(English translation provided by the General Union)
At Okinawa Christian University and Junior College, newly-hired non-regular teaching staff starting [in 2018] were unable to gain the right to switch to unlimited-term contracts.
It has since become apparent that the University will withdraw the “five-year maximum limit” stipulation in their working rules, allowing non-regular employees to eventually be able to switch to permanent contracts.
The University told reporters that “in accordance with the spirit of the law on employment stability, we unanimously decided within our institution that the 5-year limit stipulation should be removed”.
They say they also took the measures adopted by other universities in the prefecture into consideration.
In the near future, they will be notifying non-regular teachers hired in April [of 2018] of the withdrawal of the limit.
They plan to revise the working regulations in early September. 
The union already won the withdrawal of a “five-year employment limit” from the contracts of part-time teachers at Ryukyu University in 2013.
A good victory for unions and non-regular employees alike!