Tag - rengo

 
 

RENGO

Spring negotiations in 2024 resulted in salaries rising by over 5% on a whole, but hikes at small and midsized companies, which account for some 70% of Japan's employment, were far lower than the average.
BUSINESS
Jan 31, 2025
Japan's spring wage talks begin with labor-management forum
Rengo, the umbrella organization for labor unions, is seeking an overall wage hike of at least 5%.
Many workers at small companies continue to fall behind as wages fail to keep up with inflation.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 29, 2025
Smaller Japanese companies unlikely to meet wage-increase target for 2025
For this year’s spring negotiations, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation set hike targets of more than 6% for smaller firms.
Masakazu Tokura (second from left), head of Keidanren, holds talks with Rengo leader Tomoko Yoshino (second from right) in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 22, 2025
Japan business lobby cites positive price trend ahead of BOJ decision
Keidanren head Tokura’s comments create a positive backdrop for the BOJ as its board prepares to deliver its policy decision on Friday.
People pray on the first day of the new year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. Japan’s economy is set for modest growth in 2025 supported by wage increases and stimulus, but faces risks from political instability and global challenges.
EDITORIALS
Jan 3, 2025
Hope for the economy in 2025, but dangers loom
Political uncertainty at home and a tumultuous international environment pose real risks for the nation’s economy.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda speaks during a news conference last month.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 5, 2024
CDP and DPP to coordinate basic policies
The CDP aims to reach an agreement on basic policies with the DPP as early as possible within this fiscal year.
Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino speaks at the organization's central committee meeting in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 28, 2024
Rengo to demand wage hike of 6% or more for smaller firms in 2025
Rengo set a higher goal for small and midsize businesses to rectify wage gaps with larger companies.
Rengo chief Tomoko Yoshino speaks at a news conference in Tokyo in October.
BUSINESS
Nov 21, 2024
Union chief calls for Ishiba to step up wage hike efforts
Rengo's Tomoko Yoshino was keen to emphasize that wage gains have to spread more to workers at smaller firms.
Nobuaki Koga, former head of the Rengo, speaks during an interview in Tokyo last week.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 3, 2024
Former Rengo head Koga urges CDP and DPP to merge
Koga's tenure as Rengo chief between 2009 and 2015 overlapped with the 2009-2012 DPJ-led administration.
Nobuaki Koga, former president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, speaks about receiving this year's Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
JAPAN
Nov 3, 2024
Japan recognizes 3,987 people in autumn honors
Among the recipients are Nobuaki Koga, the former president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, and former Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa.
Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino
BUSINESS
Oct 17, 2024
Big wage increase sought by Japan’s largest union slightly underwhelms
For the 2025 spring wage negotiations, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation is aiming for a wage hike of "over 5%," the same goal as this year.
Kenta Izumi, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, holds a news conference Friday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jul 14, 2024
Japan's CDP in dilemma over election cooperation with JCP
Both the DPP and the Japanese Trade Union Confederation have repeatedly called for the CDP-JCP cooperation to end.
Workers' monthly pay will rise 5.1% on average this fiscal year, according to a survey of companies conducted since March by union group Rengo.
BUSINESS
Jul 3, 2024
Firms deliver biggest pay hikes in 33 years, union survey shows
Workers' monthly pay will rise 5.1% on average this fiscal year, according to union group Rengo.
Renho attends a news conference in Tokyo on Friday. Renho needs to appeal to a wide range of voters in a race that has over 50 candidates, especially CDP and JCP supporters who don’t like incumbent Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 19, 2024
Japanese Communist Party's shadow looms over Renho in Tokyo race
The appearance of a two-page flier in which the JCP endorsed Renho raised eyebrows and added more uncertainty to her prospects of winning the race.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 15, 2024
Japan’s labor unions win big pay raises for members
The preliminary figure for the average hike stands at a 33-year high of 5.28%, according to Japan’s largest labor organization.
The average demanded wage increase, including pay-scale hikes and regular raises, stood at ¥17,606 as of Monday, up ¥4,268 from around the same time last year.
BUSINESS
Mar 7, 2024
Japan's average pay hike demands top 5% for first time in 30 years
It is the first time in 30 years for the average to exceed 5%, compared with past final survey results.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 23, 2024
With meetings, Japan leader amplifies call for wage hikes at small firms
Dissatisfaction over falling real wages has been one of the factors undermining the prime minister's support rate, which remained under 30% in a series of recent polls.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 6, 2024
Kishida and Rengo chief amplify push for strong wage growth
Wage gains feeding into demand-led price gains are a condition for any move to normalize monetary policy.
Tomoko Yoshino, president of Rengo, attends a meeting in 2022.
BUSINESS
Nov 17, 2023
Japan's largest labor union to seek worker pay hikes beyond 2024
Rengo said last month it will demand wage hikes totaling 5% or more next year.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 19, 2023
Japan's largest labor group aims for wage hikes of 5% or more
Rengo will finalize its stance in December ahead of next year's wage negotiations.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 5, 2023
Kishida’s attendance at union event offers hint at electoral strategy
The prime minister attended the event in his latest effort to court union members and expand his party's electoral base.

Longform

Eme-Ima Kitchen is one of over 10,000 kodomo shokudō in Japan. A term first used in 2012 to describe makeshift eateries offering free or cheap meals to disadvantaged kids, it now refers to a diverse range of individuals, groups and organizations working to provide not only food but a sense of belonging to both children and adults.
Japan’s ‘children’s cafeterias’ are booming — but is that a good thing?