Our Japan CEO, Masa Matsuoka, recently shared his perspective in his ongoing opinion series for Diamond Online, one of Japan’s leading business media platforms.
In his latest article, Masa-san examines the growing debate around whether blue-collar skilled trades, such as plumbing and electrical work, are becoming more attractive than white-collar work in the age of AI. He acknowledges that demand for skilled trades is rising, and that higher wages in some fields reflect real labor shortages and the growing importance of essential infrastructure work.
However, he argues that the debate is often framed too simplistically. For Masa-san, the issue is not whether white-collar or blue-collar work is more profitable, but whether society is evaluating work through too narrow a lens. Wage levels alone cannot fully explain why people choose certain careers, how difficult it is to succeed in skilled trades, or what makes work meaningful.
The article also challenges the assumption that high-income blue-collar work is easily accessible. Masa-san notes that successful skilled workers often combine technical expertise with business capabilities, including customer acquisition, pricing, negotiation, and trust-building. In this sense, many high-earning tradespeople are not only technicians, but also entrepreneurs.
By looking at the blue-collar debate through the lens of AI, labor markets, and social mobility, Masa-san raises broader questions about how societies should reassess the value of work. Rather than viewing the AI era as a simple reversal between white-collar and blue-collar labor, the article encourages a more nuanced discussion on skills, dignity, opportunity, and the human meaning of work.
In this article, Masa-san covers several key topics:
Why the rising value of skilled trades should not be reduced to a simple white-collar versus blue-collar debate
How high-income skilled workers often combine technical expertise with business capabilities
Why career choices cannot be explained by wages alone
How the AI era raises broader questions about the meaning and value of work
Read the full article here.
Please note that the original article is available in Japanese only.
About Our Expert
Masa Matsuoka is YCP’s Japan CEO, Group Officer, and Managing Partner, with deep expertise in corporate strategy, restructuring, and value creation. He brings extensive experience in turnaround execution and equity research across retail and consumer sectors.
