• Company size requirement for enrolling in Kosei Nenkin to be relaxed;
• Government to submit bill to Diet creating subsidies to support Ainu;
• Japanese-Brazilians sue Nitto Denko in Mie Prefecture, claiming “disparities between us and regular employees is illegal”;
• Librarians’ strike postponed — negotiations continue;
• “Black Companies” Award for 2018 announced: first prize goes to Mitsubishi Electric, with long hours becoming commonplace and with two cases of overwork suicide;
• 108 years to achieve gender equality? Japan ranks 110th in Gender Gap Index;
• Otsu City to issue residence certificates without “sex” field to support LGBT people;
• Number of people in unions has increased, but rate of membership lowest ever at 17% (MHLW);
• And more!
(Translated from Japanese)