Japan

Organization responsible for the statistics

The statistics are collected by the Labour Administration Office, and compiled and published by the Ministry of Labour.

Objectives and users

Not available.

Coverage

Strikes and lockouts

The statistics cover: Statistics are collected with respect to all labour disputes. The data on lockouts, strikes lasting less than half a day, and go-slows are published separately.

Unofficial strikes are not included.

Minimum threshold None. However, the series on work stoppages concerns strikes lasting half a day or more and all lockouts.

Economic activities

No particular branches of economic activity or sectors are excluded.

Workers

Workers directly involved only. As well as regular paid employees, including part-time workers, the statistics cover temporary, casual and seasonal workers. Unpaid family workers, workers laid off and workers absent on sick or annual leave or absent for any other reason are not included.

No particular occupational groups are excluded.

Geographic areas

Whole country.

Types of data collected

Concepts and definitions

Labour disputes

Any dispute over workers' status between labour and management for the settlement of which a third party intervenes through conciliation, mediation, or arbitration, or where acts of dispute have occurred.

Work stoppages

Not defined. (This is a generic term used in the published series of statistics of labour disputes for those disputes accompanied by dispute tactics that have resulted in a stoppage of work.)

Strike

A temporary stoppage of work wilfully effected by the workers' organization to attain its aims.

Lockout

A stoppage of business activity by one or more employers accompanied by the announcement to that effect with a view to resisting the disputes of employees.

These are working definitions used for statistical purposes.

Methods of measurement

Strikes and lockouts

The basic unit of measurement used to record a strike or lockout is the trade union involved. The resumption of a strike or lockout that is interrupted but later resumes, still due to the same case of dispute, is treated as the same strike or lockout if the period of interruption does not exceed two months.

Work stoppages arising from the same case of dispute, occurring simultaneously in different establishments of the same enterprise, are counted as one strike or lockout. Those arising from the same case of dispute and occurring simultaneously in establishments of different enterprises are counted as different strikes or lockouts unless organized or directed by a higher hierarchical unit. Those resulting from the same case of dispute, occurring at different times in establishments of the same or different enterprises, are counted as separate strikes or lockouts.

Workers involved

The number of workers involved is the largest number of workers involved at any one time during the strike or lockout. Part-time workers are treated as individuals on the same basis as full-time workers.

Time not worked

Total time not worked is measured in days by ascertaining the total amount of time not worked on each day of the strike or lockout, and summing these totals. Time not worked is measured only for stoppages lasting half a day or more. Overtime is not taken into account.

Classifications

Cause of dispute

Outcome of dispute

Method of settlement

Branch of economic activity

The statistics are classified by branch of economic activity using the Standard Industry Classification for Japan.

Time not worked

(in workdays)

Type of dispute

Size of economic units involved

(number of employees)

Reference period and periodicity

The statistics are compiled for periods of a month and a year, and are published for periods of a year. They refer to strikes and lockouts beginning during the particular reference period plus those continuing from the previous period.

Analytical measures

None.

Historical background of the series

Not available.

Documentation

Series available

Not available.

Bibliographic references

Ministry of Labour: Year Book of Labour Statistics.

Data published by the ILO

The number of strikes and lockouts, the number of workers involved and the number of days not worked, by economic activity.

Confidentiality

Not available.

International standards

Not available.

Methods of data collection

There is a legal obligation applying to employers and trade unions to report the occurrence of a strike or lockout. This report should be made to the Labour Relations Commission or prefecture governor.