• Organized: ILO Office for Japan / The Ohara Institute for Social Research, Hosei Univ. (OISR)
• Cooperated: NPO The Japan Association for Advancement of ILO Activities
• Objectives

The new coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, in addition to being a threat to public health, is having a devastating effect on workers and employers in all economic sectors. Economic and social disruptions threaten the long-term livelihoods and well-being of many people, and we also find the strong impact on the measures which have been taken to achieve the SDGs.

In this context, the ILO industry-specific briefs of the current situation and responses in sectors, such as health care, education, food retailing, and travel and tourism, and has introduced measures taken by governments, employers, and workers, as well as the ILO's support tools.　

This symposium will introduce the differences in the crises faced by different industries and the characteristics of their responses, with a special focus on the garment industry. In April this year, garment industry employer and worker organizations, leading brands and retailers, working with governments and financial institutions, issued a Call to Action to address the devastating economic disruption and threat to livelihoods caused by the global pandemic of the virus. Commenting on the threat of COVID-19, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said, "This is an unprecedented crisis that can only be resolved through global solidarity.  The priority must be to sustain businesses and protect workers," he said. At the heart of this is effective social dialogue between government, workers’ and employers’ organizations. Social dialogue can lead to better solutions and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

　Through this symposium, we hope to provide hints to link the COVID-19 crisis to a better future of work.

• Date and Time: Wed. 2nd December, 14:00-16:00 (Tokyo Time)
• Webinar: by ZOOM
• To Apply:  Please send your application through the Application form　by Sun. 29th November.
• Meeting ID and pass code will be sent to the applied e-mail address on Mon. 30th November.•   
• Language: Japanese only
• Participation fee: Free

Programme:

Opening remarks:
Mr. Shinichi TAKASAKI, Director, ILO Office for Japan
Dr. Akira SUZUKI, Director and Professor, the Ohara Institute for Social Research, Hosei University

Introduction on the ILO
Ms. Chihoko ASADA-MIYAKAWA, Regional Director and Assistant Director-General, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Keynote Speech : “COVID-19 crisis and the ILO – Sectoral responses”
Mr. Akira ISAWA, Former Deputy Director, Sectoral Policies Department (SECTOR), ILO HQ
 
Presentation from the Employers’ perspectives
Ms. Minako YOSHIKAWA, General Manager, CSR Sustainability Department, ASICS Corporation

Presentation from the Workers’ perspectives
Ms. Akiko GONO, Adviser UA ZENSEN(The Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Food, Commercial, Service and General Workers’ Unions) / General Secretary, IndustriALL Japan Liaison Council

Presentation from the Government’s perspectives
Mr. Masaaki IUCHI, Senior Assistant Minister, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)

Presentation from the Academics
Dr. Keisuke NAKAMURA, Professor, Institute for Solidarity-based Society, Hosei University

Discussion
Moderator: Dr. Chisa FUJIWARA, Professor, the Ohara Institute for Social Research, Hosei University