February 6, 2025

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) on February 5 held a rally in the House of Councilors members’ office building to kick off a campaign for creating workplaces free of harassment and sexual discrimination.

Zenroren with its campaign will seek to push the government to ratify the ILO Convention 190 on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work, and also seek to increase the movement to revise the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace (known as the Women’s Empowerment Act) in order to end the gender pay gap.

Zenroren Vice President Takagi Ritsu on behalf of the organizer delivered a speech. She pointed out that the number of reported cases of harassment and gender discrimination have increased, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. She said that many of workers, particularly women, sexual minorities, and young people, who experience harassment and discrimination have difficulty in reporting abuses. She appealed for the need to make strides forward in Zenroren’s campaign.

Representatives of Zenroren member unions talked about their activities in tackling workplace harassment and discrimination.

Japan Federation of Medical Workers’ Unions (Iroren) representative Furukawa Mayumi reported on the union’s effort to build a work environment that does not allow harassment and discrimination.

Lawyer Tsunoda Yukiko who works on issues of gender discrimination and sexual violence gave a lecture. She pointed out that the existing legal framework has no definition of harassment or penal regulations to prevent such behavior. She said that it is necessary to introduce anti-harassment rules that meet international standards.

Past related article:
> Miyamoto urges gov’t to ratify ILO convention on elimination of violence and harassment at work[May 31, 2024]