Tokyo Today 2000 Vol.7
(published April 2000)
| Tokyo Today is published yearly by the ILO Tokyo Branch Office to provide ILO constituents with the latest information on ILO activities and political, economic and social developments in Japan. For further information, please contact the Office at the address given at the end of this page. |
ILO
Director-General in Japan: Meetings with High-Level Representatives and
Commemorative Lecture
ILO
Major Activities in Japan in 1999: In Partnership with ILO Constituents
(Asian Economic Crisis and others)
ILO
Projects Financed by Japanese Donors: ILO/Japan Multi-bi Project for Strengthening
of Labour Administration for Employment Promotion and Human Resources Development
in Indochina
People
(Cabinet Reshuffle and others)
Publications
News (Japanese version of ILO publications published in 1999 and others)
Labour
& Social News Highlights 1999 (Restructuring of Ministries, Labour
Market, Employment Policy and New & Envisaged Legislation)
ILO Director-General in Japan
- Meetings with High-Level Representatives and Commemorative Lecture -
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Last year, accepting the official invitation of the government of Japan, Mr. Juan Somavía, ILO Director-General, visited Japan for the first time since he had taken office in March 1999. During his brief stay from 23 to 27 November 1999, accompanied by Ms. Mitsuko Horiuchi, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, and Ms. Cecilia Mackenna, Deputy Director, Office of the Director-General, Mr. Somavía delivered a public lecture at the commemorative meeting of 50th anniversary of the ILO Association of Japan and exchanged opinions with Japanese tripartite leaders as well as members of Parliament.
Meetings with Prime Minister and Other High-Level Representatives
Meetings have been arranged with high-level representatives from government, employers' and workers' organizations including Prime Minister, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Labour, Chairman of Japan Federation of Employers' Associations (NIKKEIREN) and General Secretary of Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO). Various issues, ranging from child labour to the issue of trade and labour, were discussed. Strong desire to fix the underrepresentation of Japanese nationals in ILO staff has been voiced everywhere and the Director-General introduced the plan to send special recruitment mission to Japan in April 2000.
On 25 November 1999, the Director-General was invited to the consultation meeting with two Parliamentarians' Leagues: League on the ILO Activities and League to Promote UN Social Development. Mr. Somavía made presentation on the latest developments in ILO activities and asked for support of the parliamentarians for early ratification of the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999 (No. 182) by Japan. The League on the ILO Activities replied that it has already started to examine the possibility of the ratification and organized study meetings on the Convention No. 182 for members. Recognizing the important role that the ILO and its tripartite structure could play in the globalizing world, parliamentarians expressed their continuous support to the ILO activities.
The Parliamentarians' League on the ILO Activities was created in July 1988 to promote ILO/Japan multi-bilateral technical cooperation, to help the government in ratification of ILO Conventions and to build up better relationship between the ILO and Japan. The Parliamentary League to Promote UN Social Development was established in 1996 to coordinate follow-up activities of the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, March 1995) in Japan.
50th Anniversary of the ILO Association of Japan
The ILO Association of Japan celebrated its 50th anniversary on 24 November 1999 in Tokyo with commemorative lecture by Mr. Somavía, ILO Director-General, and a reception party. Mr. Somavía delivered an address entitled "ILO 2000: Challenges Ahead" to large audience of nearly 300. Japanese version of the Report of the Director-General to the 1999 International Labour Conference, "Decent Work," which had been produced by the ILO Tokyo Branch Office, has been distributed among the audience.
Congratulating the Association, the Director-General informed the audience that he intends "to promote the creation of national ILO associations worldwide" and to "use the Association of Japan as an example" for that purpose. After considering three profound trends currently taking place in the world, i.e. (i) the market economy and the democratic state, (ii) the fact of interdependence in the global economy, and (iii) the fact of inequality and deprivation, Mr. Somavía described their implications to the ILO, to ILO's organizational renewal, to its modernization. He emphasized that the organization should adapt to the changing world in order to be relevant and explained how he came to formulate central objective of the ILO towards the future.
"The primary goal of the ILO today is to promote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity," said the Director-General. Arguing that "the international community has the fundamental responsibility of linking with people, of understanding our functions and the policies that we have to promote by understanding how people, families and the communities live through these problems," the Director-General emphasized the enormous advantages of the ILO, which has tripartite constitution in it.
Availing the special opportunity of direct contact with the head of the ILO, various questions were raised from the audience, which included enquiries on ILO activities for the protection of informal sector workers, occupational safety and health management system and on the relationship between labour and trade. Replying to one of the questions concerning working condition of the aged, the Director-General pointed out the importance for people after retirement not to lose touch with the society and suggested the potential of the Internet for this purpose.
The lecture meeting has been followed by the reception party which gathered most of the persons involved in the ILO activities in one way or another including the Minister of Labour. During the reception, the Director-General presented Mr. Yukio Kudo, Managing Director of the ILO Association of Japan, a letter of appreciation for his 50-year-long service with the Association providing every support to the ILO activities nationally and internationally. Mr. Kudo played the central role in the birth of the Association and made great contribution to the Japanese readmission to the ILO.
During the party, the Association raised fund for the ILO International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), which amounted to about \300,000.
Other commemorative activities included the publication of the book on the ILO by the Association. Entitled "Lecture Series: The International Labour Organization - Towards the Realization of Social Justice", this two volume publication produced by a team of writers with deep knowledge on the ILO including past and present ILO officials is expected to be a useful reference tool for Japanese readers who want to know more about the ILO.
The ILO Association of Japan, Inc., unique private organization, was established in November 1949 by voluntary cooperation of representatives of public interests including government and workers' and employers' organizations with the mission to contribute to the readmission of Japan with the ILO. Japan, one of the original members of the ILO, has withdrawn from the organization during World War II. The Association's efforts quickly bore fruits in 1951 when Japan was readmitted as ILO member at the occasion of the 34th Session of the International Labour Conference. Keeping close relationship with the ILO and its Tokyo Branch Office, the Association has been conducting various activities to help dissemination of ILO principles and development of sound labour relations in Japan since then. Activities range from information dissemination, sending study tours annually to the ILO Headquarters and organization of study groups on ILO Conventions and Recommendations to recently developed technical cooperation activities.
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ILO Major Activities in Japan
- In Partnership with ILO Constituents -
Asian
Economic Crisis
As the first joint activity of this type, the ILO and the World Bank co-organized the Seminar on the Economic Crisis, Employment and the Labour Market in East and South-East Asia (Tokyo, 13-15 October 1999), co-sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Labour and the Japan Institute of Labour. The ILO was represented by a delegation consisted of Ms. Mitsuko Horiuchi, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Samir Radwan, Policy Adviser to the Executive Director for Employment Sector, Mr. Rizwanul Islam, Director, Recovery and Reconstruction Department, Mr. Duncan Campbell, Senior Industrial Relations Specialist, ILO East Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (EASMAT), Ms. Kimiyo Takagi, Senior Specialist in Workers' Activities, EASMAT, Mr. Moazam Mahmood, Labour Market Policies Specialist, ILO South Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (SAAT), Mr. Nobuhiro Hayasaka, Director, ILO Tokyo Branch Office, and Mr. Masakuni Hirashima, Liaison Officer, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. The meeting was participated by tripartite delegations from Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand as well as Japanese government and academic resource persons. Tripartite ILO fellows from Mongolia also attended the meeting as observers.
The objective of the seminar was to discuss the labour market response to the financial crisis, examine the policy options for the future, and the roles of governments, trade unions and employers' organizations in each participating country. The ILO presented country and policy papers for discussion at the meeting. The seminar provided an excellent platform for reflecting the convergence of views between the ILO and the World Bank on many issues, while demonstrating the distinctive role of the ILO, particularly in promoting social dialogue and emphasizing social protection. There was a consensus that the World Bank and the ILO should continue this model of collaboration in the future. Two areas for future meetings were singled out: (i) an assessment of active labour market policies and their relevance to Asia; (ii) an assessment of the viability of income security schemes, especially unemployment insurance, and particularly the question of finance and the extension of coverage to workers, especially in the informal sector.
Multinational
Enterprises
The Trade Union Council for Multinational Companies (TCM), an organ of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO), organized Symposium on Multinational Enterprises and the Tripartite Declaration (Tokyo, 2 February 1999) in cooperation with the ILO. Mr. Abebe Abate, Head, ILO Multinational Enterprises Department, was invited to make presentation on the contents, history and ILO activities related to the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy adopted by the ILO Governing Body in November 1977. Mr. Yukuo Ajima, Secretary-General, Japan Council of Metalworkers' Unions (IMF-JC), and Mr. Mitsuo Tanaka, Secretary-General a.i. of TCM spoke on their respective organizations' concerns and activities concerning labour aspect of multinational enterprises and foreign direct investment activities. Japanese translation of the Tripartite Declaration produced by the ILO Tokyo Branch Office was distributed among the participants and contributed to the interesting and lively discussion which took place following the presentation by Mr. Abate.
Mr. Abate was also invited to address the IIIrd World Toy Conference (Tokyo, 21-23 March 1999) organized by the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI). In addition to making presentation on the ILO Tripartite Declaration, he also touched on the Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and IPEC activities in Bangladeshi garment industry and production of footballs in Pakistan. Texts of both Declarations were widely distributed during the Conference.
UN Family
Whenever possible and necessary, United Nations family organizations are organizing joint activities and cooperating each other for the collective benefit of the UN. Some examples of cooperative activities involving the ILO conducted in 1999 are as follows: (i) Mr. Nobuhiro Hayasaka, Director, ILO Tokyo Branch Office, was invited to join a panel on International Cooperation for Promoting Regional Development Planning, with People and Local Orientation in the 27th International Training Course in Regional Development Planning (Nagoya, 2 April - 29 May 1999) organized by the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD). Members of the panel consisted of representative of the UN agencies stationed in Japan. Mr. Hayasaka made presentation on ILO programmes and contribution in promoting people-oriented regional development planning. The course was attended by some 30 international participants, mostly middle level professionals in planning, from about 20 developing countries. (ii) The United Nations University (UNU), in cooperation with the Global Environment Information Centre (GEIC), held first-ever open house on 4 June 1999 as part of activities organized to celebrate World Environment Day. Together with the United Nations Information Centre and other organizations which have offices in the UNU building, ILO Tokyo Branch Office participated in the event exhibiting publications and information materials on ILO environment-related activities and displayed ILO website. The event attracted many passers-by, particularly students, who made first access to the UNU building. World Environment Day is celebrated each year on 5 June in more than 100 countries around the world to focus attention on environmental awareness and protection. (iii) Ms. Kumiko Omachi, Administrative Officer, ILO Tokyo Branch Office, was invited to make presentation on child labour as one of the lecturers in the Information Seminar for university students organized by the United Nations Information Centre on 18 June 1999 in Tokyo.
International
Labour Standards
Ratification: On 28 July 1999, Japan ratified the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181). The ratification brought total number of Conventions ratified by Japan to 43.
Freedom of Association: In November 1999, the ILO Governing Body approved the interim report of the Committee on Freedom of Association, which examined the complaints against the government of Japan presented by the Japanese National Railway Workers' Union (KOKURO) and the All National Railway Locomotive Engineers' Union (ZENDORO) in October and December 1998, respectively. The complainants allege that the refusal of Japan Railway companies, which took over the management responsibility of the privatized Japanese National Railways (JNR), to hire members of the particular trade unions of the former JNR constituted acts of anti-union discrimination and assert that the Government has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 11 of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Article 3 of the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), which oblige countries ratifying these two Conventions to establish appropriate procedures and machinery to protect the right to organize. In May 1998, Tokyo District Court, after examining the cases, cancelled relief orders issued by the Central Labour Relations Commission, which had recognized the existence of anti-union discrimination. Currently, the cases are under examination before Tokyo High Court. The Committee on Freedom of Association made recommendations requesting for additional information and to be kept informed hoping that the decision to be handed down by the court will be in line with Convention No. 98.
Women
Workers
Cooperatives: Mr. Nobuhiro Hayasaka, Director, ILO Tokyo Branch Office, was asked to make presentation on ILO activities on cooperatives in the 4th International Conference on Women in Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and Africa (Tokyo, 24-29 August 1999) jointly organized by the International Cooperative Alliance Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ICA ROAP), the Afro-Asian Rural Reconstruction Organization (AARRO), the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Japan (JA-Zenchu) and the Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia-Japan (IDACA). The Conference was organized to take note of the discussions held in the previous Conference and the follow-up actions; to promote participation of women in farmers' groups, agricultural cooperatives (or farmers' organizations), in organizational and management matters; to discuss on food security issues vis-à-vis World Trade Organisation and other international organizations in relation to the position of farmwomen in food-related issues; and to take note of the activities of women's associations in Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives and observations of such activities through study visits, farm-stay, literature and discussions. It brought together 27 representatives from 18 countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle and Near East, and three teams from international agencies to discuss a diversity of problems facing rural women.
Trade Union: Women's Committee of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (ZENROREN) held international symposia on flexible working hour, employment mobility and women's work on 23 and 25 September 1999 in Tokyo and Kobe, respectively. The objectives of the symposia, which were held to commemorate 10th anniversary of the Women's Committee, were to discuss the future course of women workers' movement to make a step for a new leap towards the 21st century, based on the experience of 10 years' activity of the ZENROREN Women's Committee since its foundation and to deepen the understanding about the present stage of the international trade union movement so as to develop the movement of Japanese working women in solidarity with women workers of the world. Mr. Hayasaka was invited to make presentation on ILO activities concerning women workers. Reviewing current issues surrounding women workers in industrialized countries, the symposia have contributed for the trade union to set up its organizational policy towards the 21st century.
Empowerment: Ms. Jyoti Tuladhar, Senior Gender Specialist, ILO South Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (SAAT), was invited to participate the National Women's Education Center (NWEC) International Forum 1999 (Saitama, 25-27 November 1999). NWEC, the first national women's center in Japan, was established in 1977 by the Japanese government to contribute to the promotion of women's education as an institution for social education. The theme of the 1999 international forum, which has been held every year for more than ten years, was "Empowerment is the Password to the Twenty-first Century - Towards a New Relationship of Sharing the Joy of Living". Nine Japanese specialists and eight foreign specialists were invited to the Forum which was attended by approximately 500 people from 20 countries. The objectives of the Forum, which consisted of a symposium and three group discussions, were to examine issues important to the creation of a gender-equal society from an international perspective, contribute to the promotion of women's empowerment and to create national and international networks. Ms. Tuladhar made presentation on ILO and women workers' rights at the symposium on women and human rights in politics, employment and education and participated in the group discussion on employment as a foreign specialist.
Child
Labour
C.182: Ms. Yoshie Noguchi, ILO Application of Standards Branch, was invited to make presentation on newly-adopted Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999 (No.182), in the monthly study meeting (Tokyo, 7 July 1999) jointly organized by the Japan Institute of Labour (JIL) and the ILO Association of Japan. The lecture attracted wide range of audience totalling over 70.
IPEC: As first Japanese financial contribution to the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has organized Asian Regional Meeting on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (Phuket, 8-10 September 1999) inviting 13 government officials from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, the Laos People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam, as well as 13 employer and worker participants each. The meeting provided a forum for an exchange of information and experiences on the worst forms of child labour in the Asian region, and on appropriate and effective responses to the problem. Participants have exchanged views concerning national and regional initiatives on the prevention, removal and rehabilitation of child workers in the context of the Convention No. 182 and accompanying Recommendation No. 190.
Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO) has made second-year contribution of five million yen to the IPEC in November 1999. JTUC-RENGO expressed hope that this contribution, made out of their Humanitarian Fund, to be used to save children in the world working in an exploitative circumstance. The ILO Association of Japan donated \300,000 to the IPEC as the contribution collected from participants to its 50th Anniversary commemorative event in November 1999.
ILO Tokyo Branch Office has produced a film and accompanying leaflet for teachers on how to teach the subject of child labour in September 1999.
ILO Officials
in Japan
In addition to those mentioned above, several ILO officials visited Japan in 1999 including (i) Mr. Manolo Abella, Chief, Migration Branch, who represented the ILO in the Workshop on International Migration and Labour Markets in Asia (Tokyo, 28-29 January 1999) organized by the Japan Institute of Labour with the joint sponsorship by the government of Japan, OECD and the ILO; (ii) Ms. Chandra Roy, Project to Promote ILO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, Equality and Employment Branch, who was invited by the Ainu (indigenous people in Japan) Association of Sapporo to elaborate on the work of the ILO on indigenous and tribal peoples at a symposium on Ainu culture (Sapporo, 8 February 1999) co-sponsored by the Sapporo City Council and the Hokkaido Shimbun Press in cooperation with the Ainu Association of Sapporo held during the Incareship Ainu Cultural Festival; (iii) Mr. Werner Sengenberger, Director, Employment Strategy Department, who represented the ILO in G-8 Symposium and Government Conference on Active Ageing (Tokyo, 20-22 September 1999); (iv) Mr. Robert Pember, Senior Specialist in Labour Statistics, ILO East Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team, who attended the 5th Session of the Governing Body of the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) (Tokyo, 6-8 October 1999); (v) Mr. Seiji Machida, InFocus Programme on SafeWork, who was invited to make presentation on ILO perspective on issues and the direction of occupational safety and health in the 21st century at the International Session of the National Convention on Occupational Safety and Health 1999 (Sendai, 20-22 October 1999) organized by the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association; (vi) Dr. Shengli Niu, InFocus Programme on SafeWork, who was invited to make keynote speech on ILO Technical and Ethical Guidelines for Workers' Health Surveillance in the 19th University of Occupational and Environmental Health (UOEH) and the 3rd Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences (IIES) International Symposium (Kitakyushu, 25-27 October 1999) held under the theme of "Periodic Health Examination for Workers: What should be done for the improvement?"; (vii) Mr. Bala Subramaniam, Maritime Industries Branch, who made presentation on ILO Portworker Development Programme (PDP) in the meeting of the Association of Maritime Education and Training Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (AMETIAP) (Tokyo, 7-9 December 1999) and; (viii) Ms. Mitsuko Horiuchi, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, and Mr. Ian Cummings, ILO Representative in East Timor attended the Special Donor Meeting on East Timor (Tokyo, 16-17 December 1999) co-hosted by the World Bank, the United Nations and the government of Japan. Donors attending the meeting agreed to provide US$522.45 million aid package for East Timor.
ILO/Japan
Multi-bi Programme in 1999
ILO/Japan Asian Regional Meeting on the Worst Forms of Child Labour was held in Phuket (8-10 September 1999), which served as the first forum to exchange information on the worst forms of child labour and discuss the implementation of new Convention on Child Labour (No.182) in Asia. In cooperation with the United States, ILO/Japan/US Regional Seminar on the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (7-9 December 1999) was held in Phnom Penh to promote the ratification and implementation of fundamental ILO Conventions. Under ILO/Japan Long-term Fellowship on Labour and Employment Policy Administration, five study tours visited Japan in 1999: (i) study group on employment services, labour market information system and training for displaced workers; (ii) tripartite study group on industrial relations - functioning and strengthening of tripartite system; (iii) study group on rural employment creation; (iv) study group on labour and employment policy administration and; (v) study group on women workers' rights and economic empowerment. A study tour on industrial relations with tripartite attendance was organized for the first time and ended successfully.
The voluntary contribution from Japanese Ministry of Labour for fiscal 1999 to fund seven projects under ILO/Japan Multi-bilateral Programme and Asia and Pacific Skill Development Programme (APSDEP) amounts \285 million (US$2.6 million). The delayed fund transfer had been one of the big problems of the ILO/Japan Multi-bi programme, but the fund of fiscal 1999 was transferred to the ILO in August 1999, which was earlier than usual years by three to five months.
ILO Fellows
Placed in Japan
Besides fellow groups under multi-bilateral programme, 14 members of trade unions from Asian countries visited Japan on 9-16 May 1999 as part of programme on international labour standards and labour right organized by the International Training Center in Turin, Italy. Programmes in Japan were administered by Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF). JILAF also managed Japanese programmes for eight All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) officials, who visited Japan from 10 to 13 November 1999 as a study tour on wage negotiations organized by the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. The Asian Economic Crisis brought two tripartite ILO fellow groups in Japan: three Mongolian fellows visited Japan to attend ILO/World Bank Seminar on Asian Economic Crisis (Tokyo, 13-15 October 1999) and five Indonesian fellows studied public employment services system in Japan from 17 to 19 November 1999.
Other
Contributions
In addition to the government of Japan, contributions from Japanese social partners and research institutes are increasing in its amount. ILO Subregional Orientation Workshop for French-Speaking African Countries on the Advantages for Workers of Productivity Improvement (Dakar, 15-19 February 1999), second of the series, has been realized with ample financial and technical cooperation of the Japan Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO). On the other hand, the Japan Federation of Employers' Associations (NIKKEIREN) made financial contribution to the Second ILO Enterprise Forum held in Geneva in November 1999. With financial and technical cooperation of the Japan Institute of Labour (JIL), the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, in collaboration with the International Institute of Labour Studies (IILS), has launched in late 1993 the project on Networking of National Institutes for Labour Studies aiming at enhancing the capacity of institutes for labour studies in their contributions to high quality of operational policy advice and range of policy options available to national policy makers and socio-economic development planners through providing a forum for the interaction among researchers and members of the network of national institutes for labour studies, also at strengthening the capacity of national institutions in designing and implementing labour policies and programmes in coordinated manners. The project will hold a meeting to discuss research findings collected so far during the International Industrial Relations Association (IIRA) 12th World Congress to be held in Tokyo in May-June 2000. Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF) provided US$8,000 for supporting the participation of workers from Asian countries to the XVth World Congress on Occupational Safety and Health (São Paulo, 12-16 April 1999).
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ILO PROJECTS FINANCED BY JAPANESE DONORS
ILO/Japan Multi-bi Project for
Strengthening of Labour Administration for Employment Promotion and Human
Resource Development in Indochina The project is composed of two components of Viet Nam and Cambodia. Activities in Viet Nam, summarized below, is special contribution from Mr. Henrik Vistisen, Associate Expert on Labour Administration and Project Co-ordinator, ILO Vietnam. Viet Nam Since 1997 Vietnamese employment officers - and thus ultimately job seekers and employers - have benefited from a Japan funded project on employment services, labour administration and human resource development. Since its inauguration, the project has equipped and refurbished five Centers for Employment Services, which are situated throughout the country with two in northern provinces, one in the center and two in the south of Viet Nam, to boost and improve their overall performance in relation to job seekers, employers and other clients. The project targets five of the 60 Centers for Employment Services, which operate under the auspices of Viet Nam's Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Once the project is finalized, it will be the national responsibility of the Ministry to ensure the five model Centers are replicated to the rest of the system of employment services in Viet Nam. The Ministry proper receives technical advice in respect of the overall management of the system of employment services in the country. Through the project's steering committee, other important Vietnamese stakeholders such as the Ministry of Planning and the social partners are involved in order to ensure the project's sustainability and to make stakeholders' advice available to the Ministry. The project has until now concentrated on the project's considerable training outputs. So far the project has produced some 1,200 participant workshops days, involving close to 400 labour officials. The project's training effort has included workshops on trainer training, management and policy related matters. The target group for this segment of the project's training has been senior managers, Directors of Centers for Employment Services and key Ministry staff. Officials have been trained on the following issues: (i) future directions and policy consideration for employment services in Viet Nam; (ii) modern planning tools and performance improvement for public administration; (iii) modern management concepts in public administration and; (iv) training of trainers. In addition, more specific technical issues on placement, advisory services and employment services for special groups etc., have been highlighted at workshops for front line labour officials in charge of the actual delivery of services to clients. One of the project's highlights in 1999 was study tours to France, Malaysia, Sweden and Singapore for senior Ministry officials and the five Directors of the Centers for Employment Services participating directly in the project. During the two-week study tours participants were exposed to modern systems of employment services. As a result, participants drafted comprehensive reports including valuable policy advice for the consideration of the Ministry and ideas for the improvement of the operations of individual Centers for Employment Services. ILO's Training Center in Turin was instrumental in the effective implementation of the study tours. According to the project's work plan, year 2000 will see the implementation of job bazaars in each of the five Centers. The last year of the project will also be utilized to consolidate the outputs of the project through the drafting of desk manuals on the various modern functions of employment services, which have been at the core of the training provided so far. Lastly, a range of training activities have been planned in order to convey additional technical, management and training of trainers skills. In November 1998, the project was honoured to receive a mid-term evaluation mission with participation of ILO Tokyo Branch Office and the Japanese Ministry of Labour. The mission acknowledged the outputs of the project and provided valuable advice to Vietnamese senior labour officials on a long range of labour issues. The project is implemented in co-operation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour. A small project management office has been set up within the Ministry's premises to ensure close counterpart interaction. At the beginning of the project, the ILO was able to attract additional Danish funding in support of the Associate Expert managing the project. The project enjoys close technical support from ILO East Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (EASMAT) in Bangkok and programme support from ILO country office in Viet Nam. Inquiries about the project can be forwarded to the project office attn. Mr. Henrik Vistisen, ILO/Japan Project on Employment Services, Fax: (84-4) 934 1554, E-mail: ilo-esp@hn.vnn.vn Cambodia The Cambodian component of the Indochina Project aims to help people with disabilities acquire an employable skill and participate actively as income earners in the workforce. The project involves Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, Vocational Training and Youth Rehabilitation (MOSALVYR) and Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MOEYS). Technical advice and guidance have been provided by the specialist in Vocational Rehabilitation of EASMAT. The project established and developed a Disability Resource Team (DRT) which assists and supports the integration of the disabled to the Provincial Training Centres under MOEYS, and helps the graduates of these Centres find employment or start a small business. At this stage, the DRT is working with the Centres in three provinces, namely Battambang, Pursat and Siem Reap. The DRT is a team of six people headed by a Coordinator on Disability Issues at its project office in Phnom Penh, with an Information and Liaison Officer and an ILO Consultant, and three Assistant Coordinators on Disability Issues, who are from MOSALVYR and are located in the three provinces respectively. The project has achieved considerable success in arranging training for the disabled in towns and rural areas of the three provinces. During 1999, 90 people with disabilities were placed to training courses in such skill areas as hairdressing, tailoring and motorbike repairs. The project has also been quite successful in assisting disabled graduates in seeking employment or work experience, or in setting up a small business on completion of training. The majority started small business, around one in four found a job on the completion of training, while a small number were placed on work trials or work experiences. One of the causes which brought the success would be the two credit schemes introduced by the DRT in 1999. The Grants and Loans Scheme has helped the graduates who wish to start their own business, but have difficulties in obtaining credit through normal banking and credit union channels. In 1999, 12% of the graduates took the repayable loans and 15% received non-repayable grants. Another scheme, the Special Allowance Scheme has helped the trainees who cannot afford additional accommodation and daily living costs involved in living away from home during the training, and for those with families dependent on their earnings. In 1999, 43 trainees received the allowances. To raise awareness of other governmental and non-governmental organizations for the need to cater to the disabled in their programmes and in their services, a seminar was organized in October 1999 in collaboration with MOSALVYR and the Disability Action Council, which attracted 70 participants including senior officials from government, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, the Council of Trade Unions, NGOs and international organizations as well as representatives of disabled people. As a part of the awareness raising activities, a quarterly newsletter was developed, with the first issue appeared in October 1999. The project will officially end in December 2000 and responsibility for the management of DRT service will pass to the MOSALVYR. |
| PEOPLE |
Cabinet Reshuffle
On 5 October 1999, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi launched new coalition cabinet combining the Liberal Democratic Party, Liberal Party and New Komeito. Messrs. Yohei Kono and Takamori Makino have been appointed as Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Labour, respectively. Mr. Makino, former official with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, has spent long period overseas including in the United States and Germany. He is known as a strong backer of administrative reform.
Obuchi Cabinet resigned en masse on 4 April 2000 due to the sudden illness of the Prime Minister. New Cabinet was formed on 5 April 2000 with Mr. Yoshiro Mori as Prime Minister. All the remaining cabinet members are unchanged.
Employers' and Workers' Organizations
Mr. Hiroshi Okuda, President (now Chairman) of Toyota Motor Co., succeeded Mr. Jiro Nemoto as sixth Chairman of Japan Federation of Employers' Associations (NIKKEIREN) on 13 May 1999. Mr. Etsuo Washio is serving second two-year term as Chairman of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO), which office he had taken in 1997.
Governing Body Members
Mr. Toshio Suzuki, Policy Board Member, NIKKEIREN, and Mr. Sukesada Ito, Counsellor, JTUC-RENGO, have been re-elected as employer and worker members of the ILO Governing Body, respectively, as a result of the election held in June 1999. Japanese government holds permanent seat with the Governing Body.
| PUBLICATIONS NEWS |
Sales Results
Total sales of the ILO publication in Japan in 1999 amounted to some US$124,000, roughly unchanged from previous year. Japanese version of the ILO film, "I am a child!" sold most with 143 copies. Top ten of ILO film/publications sold in Japan following the film is as follows: (ii) Year Book of Labour Statistics 1998 (139 copies); (iii) Japanese edition of Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (108 copies); (iv) Ergonomic Checkpoints (100 copies); (v) The Asian Financial Crisis (78 copies); (vi) Maritime Labour Conventions and Recommendations (71 copies); (vii) World Employment Report 1998-99 (41 copies); (viii) Women and social security (37 copies) and; (ix) Introduction to social security and Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety (35 copies each).
Promotional Efforts
Regular presence of the ILO Tokyo Branch Office in the annual Tokyo International Book Fair '99 (Tokyo, 22-25 April 1999) was enhanced with the visit of Mr. David Freedman, Chief, Publications Bureau. He also visited and exchanged opinions with major book agents and potential publishers of Japanese version of ILO publications.
On 7 December 1999, a symposium commemorating publication of Japanese version of the ILO book, "The sex sector" was organized by its publisher, the Japan Institute of Labour in Tokyo. Ms. Lin Lean Lim, Head, ILO Gender Promotion Programme and editor of the original version was invited to make keynote speech to introduce the book, which was followed by a panel discussion on the sex sector in southeast Asia and Japan. The book is selling well with more than 1,000 copies sold so far.
Japanese Version of ILO Publications
Japanese version of following publications were produced in 1999: (i) third revised edition of Management consulting was published by the Japan Productivity Centre for Socio-Economic Development; (ii) Unions in a changing world published by the Institute of Labour Education and Culture; (iii) combined edition of three ILO publications, namely Technical and ethical guidelines for workers' health surveillance, Protection of workers' personal data. An ILO code of practice, and the report of the Meeting of experts of workers' health surveillance (Geneva, 2-9 September 1997) was published by Rodokijun Chosakai Co., Ltd.; (iv) extracts from the information kit on Targeting the intolerable: A new international Convention to eliminate the worst forms of child labour were incorporated in the information material on child labour produced by the International Center for the Rights of the Child and; (v) The sex sector produced by the Japan Institute of Labour.
LABOUR & SOCIAL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Restructuring of Ministries
The present Japanese administrative system was formed during the post-war period some 50 years ago and has been considered as being outdated. The Administrative Reform Council headed by the former Prime Minister had discussed measures to reform the governmental system to suit the socio-economic changes. The Council, in its report published in December 1997, made a number of recommendations. Among them was the reorganization of the central governmental offices. The reform aims to reorganize the offices to achieve a highly technical policy formation function and to provide effective and transparent administration, responsive to the people's needs. The reform will also strengthen the leadership of the Prime Minister by reinforcing Cabinet functions and the structure of assistance provided to the post.
The central governmental offices will be reorganized according to its goals on administration. From January 2001, it will be composed of one Cabinet Office and 12 Ministries and Agencies as follows: (i) Cabinet Office; (ii) Ministry of General Affairs; (iii) Defence Agency; (iv) National Public Safety Commission; (v) Ministry of Foreign Affairs; (vi) Ministry of Justice; (vii) Ministry of Treasury; (viii) Ministry of National Land and Transport; (ix) Ministry of Economy and Industry; (x) Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; (xi) Ministry of Environment; (xii) Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour and; (xiii) Ministry of Education and Science.
The Ministry of Labour will unite with the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The preparation for reorganization is underway, as there is less than one year before the launch of the new system.
Labour Market
In 1999, Japan's labour market showed the grim face. Annual average of total labour force was 67.79 million, down by 140,000 from 1998. It was first time since 1974, when Japan was hit by the oil shock, that the labour force has decreased. The labour force participation rate averaged 62.9% in 1999, drop by 0.4 percentage point from 1998, marking two consecutive years of decrease.
The average number of the employed in 1999 also showed two consecutive years of decrease and averaged 64.62 million, down 520,000 from 1998. According to the employment status, there were 53.31 million employees and 11.1 million self-employed and family workers in annual average, both down for two consecutive years. The breakdown of the employed by major industry averages as follows: 3.07 million in agriculture and forestry; 6.57 million in construction; 13.45 million in manufacturing, 4.06 million in transport and communication; 14.83 million in wholesale and retail trade and catering; 2.51 in banking, insurance and real estate activities and; 16.86 million in services. The employed increased in services and transport and communication, and decreased in construction and manufacturing.
The yearly unemployment rate for 1999 was 4.7%, the highest since the Agency began collecting data in 1953. This exceeded the U.S. average unemployment rate of 4.2% for 1999. The unemployment rate averaged 4.8% for men and 4.5% for women. The 1999 job opening ratio, compiled by the Ministry of Labour, averaged 0.48.
Employment Policy
Amidst the severe employment situation, the government decided in June 1999 the "Emergency Employment Measures and Measures to Strengthen Industrial Competitiveness". The main feature of the measures is the creation of over 700,000 jobs. The measures target mainly the involuntary unemployed in the middle- and upper-age range and graduates who were unable to launch jobs. The package promotes measures such as (i) employment creation by private companies and promotion of speedy job launching; (ii) temporary and emergency employment and creation of employment opportunities by the state and local public organizations; (iii) activation of human resources and; (iv) reform of employment insurance. The overall measures intend to build a social safety net. In specific, the government will grant incentives to employers in growing sectors to hire the involuntary unemployed in the middle- and upper-age bracket. The government appropriated approximately \330 billion in the revised fiscal 1999 budget for the execution of specific measures relating to the creation of employment opportunities, etc.
Furthermore, the government decided in August 1999 the "9th Employment Basic Plan". This plan sets the goals for employment policy and basic principles for the next ten years. The goal of the Plan is to "actively create and stabilize employment in response to the structural change of the labour market, and to realize a society where the people's motivation and capacity is utilized", as well as maintaining the unemployment rate at a minimum level. The four pillars of the Plan are: (i) creation and stabilization of employment in response to the economic and industrial structural change; (ii) to improve the employment ability of individuals and to promote human resources development which will support the development of economy and society; (iii) to realize a society where people's motivation and capacity are utilized and; (iv) to develop employment measures from an international perspective. It includes specific measures such as creation of new businesses, support for the creation of good employment opportunities, and the extension of retirement age to 65.
New Legislation
Legislation on Punishment for Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and on Protection of Children (entry into force: 1 November 1999)
The law, which was approved by the Diet on 18 May 1999, aims to punish acts of child prostitution and pornography in consideration of the serious infringement to children's rights by such acts, and also to protect children who have suffered psychologically and physically as a consequence of these. The law defines "children" as those under 18 years old, and will punish the following acts including those committed by Japanese nationals abroad: (i) child prostitution; (ii) facilitation of child prostitution; (iii) inducement to child prostitution; (iv) distribution of child pornography and; (v) human trafficking and similar acts for the purpose of child prostitution. The violator may face punishment of up to five years' imprisonment or fine of up to \3 million.
Basic Law on Joint Participation by Men and Women in Society (entry into force: 23 June 1999)
The law, which was approved by the Diet on 15 June 1999, lays down in the Preface that the realization of a joint participation society by men and women (or a gender-equal society) is a priority goal in the 21st century and that it is important to promote measures to facilitate the formation of such a society. The purpose of the law is to establish the basic concept of a joint participation society and to clarify the duties of the Government, local public bodies and the people, and the items that form the basis of the measures to promote the formation of such society. The law defines joint participation society as a society where both men and women as equal constituents are secured with the opportunity to participate in all areas of activities out of their own will, and that both can equally enjoy political, economic, social and cultural benefits and will share responsibilities. The law also defines "positive improvement measures (positive action)" as a measure to provide one of the sexes with preferential opportunity within the range deemed necessary, in order to diminish the difference between both sexes. The law establishes that the formation of a joint participation society must be done under the policy that the dignity of men and women is respected and that one does not receive discriminatory treatment by sex. An advisory panel for joint participation shall be established within the Prime Minister's Office. The panel shall advise the Prime Minister in the formation of the basic plan for joint participation, and shall study and deliberate basic and comprehensive policy and important matters for the promotion of the gender-equal society.
Revision of "Law for Securing the Proper Operation of Worker Dispatching Undertakings and Improved Working Conditions for Dispatched Workers" and "Employment Security Law" (entry into force: both 1 December 1999)
The revision of the two laws, which was discussed in conjunction, was approved by the Diet on 30 June 1999. The revision took place in line with Japan's ratification of the ILO Convention concerning Private Employment Agencies, 1997 (No.181), and the review of the role of private worker dispatching and employment exchange businesses.
The revision of Worker Dispatching Law is to promote the role of worker dispatching businesses as temporary labour force adjustment system and to secure proper employment conditions of such workers. The revision expands the categories of occupation permitted for worker dispatching from 26 to all occupations in principle, with few exceptions including dock work, construction, security guard services and other occupations designated by ordinance. The law limits the period of dispatch to one year for the same type of work in a single establishment. If a worker dispatching business violates this period, it may be penalised. The Minister of Labour may recommend the employers of dispatched workers to directly hire the worker if he/she is dispatched beyond this time period, and may announce the name of the company which does not comply. The law also stipulates that the dispatchers must take measures to keep the privacy and to secure the proper working conditions of the workers.
The Employment Security Law was revised to liberalize the operation of private employment agencies by securing proper operation of such businesses. The revised law stipulates that both public and private employment agencies should cooperate with one another in terms of employment information and technical improvement for the proper and smooth adjustment of job matching. The private job agencies are allowed to handle all types of work except dock work and construction and others decided by ordinance.
Partial Revision of the Basic Law concerning Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (entry into force: 3 December 1999)
With the amendment act, which was approved by the Diet on 25 November 1999, the Basic Law has been revised to fundamentally restructure the basic policy of the law. Principal aim of the law, which had been the narrowing of the gap between big companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has been changed to that of actively support self-help efforts of SMEs with various measures, regarding SMEs as principal actors for economic development. With the broadening of the definition of SMEs by the act, following companies are now defined as SMEs: (i) companies with capital of less than \0.3 billion and less than 300 employees in manufacturing and other industries; (ii) companies with capital of less than \0.1 billion and less than 100 employees in wholesale trade; (iii) companies with capital of less than \50 million and less than 50 employees in retail trade and; (iv) companies with capital of less than \50 million and less than 100 employees in services.
Envisaged Legislation
Revision of the Employment Insurance Law
The Central Employment Security Council approved in December 1999 a report compiled by its employment insurance subdivision on the restructuring of the employment insurance system. The report proposes that, amidst the severe unemployment situation, reform of the employment insurance system is necessary to improve its severe financing and to restructure a safety net on employment. The main points are the following: (i) Securing adequate number of benefit days for involuntary job leavers, while squeezing the number for those who are regarded as being able to prepare for re-employment before job separation, such as retired workers. (ii) Relaxing the conditions for granting education and training benefit so that workers may receive technical and diverse training while in employment. (iii) Abolition of temporary measures concerning re-employment allowance to revise it to a system, which the allowance will decrease gradually according to the remaining number of benefit days. (iv) Revision of the coverage of standards concerning shorter-hour workers and registered dispatched workers. (v) Review of the employment support measures in view of the smaller number of children and aging society. (vi) Revision of the insurance premium. The Ministry of Labour drafted a law to revise the employment insurance system and submitted to the current Diet session.
Others
Other important bills submitted to the current ordinary session of the Diet include (i) bill aimed to promote the employment of middle-aged and older workers; (ii) bills regulating workers' status at the time of company's restructuring of its operations; and (iii) pension-related bills including the one to cut public pension benefit and the one which introduces defined contribution private pension system.