A Google Japan employee has filed a workers’ compensation claim, alleging that the firm's Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) caused severe psychological stress and led to a mental disorder. His union JAU is backing the claim. www.ben54.jp/news/3580 @alphabetworkersunion.org

Union members at Amnesty International Japan are in dispute with the management, accusing their executive director of workplace harassment. One staff remains on leave with stress-related health problems. Amnesty Japan has commissioned an independent investigation. @unitetheunion.bsky.social

On 15 Jan, Tokyo High Court affirmed that the claimant, a part-time university lecturer is an employee and his contract termination is invalid. He worked for university under a commission contract and lost his job unilaterally. He is entitled to receiving unpaid wages. www.asahi.com/articles/ASV...

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Oct. 21 instructed the labor minister to consider relaxing the upper limits on overtime work. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Kawasaki United Labor Union's strike at Kawasaki Motors Philippines began on 21 May, after a year of failed bargaining and company harassment. Initially, they offered a 7% wage increase and 21 benefits, but later cut the raise to 5% and benefits to five. www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaig...

In a case where delivery staff accounts for the food delivery service "Demae-can" were illegally obtained, Tokyo Metropolitan Police revealed today that some 1,400 foreigners without work permits had registered as delivery staff under other people's names. www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZ...

Two Brazilian Embassy employees file lawsuit, claiming that their dismissals were invalid, arguing that Japanese labor laws do not effectively apply to them. Rengo-affiliated Joho Roren that represents the workers held a press conference today. www.bengo4.com/c_5/n_19131/

Amnesty International Japan expressed concern over the xenophobic claims being made by multiple political parties in the upcoming House of Councillors election. "The global trend toward authoritarianism and right-wing shifts is becoming increasingly clear in Japan as well." news.jp/i/1313767633...

14 staff at Japan Pavillion in Osaka Expo have formed a union after staff was denied sick leave. Earlier, there were not enough toilets at site; a matter that was resolved by the staff action. The union now is seeking better protection from heatwave. The Expo ends in Oct. www.mbs.jp/news/kansain...

Members of the IUF affiliated-FSPM union in Indonesia organized protest action on 4 June to demand reinstatement of two union members at the well-known Japanese sushi restaurant chain, Genki Sushi. #元気寿司 iufap.org/2025/06/18/f... @iufasia-pacific.bsky.social

Uber Eats has reached a settlement with two of its delivery couriers in Japan, who sued the company after their accounts were suspended without sufficient explanation, leaving them unable to work. 1/3 www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/artic...

A Japanese Uber Eats rider whose account was unilateral deactivated in Aug 2022 has reached an out of court settlement with payment. Whilst an increasing number of such cases have been reported, no other case is known where Uber Eats had paid for the settlement. news.biglobe.ne.jp/domestic/051...

Police have arrested 4 suspects for creating and leasing fake Demaekan accounts. Demaekan is the key rival to Uber Eats in Japan. The suspects charged a monthly fee of 10,000 yen per rider over the past few years. Many were from Uzbekistan without valid work permit. www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/shutok...

During the Covid pandemic, my income was stable, making around 1,500 yen per hour, or about 200,000 yen per month. But ever since then, it’s a steady downward slope. Last year, it was around 800 yen per hour. #UberEats diamond.jp/articles/-/3...

Tokyo court bans Japanese LCC Jetstar's no break work rule on cabin crew and orders the firm to pay 3.8m yen in compensation to the 35 claimants. Some "rest" period was as short as 35 minutes between shifts where cabin crew were forced to clean the aircraft. www.asahi.com/articles/AST...

An Amazon DSP driver was granted workers compensation by Labor Standards Inspectorate in Miyazaki. He broke his back in a delivery last year. That means he had a bogus self-employment contract with Amazon’s subcontractor. It is the second win for DSP drivers in Japan. www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20...

On 28 Feb, workers at Japanese National Hospital Organization organized an hour's walk out, designating 209 members at 119 branches to strike. Previous year's wage negotiations remain unresolved. In 2023 the union organized a strike action for the first time in 31 years. mainichi.jp/articles/202...

“There was hell behind our convenience” Labor Net News “(The Documentary) covers the harsh working conditions of the delivery workers who support the fabric of our convenient life” The Mainichi parc-jp.org/en/news-reso...

A man from Indonesia is set to become the first foreign bus driver under Japan's specified skilled worker status of residence, after road transport sector was added to the qualification category. 44 years old Iyus will become a sightseeing bus driver in April in Tokyo. www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...

On 31 Jan, six members of Japanese Alphabet workers union (JMITU-affiliated) have taken Google to court in Tokyo, demanding compensation totaling 63 million yen for unfair treatments they received from the firm after refusing to accept redundancies two years ago. www.ben54.jp/news/1923

The government is said to have taken this step to express its protest against the committee's recommendation that Japan amend the Imperial House Law which limits the Imperial succession to male offspring in the male line to ensure equality of women and men. www.zenroren.gr.jp/jp/english/2...

26.1% of food delivery riders worked 40 hours+/week in 2024, a 4% increase from 2023. Meanwhile, those who earn more than 100,000 yen/week dropped from 8.1% to 5.5%. One reason perhaps why some riders are selling customer details at 500 yen/address to list brokers. news.livedoor.com/article/deta...

… the confidential mitigation agreement that Nippon reached with CFIUS contained a “force majeure” clause that enabled Nippon to void all the investments it had pledged to make if it faced “labor actions, including strikes, lockouts, boycotts or picketing.” prospect.org/blogs-and-ne...

According to the company’s labor union, the number of members was about 80 at the beginning of last week, but as of Jan. 23, the number has exceeded 500. www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/artic...

Major brands, including Sony, Panasonic and Daikin, which sourced from the company, are urged to provide remediation for the affected workers. Simply withdrawing operations without compensation risks worsening the workers' plight… www.industriall-union.org/forced-labou...

Japanese Uber Eats riders turned their back against the platform en masse last week as they saw their income plummet after the firm introduced new algorithm setting. New year's incentive was gone and the pay rate was further cut down over the first January weekend. 1/4

A delegation comprised of Amazon workers, trade unionists, NGO representatives, labour lawyers and journalists held a peaceful protest at Amazon Japan's head office in Tokyo and demanded the company to bargain collectively with Tokyo Union that represents Amazon DSP drivers. #MakeAmazonPay