Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)

Revision of Gender Equal Employment Opportunity Law

Demand to HLW Minister

On October 8, RENGO and the Japanese officies of Global Union Federations (GUFs) conducted a demand on Mr. Hidehisa Otsuji, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, on the issue "the Gender Equal Employment Opportunity Law revision and other legislation" which RENGO endorsed at its 43rd Central Committee Meeting.

RENGO and GUFs Japanese offices strongly postulated that "20 years have passed since the enforcement of the Gender Equal Employment Opportunity Law and more than 10 years since that of the Part-Time Work Law. However, actual gender equality has not improved. As international organizations such as the United Nations have continued to point out, we now expect to see new legislation which includes the establishment of equal treatment and the prohibition of indirect discrimination which is based on the concept of equal pay for equal value of work."

Officials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare stated that "the Ministry has undertaken a study of further promotional policies at the Equal Employment Committee. We would like to take today's demands to our committee for consideration.