Introduction : interpretations of Japanese industrial relations -- 'Seniority wages'? -- 'Permanent employment'? -- Workers' careers in the USA -- Workers' careers in large Japanese companies -- Workers' careers in small Japanese companies -- White-collar careers in large Japanese companies -- 'Enterprise unionism' -- A typology of labour to explain industrial relations -- Appendix A : Statistical tables -- Appendix B : Questionnaire on skillformation in small and medium-sized companies