IHI apologizes for discrimination against JCP-belonged employees
Japan's major heavy machinery maker has apologized for its 40 year-discrimination against Japanese Communist Party members based on its secret "ZC (zero communists) plan administration list."
On March 22 at the Tokyo District Court, a lawsuit filed by 8 employees of Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. (IHI) in 2000 calling for a restitution of their human rights reached a negotiated settlement.
Acknowledging the existence of the "ZC list," IHI promised not to create such lists anymore. It also made a commitment to take measures to prevent future in-house discrimination.
The company agreed to pay the plaintiffs 170 million yen, the amount of difference in wages which had been paid to them and other workers since 1985.
The IHI personnel department had been creating "ZC plan administration list" based on its daily exchange of information with police. JCP-tied employees were classified into 4 groups according to background information attached, including the name of illness they have and their relation to the JCP, such as "a JCP member," "the wife of a JCP member," and "a family member of a JCP city assembly member."
More than 100 supporters celebrated the victory with the 8 plaintiffs at a rally taking place after the settlement was announced. JCP House of Councilors member Inoue Miyo who had exposed the "ZC list" in the Diet gave a speech. (end)
