Labor unions in Japan
Labour unions emerged in Japan in the second half of the Meiji period, after 1890, as the country underwent a period of rapid industrialization. Until 1945, however, the labour movement remained weak, impeded by a lack of legal rights, anti-union legislation, management-organized factory councils, and political divisions between “cooperative” and radical unionists.
| National organization(s) | Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) |
|---|---|
| Regulatory authority | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare |
| Primary legislation | Labour Union Law (Act. No. 51, Dec 1945) Labour Relations Adjustment Law (1946) |
| Total union membership | 10,238,187 |
| Percentage of workforce unionized | 18.5% (2010) |
| International Labour Organization | |
| Japan is a member of the ILO | |
| Convention ratification | |
| Freedom of Association | 14 June 1965 |
| Right to Organise | 20 October 1953 |
In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, the U.S. Occupation authorities initially encouraged the formation of independent unions, but reversed course as part of broader anti-Communist measures. The legislation was passed that enshrined the right to organize, and membership rapidly rose to 5 million by February 1947. The organization rate peaked at 55.8% in 1949 and subsequently declined to 18.5% as of 2010.
The labour movement went through a process of reorganization from 1987 to 1991 from which emerged the present configuration of three major labour union federations, along with other smaller national union organizations.