Japan Press Weekly

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2008 November 19 - 25 [LABOR]

JCP calls on Toyota Kyushu for job security

The Japanese Communist Party representatives including House of Councilors member Nihi Sohei on November 18 visited Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc. to request the auto manufacturer to cancel its massive layoff plan and secure jobs for all workers there.

Toyota Kyushu, one of the major manufacturing bases of Toyota Motor Corp., already sacked 800 temporary workers and fixed-term contract workers.

Citing Toyota’s so-called “kanban (just-in-time production) system”, Nihi pointed out, “‘kanban’ is applied not only to the production system but also to human beings.”

He urged Toyota Kyushu to secure all workers’ jobs by stating, “Toyota ignores its social responsibility as a major corporation. Toyota’s layoff plan would endanger workers’ living standards.”

A Toyota Kyushu public affairs official told the JCP representatives that Toyota does not keep information about dismissed workers’ employment insurance status or about the situation of workers who are kicked out of the company’s dormitory. This shows Toyota’s failure to fulfill its social responsibility again.

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Akahata learned that Toyota Motor Corporation failed to report on the dismissal of 2,000 fixed-term contract workers to the Labor Ministry. The report is compulsory under the Employment Promotion Law.

At a House of Councilors committee meeting on November 13, Japanese Communist Party representative Koike Akira asked the government if Toyota had reported its plan to lay off 2,000 fixed-term workers. On the following day, Toyota responded to Koike by submitting a report to the ministry through the employment security office’s directive.

In an Akahata interview, Koike said, “It is unacceptable that Toyota’s case was ignored until I took it up in the Diet. The Labor Ministry explained that Toyota’s after-the-fact report isn’t in violation of the law. This explanation is too irresponsible because more than 2,000 workers were sacked without having any assistance in finding the next job, which is obligatory for companies intending to dismiss large number of workers. The JCP urges Toyota to be accountable for secure employment, and the Labor Ministry to implement strict directives and take measures in accordance with the law.”