A119　 According to one survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 27.3% of the companies surveyed stated that they planned to extend the employment period of staff who requested this, and would reemploy contract workers. Some 28.0% indi-cated that they would take on staff during the off-season. However, only 9.0% of the respondents said that they would pass on skills and know-how to young and mid-level staff, and only 8.5% of them said that retiring employees had written down the essential skills and know-how that needed to be passed on. So, clearly, little is being done to promote the transfer of skills.