This bulletin contains information on law changes that have either passed or are being discussed in parliament, court decisions, and other labour issues in Japan that are of interest to activists.
In this bulletin:
- Supporting Work-Treatment Balance: Corporate Support Becomes Obligatory Effort from April 1
- Safety Consideration for Sole Proprietors and Freelancers Made Mandatory; Consideration for Workers Aged 60 and Over Becomes Obligatory Effort… Amended Industrial Safety and Health Act Partially Enforced from April
- Japanese Language Proficiency Requirement Added for “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services” Residence Status
- Demotion of Male Store Manager Who Took Paternity Leave Twice Ruled “Illegal”; Court Orders Damages Against au Dealer
- Osaka District Court Overturns Disciplinary Action for Union Activity During Work Hours; “Allowing Violations to Accumulate Before Punishing” Ruled “Illegal”
- Bus Drivers Sue Osaka Metro; Disparities in Treatment Compared to Re-employed Staff
- Wage Disparity for Non-regular Employment Results in Damages Order; Amami City Development Corporation in Kagoshima
- Are Night Duty Shifts Work? Government Loses Case After Denying It; Warning Against “Unlimited Work”
- Refusal to Continue Employment Due to Union Membership Found “Unjust”; Tokyo Labor Relations Commission Orders Private High School Foundation to Reinstate Teacher
- Hama-Sushi Issued Corrective Guidance; Unpaid Wages Due to “15-Minute Unit” Calculation for Late Arrivals; Three Years of Back Pay to Be Settled
- Toyo University Found to Have Unpaid Overtime: Possibly Over 20 Years, Approximately 18 Million Yen Annually; Labor Standards Office Issues Corrective Guidance
- Former Fixed-Term Employee at Asahikawa Central Post Office Files Suit Against Japan Post After Sexual Harassment and Non-Renewal of Contract
- Suicide of Saku City Employee in Nagano Recognized as “Occupational Accident” Due to Overwork
- Housekeeper Who Worked Live-In for One Week Dies of Overwork; Bereaved Family Reaches Settlement with Company
- Foreign Residents Exceed 4 Million for First Time – Immigration Services Agency: “Specified Skilled Worker” Visas Rise to Address Labor Shortages
- 2,798 Food Products to See Price Increases in April – First Time Exceeding 2,000 Items Since October Last Year
- Part-Time Wage Increase of 6.63%; Hourly Rate Up 80.4 Yen – UA Zensen
- Welfare Recipients: Single Recipients in Their 20s Increase Sevenfold Compared to 25 Years Ago
- Corporate Bankruptcies Exceed 10,000 for Second Consecutive Year; Rising Prices and Labor Shortages Hit Small and Medium Enterprises Hard
- Real Wages for February Rise for Second Consecutive Month; Electricity and Gas Subsidies Help Slow Price Increases