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Foreign workers rally in Shibuya for equal rights
JOB SECURITY, SOCIAL INSURANCE DEMANDED Foreign workers staged a rally in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on Sunday as part of their annual spring labor offensive, calling for proper and equal treatment on par with Japanese working conditions. Hundreds of people from various countries gathered in Miyashita Park for the afternoon “March in March” event. “Employers must…
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Fukuda calls for wage raises to boost economy
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda urged companies Thursday to raise wages in a rare move by a government leader amid intensifying annual labor-management wage talks. “I think now is the time when the fruits of reform should be passed on to the people and household budgets,” Fukuda said in a weekly e-mail magazine released Thursday. Fukuda,…
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Fukuda urges employers to raise workers’ wages
In a rare move, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has urged employers to raise workers’ wages as Japan’s economy continues to expand. “Now is the time when the fruits of reform should be passed on to people as wages,” he said in his e-mail magazine delivered on Thursday. “Japan’s economy has been growing over the past…
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SAITU Strikes Back at Simul International
This week marks the first week of industrial action at language school Simul International, the first in its history. Tony and his fellow members have shown tremendous courage with surgical strikes nearly every day on the demand to be enrolled in Shakai Hoken health and pension. Foreign workers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance…
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McDonald’s faces fresh lawsuit on overtime pay
Two former managers of McDonald’s Co. (Japan) Ltd. plan to file a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court in March demanding the hamburger chain pay them ¥7 million in unpaid overtime allowances, sources close to the matter have said. The move comes on the heels of a court ruling on a similar lawsuit filed by…
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Japan’s gender inequality puts it to shame in world rankings
When it comes to gender equality, Japan has no shortage of distressing figures. The statistics that are most often used to illustrate the nation’s dismal status in this respect are the United Nations Development Program’s Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM), which gauges equality by tracking women’s participation in politics and business. In 2007, Japan’s GEM was…
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English-language papers offer unique take on Asia
In the keynote speech, Michel Temman, Japan representative for Reporters Without Borders, the Paris-based defender of the freedom of the press, criticized the exclusive nature of Japan’s journalism culture. Temman said the “press club” system, set up in government offices and political party headquarters where only major media organizations are allowed to join, hinders foreign…
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Ex-NOVA teachers file complaint about getting laid off by new owners
About 20 foreign language teachers formerly employed by NOVA Corp. filed a complaint with a labor standards inspection office here on Friday, claiming that they were illegally fired by the companies that took over the failed language school chain. “Unfair dismissal!” chanted the former NOVA teachers as they joined a prep rally held by [Tokyo…
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Police targeting ex-Nova president
Police are investigating the former president of the now-bankrupt language school chain Nova Corp. for possible breach of trust over a project that brought profits to an affiliate he controlled, sources said. Nozomu Sahashi, 56, is suspected of having paid exorbitant prices for a server used in video-phone hookups for language lessons, sources said. Police…
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Employees win suit against Tochigi farms for unpaid wages, unfair dismissals
A group of strawberry farmers will have to pay a combined 30 million yen in unpaid and overtime wages, and reinstate five Chinese trainees [members of Tokyo Nambu allies Zentoitsu Workers Union] who were unfairly dismissed after losing a class action suit brought against them by their employees. The farmers have also acknowledged that they…