▁of ▁the ▁remaining ▁restrictions ▁on ▁temporary ▁staff ing ▁in ▁the ▁manufact uring ▁sector . ▁ ▁The ▁result ▁was ▁an ▁enorm ous ▁expansion ▁of ▁temporary ▁labor ▁in ▁the ▁Japanese ▁labor ▁market . ▁Between ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁regular ▁employees ▁in ▁Japan ▁decl ined ▁by ▁about ▁ 1 . 9 ▁million , ▁while ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁non regular ▁workers ▁increased ▁by ▁about ▁ 4 . 5 ▁million . ▁By ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁short - term ▁contract ▁and ▁temporary ▁staff ing ▁workers ▁had ▁increased ▁from ▁a ▁small ▁percentage ▁to ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁labor ▁force . ▁ ▁Types ▁of ▁ha ken ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁types ▁of ▁ha ken : ▁ ▁( 1 ) ▁" Spec ified ▁worker ▁dispatch ing ▁undert ak ings " ▁where by ▁a ▁temp ▁ag ency ▁h ires ▁temporary ▁workers ▁on ▁a ▁regular ▁basis ▁and ▁sends ▁them ▁on ▁assignment ▁to ▁work ▁at ▁its ▁client ▁companies . ▁ ▁( 2 ) ▁" General ▁worker ▁dispatch ing ▁undert ak ings " ▁where by ▁a ▁temp ▁ag ency ▁registers ▁temporary ▁workers ▁and ▁sends ▁them ▁to ▁its ▁client ▁companies ▁on ▁a ▁cont ing ent ▁basis ▁by ▁signing ▁a ▁per - job ▁contract ▁each ▁time ▁the ▁ag ency ▁receives ▁an ▁assignment ▁from ▁its ▁client ▁companies . ▁ ▁L ay offs ▁ ▁is ▁the ▁Japanese ▁term ▁for ▁lay offs ▁of ▁temporary ▁employees ▁( h aken ) ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁companies ▁by ▁staff ing ▁ag encies . ▁In ▁particular , ▁it