The Heat is ON! – Power Harassment in the Workplace
The Japanese government revised its Power Harassment Prevention Law in 2022, for the first time legally defining harassment and mandating…
Language Schools
General Union Member Sues Interac! You May Be Able to Recover Yours, Too
On June 25, the first hearing was held at the Tokyo District Court in a lawsuit against Interac over its…
When Things Go Wrong – Part 2
Small Overpayments = Big Headache A group of teachers were union members working at a university. Over a series of…
When Things Go Wrong – Part 1
Over the past few weeks, we have posted several articles about the importance of reading your payslip to make sure…
Workers Deserve Their Pensions: Interac Lawsuit Begins June 25
One of our members has filed a lawsuit against Interac Kanto South Co., Ltd. at the Tokyo District Court. The…
Extra Payments – Part 3
Records for Reimbursements Ethan* worked at an English conversation school. From time to time, he would buy materials for the…
Extra Payments – Part 2
Is the fare fair? Lisa* regularly took the train to work and was given a transportation allowance in advance to…
Extra Payments – Part 1
Everyone likes it when there is extra money showing up on their payslip. But what happens when it doesn’t appear…
Deductions – Part 3
They can do that?! Ryan* resigned from his job in March. He requested to see the payslip in advance of…
Deductions – Part 2
Why wasn’t I deducted? Ashley* has worked in Japan for 5 years and changed jobs last May. She started receiving…
Deductions – Part 1
In Japan, your employer is legally required to deduct certain items from your salary such as income tax, company insurance…
Introducing General Union Theme Months 2026–2027
At the General Union, we believe that knowledge is one of the strongest tools workers have. This year, we are…
Toshiaki Asari (1949–2026)
At the General Union’s Annual General Meeting on 17 May, Toshi Asari was re-elected as Chair. He wasn’t in the…
Labor Bulletin #243
This bulletin contains information on law changes that have either passed or are being discussed in parliament, court decisions, and…
Labor Bulletin #242
This bulletin contains information on law changes that have either passed or are being discussed in parliament, court decisions, and…