(Selected information on social & labour developments in Japan)
October
2001
RENGO's Biennial Convention
Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) held its 7th Biennial Convention on 4 and 5 October 2001. Mr. Kiyoshi Sasamori, former Secretary General of RENGO, was elected as new President, succeeding Mr. Etsuya Washio. Mr. Tadayoshi Kusano, former President of Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers Unions, took the position of Secretary General.
The main action policies adopted at the Convention are:
Mr. Sasamori, at a press conference held after the Convention, said that he is considering cooperation beyond the framework of RENGO, reaching across the traditional divide within the trade union movement. This implies that he might consider cooperating with National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and National Trade Union Council (Zenrokyo) to tackle employment issues. He emphasized that the trade union movement has a vital role to play in addressing the current deteriorating economic environment. In order to do so it needs to grow out of its traditional bonds and old behavioural patterns, avoiding the public view that it is conventionalist resting on vested interests.
Gender Segregation Widely Remains in Japanese Companies
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) issued a report on the situation of career tracking system and corrective measures taken against gender segregation cases by local Equal Employment Offices on 5 October 2001. Of the 215 companies with career tracking system surveyed from October 2000 to March 2001, 14 companies (6.5%) were found violating the Equal Opportunity Law, and corrective measures were imposed on 29 companies (13.5%). Gender differentials in career tracking status widely exist among the companies: the percentage of female "Sogoshoku", fast career track, is only 2.2%.
Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate for September reached 5.3%, the highest ever. The number of the unemployed also hit a record high, reaching 3.57 million, increasing by 370,000 on a year-on-year basis. It was also revealed that those who are unemployed for more than a year has reached 920,000. The share of such people in total unemployed is 27.4%, increasing their share by 1.3 percentage points from the last survey conducted in February 2001.
A Panel to Examine Human Rights Relief System in the World of Work
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) set up a panel to review the human rights relief system in the field of labour. It was created in response to a proposal made by Ministry of Justice's council to promote human rights protection. The panel consists of representatives from the academic field, labour and management. It will review what role the MHLW could play in promoting human rights protection. The first meeting was convened on 30 October 2001.
Employment Measures
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare submitted to the current extraordinary Diet the law to promote the employment of middle-aged and older workers. The three main pillars of the law are:
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(Purpose of the news flash is to provide readers with rough idea of social and labour developments in Japan. It is not an official document of the ILO. The designations employed do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the ILO concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does not imply their endorsement by the ILO, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval.)