Employment relations in Japan

Abstract

This chapter starts by putting Japanese employment relations into context. It provides some historical background, and discusses the changing roles of unions and employers, and collective bargaining, as well as labour— management consultation and the Japanese employment system. The international interest in Japanese management and employment relations was perplexing to many Japanese people, as for most of the twentieth century Japan had tried to follow models derived from the West. After Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Allied powers’ General Headquarters sought to rebuild the organisation of work and employment relations as part of the post-war reconstruction. Employment relations based on enterprise unionism tend to be more flexible than those based, for example, on craft unionism. Nihon Keidanren coordinates and publicises employers’ views on employment relations, selects employer representatives to various government commissions, councils and the International Labour Organization. Joint consultation is seen as a means of information sharing, but many employment relations and related issues are discussed at consultation meetings.