Day of action calling for minimum wage increase held in Tokyo

Japan Press Weekly

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

Day of action calling for minimum wage increase held in Tokyo

With the Central Council on Minimum Wages about to conclude its annual meeting to issue its recommendation on the amount of the minimum wage to be determined in each prefecture, the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) and independent unions participating in the People's Spring Struggle Joint Committee on July 23 held a day of action in Tokyo to demand that a minimum wage increase to at least 1,000 yen per hour be established.

At present the national average of the minimum wage is 703 yen per hour. Zenroren calls for a uniform minimum hourly wage 1,000 yen or more.

About 3,000 union members attending a rally held at the Hibiya Amphitheater marched in demonstration through the Ginza shopping district.

Speaking at the rally, Zenroren President Daikoku Sakuji stressed, "Wage cuts only cause a vicious circle of decrease in personal spending and an economic downturn. It is unacceptable that large corporations insist on freezing the minimum wage while holding huge internal reserves."

At a rally held in front of the Labor Ministry building, Zenrorn Secretary General Odagawa Yoshikazu appealed to the public by saying, "Under the current situation when the House of Representatives general election is near at hand, addressing the issue of poverty and social disparity should be prioritized, not the interest of large corporations and the wealthy. The Labor Ministry should increase the national minimum wage drastically in order to decrease the poverty rate."

- Akahata, July 24, 2009