Japanese industries advance human rights in business

TOKYO (ILO News) – Japanese business leaders are increasingly recognizing that protecting human rights requires collaboration across industries, not just within individual companies. On 16 December, over 230 participants gathered at the United Nations University in Tokyo for a seminar co-hosted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), focusing on responsible business conduct and human rights due diligence (HRDD).

Yoshihisa Masaki, Director of the Social Communication Bureau at Keidanren, highlighted that companies continue to face challenges in implementing HRDD and called for stronger government support to help businesses advance these practices effectively.

Masaki also outlined the key points of Keidanren’s September position paper, Promotion of Management That Respects Human Rights: Keidanren's Position and Expectations of Government regarding Business and Human Rights.

Panelists from key industrial groups shared concrete initiatives and lessons from their sectors:

• Asahitaro Morishita (Mitsubishi Estate) discussed HRDD efforts in construction and real estate.
• Erika Endo (Japan Foreign Trade Council) highlighted sustainability strategies in international trade.
• Naoko Morizane (JEITA) outlined efforts to embed human rights practices in the electronics industry.
• Kenichi Tomiyoshi (Japan Textile Federation) emphasized the importance of establishing common standards across the textile sector.

Panelists agreed that “industry-wide collaboration is essential to tackle shared challenges” and that supplier questionnaires should be streamlined to reduce the administrative burden on businesses.

In a follow-up workshop, participants explored ways to strengthen horizontal collaboration and share best practices across sectors. Some acknowledged internal hurdles, noting: “We are keenly aware of challenges but struggle to embed these practices within our organizations. We would like guidance on persuading senior management.”

The discussions underscored the role of EBMO and the importance of the cross-industry cooperation for effective human rights due diligence in Japan’s business landscape.

© ILO / Aki Chizuka

© ILO / Aki Chizuka