IHI's 'zero communists' plan revealed

Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Japan's major military and machinery maker, has listed up the names of employees who the company suspects to be Japanese Communist Party members and supporters, with the help of the security police, to discriminate against them in wage and promotion.

This was revealed during a parliamentary discussion by JCP House of Representatives member Ozawa Kazuaki in the Lower House Health, Labor and Welfare Committee meeting on November 15.

The company has made up the list based on regular information exchanges with the police and public safety agencies. The list shows if the employee is a JCP member, and information on the employee's spouse as well as condition of health.

The company uses the list to achieve "zero communists (ZC)" in the company, and the list is classified as strictly secret.

Ozawa in the Diet stated that IHI has violated the constitution and Article 3 of the Labor Standards Law prohibiting discriminatory treatment based on a worker's belief. He cites courts judgments which ruled TEPCO and other electric power companies illegal in discriminating against JCP members and supporters.

Ozawa said, "The 'ZC' list is just another expression of the IHI intention to make the employees cooperate, without criticisms or complaints, regarding military-related work such as repairs of military vessels in the Indian Ocean. Clearly, this is an organized, illegal act of extensive duration.

Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Sakaguchi Chikara promised to investigate further into the matter. (end)