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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Internal document reveals large corporation's discrimination against JCP members

A newly revealed internal document of Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. (IHHI) attests to the fact that the major heavy machinery maker has maintained unlawful labor practices to discriminate against Japanese Communist Party members in wages and promotions.

The document was revealed on August 18 by the Liaison Council for Establishment of Human Rights at IHHI representing168 IHHI workers who have filed complaints about the company's discriminatory treatment with the Labor Standards Inspection Office.

The document stamped "confidential," "Draft Guideline for Evaluation and Promotion (of JCP members)," was drawn up by the IHHI personnel department in 1995. Labeling persons as either "A" indicating an active JCP member or "B" a supposed JCP member, the document sets each employee's limit for promotion. The department instructed all its offices to make an individual personnel management plan to comply with the internal regulation.

IHHI workers filed a lawsuit in 2000 against the company's discrimination against its employees on the grounds of ideology, and they revealed the company's policy called "Zero-Communist (ZC) plan" by which the company systematically discriminated in wages and promotions against employees it recognized as JCP members or supporters.

The plaintiffs reached a settlement with the company in 2004 as the company agreed to correct its discriminatory practices and thoroughly defend human rights. Based on the agreement, the 168 workers filed the complaint requesting a correction of actions based on discrimination, but the company has refused to keep to the agreement, causing a deadlock in the negotiations. Unpaid wages they are claiming totals 6.8 billion yen.

The Liaison Council on August 18 staged a protest in front of the IHHI headquarters in Tokyo. Accompanied by JCP House of Representatives member Kasai Akira, they visited the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry to request that it investigate the issue and provide instructions for compliance to the company.
- Akahata, August 19, 2006