In Japan, it’s common to see both large domestic and international companies hiring global IT/tech talent. On the domestic side, there are companies like Rakuten, Softbank, Mercari, PayPay, etc., while international players include Google, Amazon, Indeed, Apple, Microsoft, etc.

Although larger companies tend to handle certain legal obligations properly — such as employees’ health insurance and pension (shakai hoken) — they still face issues where a labor union can be extremely helpful.

1. Global layoffs: Large companies frequently undergo global layoffs. In recent years, we’ve seen companies such as Google Japan, Indeed Japan, Twitter/X, SmartNews, etc. undergo layoffs. However, large companies are typically financially stable, not at immediate risk of bankruptcy. In Japan, specific legal criteria — such as financial difficulty or first offering voluntary severance packages — must be met before layoffs can proceed. For this reason, it’s common for large companies to pressure employees, especially international workers, into signing severance agreements, often framed as “layoffs.” REMEMBER: You do not need to sign anything in such a situation, and you can keep your employment. We strongly advise consulting a labor union or labor lawyer for guidance. General Union has experience dealing with these so-called “layoffs,” which are often nothing more than pressured voluntary resignations. If you’re caught in a similar scenario, reach out to us for support.
2. Office politics and abuses in low-priority projects/teams: In international companies, Japanese branch offices often support projects owned by headquarters or localize products for Japan. This dynamic can lead to heavily political office environments, where leadership may struggle to highlight their department’s positive impact to the rest of the company. Such situations may breed political behaviors, like protecting underperforming or even abusive employees to maintain internal power structures. At General Union, we’ve seen corrupt management and HR protect individuals despite evidence pointing to performance management abuse, racism, sexism, and power harassment. Do not assume that HR will follow local labor laws or internal companies policies in investigating such claims. If this kind of issue occurs at your office, consider consulting a labor union. General Union offers a free initial consultation for guidance through these types of challenges.
3. Office politics/abuses leading to psychological pressure to make people resign. Because formal layoffs are challenging and labor protections in Japan are strong, companies often resort to all types of pressure to encourage resignations. This pressure, if excessive, can be illegal. We’ve observed HR departments ignoring company protocols to place employees on performance plans with little evidence, or to change employees’ roles/teams in a way that makes little sense, effectively creating pressure to resign. HR is not your friend, while labor unions can offer security and guidance on managing scenarios like these, which can be both mentally and emotionally taxing.
4. Abuse of the “employee representative” role and employee handbook/rules. At large companies, Japanese law requires a majority of employees to elect an “employee representative” to participate in policy or handbook changes. Unfortunately this role is often abused or disregarded. We’ve seen companies install biased representatives or simply ignore elected representatives. While the role has good intentions, it can be easily circumvented. However, companies cannot ignore labor unions, as they are legally obligated to negotiate with them in collective bargaining. For this reason, gathering employees to join a labor union can provide stronger representation.

What can you do to protect yourself? Here are some practical steps.

• Record all meetings with HR and management: Japan is a one-party consent state, meaning you’re legally allowed to record meetings without others’ consent. We’ve encountered cases where HR or management verbally admit policy violations, but then later deny it when asked for official written guidance. In situations such as this, having audio or video recordings can provide legal protection and essential leverage.
• Take sick leave if needed: If you’re facing abuse from your HR or management, consider taking sick leave for mental health treatment or filing a workplace accident insurance claim (in situations where you have sufficient, clearcut evidence of abuse). If you manage to get a doctor’s note for sick leave or an approved workplace accident insurance claim, you can get time off to recover and financial compensation through insurance coverage.
• Use devices without company IT software wherever possible. Many companies install tracking software on company devices. When possible, use separate devices that can conduct either work or personal matters that don’t have company tracking software installed, in order to protect your privacy.

Navigating these issues alone can be mentally taxing. We encourage you to consult General Union and consider joining the IT/Tech branch, where you can connect with others facing similar challenges.

We’re here to help! General Union warmly welcomes all workers and is committed to protecting workers’ rights in Japan. By increasing awareness, we aim to empower employees to tackle workplace challenges effectively. Contact us today for a consultation and join the movement!