Labor unions in Japan
| National organization(s) | Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) |
|---|---|
| Regulatory authority | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare |
| Primary legislation | Labour Union Law (Act. No. 51, Dec 1945) Labour Relations Adjustment Law (1946) |
| Total union membership | 10,238,187 |
| Percentage of workforce unionized | 16.3% (2023) |
| International Labour Organization | |
| Japan is a member of the ILO | |
| Convention ratification | |
| Freedom of Association | 14 June 1965 |
| Right to Organise | 20 October 1953 |
Labour unions emerged in Japan in the second half of the Meiji period, after 1890, as the country underwent a period of rapid industrialization. Until 1945, however, the labour movement remained weak, impeded by a lack of legal rights, anti-union legislation, management-organized factory councils, and political divisions between “cooperative” and radical unionists.
In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, the U.S. Occupation authorities initially encouraged the formation of independent unions, but reversed course as part of broader anti-Communist measures. The legislation was passed that enshrined the right to organize, and membership rapidly rose to 5 million by February 1947. The organization rate peaked at 55.8% in 1949 and subsequently declined to 16.3% as of 2023.
The labour movement went through a process of reorganization from 1987 to 1991 from which emerged the present configuration of three major labour union federations, along with other smaller national union organizations.