March 12, 2025

Workers at Sushiro, a nationally well-known chain of sushi restaurants, went on strike in Yatomi City (Aichi Pref.) on March 11, demanding higher hourly wages for all employees.

Supported by the Zenroren-affiliated Aichi Prefectural Federation of Trade Unions (Ai-roren), the strike was organized by the Kaitenzushi (conveyor-belt sushi) Union, a sub-branch of the Tokyo Metropolitan Youth Union.

Kaitenzushi Union consisting of workers in the Kaitenzushi industry in Japan decided to call a strike after receiving “no response” to the union’s demand to raise hourly wages to at least 1,300 yen in collective bargaining.

Yoshida Hokuto who leads the sub-branch said, “The 1,300 yen hourly wage demand is really a modest demand for us to just live decently.” A 63-year-old union member who works part-time said that the current hourly wage of 1,150 yen is too low to make ends meet as the cost of living increasing.

Part-timers at a Sushiro outlet in Sendai City (Miyagi Pref.) also went on strike on March 7, demanding higher wages.

A union member using a microphone said, “We work for more than the hourly wage value of 1,000 yen, and 95% of Sushiro workers are non-regular workers.”

Members of the Miyagi Youth Union, the Zenroren-affiliated Miyagi-roren, and union members of Sushiro outlets from Tokyo spoke in turn to encourage the strikers. Japanese Communist Party member of the former Miyagi prefectural assemblyperson Fukushima Kazue addressed the gathering in solidarity.

Past related article:
> Union workers at popular sushi restaurant 'Sushiro' go on strike [March 20, 2023]