradle to the grave”

• Sweden’s way of developing a welfare society, with a
strong public sector, of services has been established
since the 1930’s
• A welfare society based on workings of the market
economy – and through government intervention and
social democratic values
• High employment levels based on active labor policies
• A focus on equality – through a universal welfare system
based on generous transfer payments and extensive
public and social services
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Challenges since early 1990s

• Economic crisis had impact on the Swedish model
• Most parts of the welfare system remain intact but more
stricter qualification rules
• Commitments in the social insurance and unemployment
insurance is becoming more and more under financed
• Hospitals having difficulties serving all patients
• Contraction of services in the elderly care sector
• Various quality of childcare services in the country
• Further pressure on the governmental budget by sharp
increase of employees on long sick-leaves
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Can the model be kept ?

• How to cover the costs to keep the high level of services
with an aging population (the proportion of aged persons
over 65 is around 17% - slightly higher than in Japan)
• Need to bring more women into full time employment (60%
work fulltime of those who work)
• Bring more of jobless immigrants into the workforce and
more work immigration
• Revising the welfare system e.g. the reform of the pension
system
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Employment and equality of gender

• Regulated by the Equal Opportunities Act e.g. equal rights
at employment, working conditions and personal
development
• Equal pay for equal job
• Representation by “JämO” an independent government
authority – ombudsman
• Companies with ten or more employees must conduct an
annual survey of pay differentials and draw up an annual
gender equality plan
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

The health care system

• The goals are good health and equal health services for
everyone
• Health centers with wide variety of health professionals,
consultation with a doctor 100-150 SEK (1,500-2,200 yen)
• Hospitalization fees of 80 SEK (1,200 yen) per day
• If total fees are higher than 900 SEK (13,400 yen), during
a 12 month period, the additional expenses are free
• All medical treatment for children and young people under
20 years old are free
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Family benefits
• Basic child allowance of 900 SEK/month (13,400 yen)
• Extended child allowance of 950 SEK/month for children
aged 16 and over, attending secondary school
• Additional child allowance for third child of 254 SEK/month
(3,800 yen), 760 SEK/month (11,300 yen) for fourth etc
• Student grants of 950 SEK/month (14,100 yen) for 9 months
per year for students attending high school
• Housing allowance: one child 600 SEK/month (8,900 yen)..
• Maintenance support of separated parents to custodial
parent by 1,173 SEK/month (17,400 yen)
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Parental insurance
• Pregnancy benefits to expectant mothers are provided at a
maximum of 50 days at 80% of the qualifying income
• Parental benefits are payable for 480 days (per child) with
390 days at 80% of qualifying income and 90 days a flat rate
of 60 SEK/day (900 yen). The 480 days are divided equally
between parents and 180 days of one parent can be
transferred to the other parent
• Temporary parental benefits payable to parents taking care
of sick children aged up to 12
• “Dad’s days” where fathers are entitled 10 days of parental
benefit
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Child care services

• Pre-schools for children aged from one up to six years (part-
time or full time)
• Local municipalities can charge not more than a rate at a
maximum of three, two and one percent respectively of a
household’s income (before tax) for the first, second and
third child in the family.
• Fees may not exceed 1,260 SEK/month (18,700 yen) for the
first child, 840 SEK/month (12,500 yen) for the second and
420 SEK/month (6,200 yen) for the third
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Employment and equality of gender –

some comparisons
• More women in “management track positions” in Sweden
compared with Japan. Although gender equality introduced
as social reforms in Japan since the 1990s, still higher
indifferences than Sweden due to long working hours,
seniority system, dual-track system, and social attitude
• Women in Sweden pursue careers on equal terms with men
• The social system in Sweden encourages employment by
both parents with an extensive network of child care centers
and allowance support
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

“Masculinity” versus “Femininity”

(Hofstede, 1997)
• Masculine cultures puts high value on ambition, competition,
material success, and differentiated gender roles
• Feminine places high value on quality of life, interpersonal
relationships and social overlap of roles
1 JAPAN (“Masculine”) Very distinct expectations of male and female roles
2 AUSTRIA
3 VENEZUELA
………
51 NETHERLANDS
52 NORWAY
53 SWEDEN (“Feminine”) Prefer equality between male and female
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Taxes and social costs – some

comparisons
• Higher (> 50%) pretax income in Japan than Sweden
(comparing similar positions)
• Higher income taxation & social charges (up to 60% of
gross income) in Sweden compared to Japan (up to 35%)
• Much of taxes in Sweden goes back to taxpayers by
transfer payments and public & social services
• Many public services are paid as they are used in Japan e.g.
toll roads, upper secondary schools, universities etc
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Health and family - some comparisons

• Higher expenses in Japan for births, medical treatments,
hospitalization etc (but a lower overall tax level)
• Less allowances to children and up to lower ages in Japan
• More reliance on women as housewives, taking care of their
children in Japan
• In Sweden women go back to work more often after having
children whereas in Japan women often do not return to
work
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

A conclusion from own perspective

• The Swedish welfare system enables more services and provides
more allowances but at lower net gross salaries
• Employees in Japan have a higher income in general and less taxes
& social charges but also higher “fees for used general services”
• In Sweden the system almost require both parents in employment
whereas in Japan it is more possible to manage the family economy
by one income
• Sweden has a higher degree of equality for employment between
men and women, which is also culturally derived
• In Japan the family has a stronger role in taking care of the children
and elderly which to a larger extent is taken by the social system in
Sweden – although changes are seen in Sweden
 関西日本スウエーデン協会
関西日本 エーデン協会

Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai

Sources:
www.sweden.or.jp Embassy of Sweden
www.sweden.se “The official gateway to Sweden”
www.sagepub.com/jandt Intercultural Communication

Reference:
www.jssk.org Japan-Sweden Society of Kansai