ILO and Japan - Short History

Pre-World War II Period - Establishment of the ILO Branch Office in Tokyo and its shut down (1919-1939)

In 1919, Japan participated in the Peace Conference, which met first in Paris and then in Versailles, to set peace terms for the defeated countries following the end of the World War I. The Conference adopted the Treaty of Versailles, by which the ILO was created along with the League of Nations. As one of original member States, Japan sent large delegation of some 60 members to the first session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) held in Washington D.C. from October to November 1919.

In November 1920, Japanese government opened its Representative Office in Geneva to for liaison activities with the ILO. At the 4th session of the ILC in 1922, Japan was selected permanent member of the ILO Governing Body (GB) as one of eight major industrial countries. In the same year, Japan ratified two ILO Conventions for the first time: Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2) and Placing of Seamen Convention, 1920 (No. 9).

The 18th session of the GB in April 1923 decided to open a branch office in Tokyo. In line with the decision, ILO Tokyo Branch Office was formally established in November 1923 and Mr. Junshiro ASARI, who had been dispatched to ILO headquarters in Geneva from the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce in Japan, was appointed as the first Director of the Office. The Tokyo Branch Office was located at Bousuirou Hotel at Omori, Tokyo and started its operation from next January. Initial activities of the Office focused on efforts to introduce ILO activities to the public through publication of various books, periodicals and other information materials. During first years of the ILO, representativeness of Japanese worker delegates to the ILC was questioned many times since they were selected by the Government. In 1924, Mr. Bunji SUZUKI, President of the General Confederation of Labour of Japan (SOUDOUMEI), attended the ILC as the first worker delegate duly selected in accordance with the ILO rules. In the same year, Japanese Seamen's Union made first representation under the ILO Constitution against the Japanese Government concerning the application by Japan of the Placing of Seamen Convention (No.9), but the GB concluded that it was not necessary to proceed the case further after hearing the explanation presented by the Government. In November 1928, Mr. Albert Thomas, first Director-General of the ILO, made his first visit to Japan, which contributed tremendously to enhance visibility of the ILO in the country.

In 1930s, Japan was gradually isolated within the international community and finally withdrew from the League of Nations in 1933. During that period, it was pointed out that the so-called "social dumping" was behind the remarkable economic growth of Japan. However, ILO report published in 1934 following mission of its author, Mr. Fernand Maurette, Assistant Director of the ILO, to Japan concluded that there was no evidence of such practice in the country.

In July 1935, Mr. ASARI passed away and Mr. Iwao AYUSAWA, ILO official working in Geneva Headquarters, succeeded his place as Director of the ILO Tokyo Branch Office. In November 1938, Japan ended up in notifying its intention to withdraw also from the ILO, which took effect two years later. As a result of Japan's withdrawal, Tokyo Branch Office was closed in May 1939.

Promotion of Japan's Re-entry to the ILO After the War - The Period of ILO Correspondent Office in Japan (1947-1954)

Soon after the World War II, resolutions regarding Japan were adopted in various fora of the ILO including the meeting of the Textiles Committee held in 1946 and the Asian Regional Conference held in 1947, which contributed to pave the way towards Japan's re-entry to the organization. In December 1947, Mr. Toru OGISHIMA, ILO official working in Geneva Headquarters, returned to Japan to boost the re-accession movement within the country. In March 1948, he took an initiative to establish the ILO Committee in Japan, which actively disseminated ILO principles all over the country in order to facilitate its re-entry to the ILO.

Mr. OGISHIMA was formally nominated as ILO Correspondent in Japan in July 1949 and the Ministry of Labour has provided a room in its building for his office. The office not only engaged in active promotion of ILO activities by issuing various publications and periodicals but also started recruitment of Japanese specialists as well as acceptance of overseas fellows as part of technical cooperation activities. In November 1949, the ILO Association of Japan, private organisation with tripartite structure, was created to work jointly with the Correspondent Office and Mr. OGISHIMA was appointed its Secretary General.

The re-accession of Japan to the ILO was approved in the 34th session of the ILC in 1951. It took effect in November following the approval by the Diet. In September 1953, the 3rd Asian Regional Conference was held in Tokyo as the first ILO conference organized in Japan. Japan regained a permanent seat in the GB in 1954 and the ILC in the same year decided to change the status of the Correspondent Office into full branch office.

Re-opening of the Tokyo Branch Office and the Period of Awareness Raising (1955-1976)

The ILO Tokyo Brach Office was re-established in October 1955 and Mr. Yasuemon SAKURAI, who previously worked for the Permanent Delegation of the Japanese Government to the ILO, was appointed as the first Director of the Office after the World War II. In addition to sending information on important social and labour development in Japan to the ILO Headquarters, Tokyo Branch Office actively disseminated ILO and foreign labour information to Japan through publication of newsletter, Japanese version of ILO Labour Education Series and using other means. In 1960s, while receiving fellows from foreign countries, Japanese government sent its own fellows, mainly officials from the Ministry of Labour, to Europe and the United States.

In April 1958, General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (SOHYO) lodged complaints to the ILO alleging infringement by the government of the principle of freedom of association, which caused the burst of succeeding filings by other trade unions from both private and public sectors. This movement developed into the strong call for the ratification of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Japan became first country to accept the intervention of the ILO Fact-Finding and Conciliation Commission on Freedom of Association, which was set up to find solution to the issues raised.

The Commission headed by Mr. Erik Dreyer visited Japan in January 1965 to offer advisory service to the government. In response to recommendations contained in the Commission's report published following the mission, Japan revised relevant laws and ratified the Convention No. 87 in June 1965. In the same year, several ILO meetings were held in Japan including the 2nd Asian Maritime Conference, Asian Regional Seminar on Social Security and Asian Regional Vocational Training Seminar.

In June 1966, Mr. Morio AOKI, Government member of the GB, was elected as the chairperson of the GB for a term of one year.

In January 1968, Mr. Shingo KAIDE, who had attended the ILC several times as Government delegate, succeeded Mr. SAKURAI as Director of the ILO Tokyo Branch Office. In September, Mr. David A. Morse, ILO Director-General, visited Japan to participate in the Sixth Asian Regional Conference held in Tokyo. In 1969, numbers of events were held in Japan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ILO establishment. Along with commemorative events and lecture meetings as well as the issuance of commemorative stamp, the winner of the essay contest "I was born with the ILO" was invited to the ceremony held in ILO Headquarters in Geneva.

In May 1970, Mr. Yujiro OHNO, former Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Department in the Ministry of Labour, was appointed as Assistant Director General of the ILO to become first high-ranking Japanese official with the ILO. After him, several Japanese staff have been appointed to the post of the Assistant Director General responsible for Asia and the Pacific region (currently called Regional Director). Mr. Wilfred Jenks, ILO Director-General, visited Japan as a distinguished guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from September to October 1971.

In January 1973, Mr. Seiji EBITSUKA succeeded Mr. KAIDE as ILO Tokyo Branch Office Director.

In November 1974, ILO purchased a Japanese ship for training of Bangladeshi seafarers as part of technical cooperation activities and named it as "Albert Thomas." In the same month, Asian Regional Women Labour Administration Seminar was held in Tokyo, as the first project that received voluntary financial contribution from Japan (ILO/Japan multi-bilateral cooperation). Japanese multi-bilateral cooperation has been gradually increased since then and it marks nearly 300 million Japanese yen today.

At the 60th session of the ILC in 1975, Mr. Kazuo YOSHIMURA, Executive Director of the Japan Federation of Employers' Association (NIKKEIREN), and Mr. Yukitaka HARAGUCHI, SOHYO Advisor, were elected as members of the GB. As a consequence, all three groups of the GB have Japanese nationals in its members, which situation continues till today.

The Period of Financial Crisis (1977-1980)

In January 1978, Mr. Seiji KUDO, former delegate of Japanese government to the ILC, succeeded Mr. EBITSUKA as ILO Tokyo Branch Office Director. In an effort to find solution to the financial crisis caused by the withdrawal of the United States from the ILO in November 1977, Mr. Jane, Deputy Director-General of the ILO, visited Japan in March 1978 seeking for financial cooperation of Japan. In response to this request, the Government of Japan decided to offer voluntary contribution at amount of USD 1 million in April. In December 1979, Mr. Francis Blanchard, ILO Director-General, visited Japan as an official guest of the Government of Japan.

In January 1980, Mr. KUDO was succeeded by Mr. Ikumi KUNOGI, former government member of the GB, as ILO Tokyo Branch Office Director. In February, the United States rejoined the ILO and simultaneous interpretation facility for Japanese language started to be operated in the ILC from its 66th session held in June. In November 1979, the Asian Skill Development Programme (abbreviated as APSDEP after the Pacific region was added to its target area), co-funded by the Government of Japan and the ILO, was launched as seminar-type technical cooperation programme with regional information networking on vocational training as its central activity. Japan hosted APSDEP seminar in October 1980 for the first time. APSDEP has been developed into the Skills and Employability Program for Asia and the Pacific (SKILLS-AP) and its seminars are held in Japan several times a year, mainly in Chiba city, in cooperation with other organizations including the Overseas Vocational Training Association (OVTA).

New Emphasis on Technical Cooperation (1981-1999)

At the 68th session of the ILC in 1982, Mr. Ryoichi TANAKA, General Secretary of the Japanese Confederation of Labour (DOMEI), was elected as Workers' Vice President. In January 1983, Mr. Blanchard, ILO Director-General, visited Japan to attend the 9th Conference of Asian and Pacific Labour Ministers held in Tokyo.

In August 1985, Mr. Teruyoshi IWATA, former member of the GB and government delegate to the ILC, succeeded Mr. KUNOGI as ILO Tokyo Branch Office Director. Between the end of 1986 and beginning of 1987, in cooperation with the government of Japan, ILO mission were sent twice to Asian countries to examine the role of Japan in the technical cooperation activities of the ILO. In March 1988, a seminar was held in Bangkok on cooperative industrial relations and productivity as the first ILO seminar with Japan's financial contribution to be held outside the country. At the 75th session of the ILC in June, Mr. Hiroshi TSUJINO, Executive Director of NIKKEIREN, was elected as Employers' Vice-President. In July, Japanese Parliamentarians' League on the ILO Activities, consisting of some 100 legislators from both houses of the Diet, was established. In October 1988, first Asia-Pacific High-Level Employers' Conference was held in Tokyo, organized by NIKKEIREN and supported by the ILO. The Conference has been regularly held in Asian countries since then.

In August 1990, Mr. Yasuo YASHIMA, Deputy Director of ILO Tokyo Branch Office, succeeded Mr. IWATA as its Director. In January 1992, Mr. Michel Hansenne, ILO Director-General, visited Japan as a distinguished guest of the Japanese Government.

In July 1992, Ms. Kiyoko FUJII, Deputy Director of ILO Tokyo Branch Office, succeeded Mr. YASHIMA as first woman Director. In February-March 1993, Ms. Sally Cornwell, Director of the ILO Personnel Department, came to Japan as part of efforts to increase the number of ILO Japanese staff in order to reduce the level of its underrepresentation.

In 1994, lecture meetings were held in Tokyo and Kobe to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the ILO as well as the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Philadelphia. In the same year, the Networking Project of National Institutes of Labour Studies in Asia was launched with financial support from the Japan Institute of Labour (JIL). In July 1997, workshop for trade union leaders on workers' benefits from productivity improvement was held in Harare with financial and human contribution from the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO). The workshop has been held every year since then in various sub-regions in Africa.

In August 1997, Mr. Nobuhiro HAYASAKA, Executive Director of the Japan Vocational Ability Development Association, succeeded Ms. FUJII as Director of the ILO Tokyo Branch Office. In October, 9th International Conference on Occupational Respiratory Diseases was held in Kyoto; Japan is the first Asian country to host the Conference. In November, Mr. Michel Hansenne, ILO Director-General, visited Japan to participate in the G8 Jobs Conference held in Kobe. At the 86th session of the ILC in 1998, Mr. Sukesada ITOH, Counsellor of RENGO, was elected as Workers' Vice-President. At the 272nd session of the GB in June, Mr. Nobutoshi AKAO, member of the GB representing the Japanese government, was elected as its Chairperson for a term of one year.

Toward the 21st Century: Promotion of Decent Work (1999 - present)

In June 1999, Mr. Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General, in his first report submitted to the ILC, proposed new ILO goal in the 21st century, which is to secure "decent work" to women and men everywhere. The decent work agenda is composed of four pillars as follows:

• Promote standards and fundamental principles and rights at work
• Create greater opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment and income
• Enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all
• Strengthen tripartism and social dialogue

In November, Mr. Somavia visited Japan for the first time since his taking office to give lecture at the event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the ILO Association of Japan. In April 2000, Mr. Alan Wild, Director of the ILO Human Resources Development, came to Japan from Geneva Headquarters with a view to increase the number of ILO Japanese staff. During his stay, seminars were held and interviews of several candidates were made.

In January 2001, succeeding Mr. HAYASAKA, Ms. Mitsuko HORIUCHI, ILO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific was appointed as ILO Tokyo Branch Office Director and Special Regional Adviser on Gender Issues. Office reporting line was also changed and the Tokyo Branch Office, which had been reporting to the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, became an office to report directly to the Director-General.

ILO has set June 12th as the World Day against Child Labour in 2002. Since then, various events have been held across the world to raise awareness on the issue and efforts to tackle the problem. In Japan, photo exhibitions, seminars and other events have been held on and around the day every year in collaboration with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other bodies.

As a result of the ILO reorganization of its regional structure with a view to attain more coherent and efficient operation, Tokyo Branch Office has been renamed as the ILO Office in Japan (renamed later to the ILO Office for Japan) on 1st April 2003. In May 2003, the Government of Japan decided to make financial contribution of some USD 1.21 million to the ILO project on "Prevention of trafficking in children and women at a community level in Cambodia and Viet Nam." It is the first project financed by Japan through the United Nations Human Security Fund followed by such projects as the one to improve situation of children at risk in Senegal and to nurture decent work and peace through local development in conflict areas of the Philippines.

In December 2003, in cooperation with the University of Tokyo, the ILO Nobel Peace Prize Social Policy Lecture was held in Japan for the first time under the theme of "New Forms and Meaning of Work in an Increasingly Globalized World." It was the sixth meeting of the lecture series held in collaboration with major universities around the world and financed by the endowment fund of the Nobel Peace Prize, which had been awarded to the ILO in 1969. Eminent scholars from Japan and other countries gave lectures including Professor Ronald Dore of the University of London, who was invited as main lecturer.

In December 2004, Mr. Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General, made his second official visit to Japan to give keynote speech at the Symposium on Globalization and the Future of Youth in Asia, which was jointly organized with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the United Nations University and the ILO.

In September 2005, ILO historical photos were exhibited and a symposium on "Changing World of Work and the ILO Today" was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the reopening of the ILO Office in Japan.

In January 2006, Ms. HORIUCHI was replaced by Mr. Shinichi HASEGAWA, ILO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, as Director of the ILO Office in Japan.

In April 2008, Japan received the fact-finding mission of the Committee of Experts on the Application of the Recommendations concerning Teaching Personnel (CEART). It was first time that the CEART, joint body of the ILO and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), sent a mission to a member country. Purpose of the mission was to examine allegations of non-application of the Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers in Japan presented by the All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (ZENKYO) and other teachers' organizations in relation to the teacher competence and assessment system adopted by the government. The report of the mission, containing its findings through hearings of government, teachers' organizations and academics as well as specific recommendations on such issues as assessment and social dialogue, was submitted to and deliberated at the 303rd session of GB held in November 2008.

Mr. Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General, participated in the G8 Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting held in Niigata in May 2008, and delivered speech focusing on the Green Jobs Initiative, which calls for just transition to green jobs. To contribute to its preparatory activities, ILO organized two meetings in Japan preceding the G8 Meeting: an international symposium on "Changing World of Work and Future Labour Policy - Decent Work for All towards a Resilient and Sustainable Society" (Tokyo, February 2008) and the Research Conference: Green Jobs for Asia and the Pacific (Niigata, April 2008).

In June 2009, Japanese government and the ILO signed a Memorandum of Agreement setting new framework for development cooperation and co-organized a commemorative exhibition in the ILO headquarters building in Geneva, marking the 35th anniversary of the government's support to the ILO technical cooperation activities financially and through people. The year 2009 was also 90th anniversary of the ILO and various commemorative events were held around the world including the commemorative symposium held in Tokyo on 27 April under the theme of "Challenges towards Decent Work for All - Decent Jobs and Workplaces under the Global Economic Crisis."

At the 99th session of the ILC in 2010, Mr. Shigeru NAKAJIMA, member of the GB and Advisor on International Affairs of RENGO, was elected as Workers' Vice-President.

At the occasion of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on 11 March 2011, Mr. Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General, sent condolence letter to leaders of the government and workers' and employers' organizations, including Mr. Naoto KAN, Prime Minister of Japan, expressing profound condolences to Japanese public and informing ILO's readiness for help. The ILO Association of Japan, partner for promoting ILO principles in the country for more than 60 years, was dissolved by end of April 2011. However, most activities of the Association have been succeeded by the Japan Association for Advancement of ILO Activities, tripartite body created with the initiative of former members of the GB, which was registered as Non-Profit Organization in August 2011.

In December 2011, Japan hosted ILO Regional Meeting for the first time in 43 years. Mr. Yoshihiko NODA, Prime Minister of Japan, delivered speech at the opening ceremony of the 15th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting and Ms. Yoko KOMIYAMA, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Mr. Takaaki SAKURADA, Advisor on International Affairs of RENGO, were elected as Chairperson and Workers' Vice-Chairperson, respectively. Wide range of issues were discussed at the meeting on how to realize decent work in the region.

In April 2012, Mr. HASEGAWA was succeeded by Ms. Keiko KAMIOKA, ILO Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific responsible for Management and Administration, as Director of the ILO Office for Japan.

Japan is the second largest contributor to the ILO regular budget, taking care of 12.535 per cent of total in 2012, which amounts to CHF 45,361,708, following the United States which is responsible for 22 per cent of the ILO regular budget. In addition to this, some 450 million Japanese yen is voluntary contributed in fiscal 2012 for multi-bilateral technical cooperation programmes.

As of December 2011, ILO has 37 Japanese managerial and professional staff. Some other personnel are working as associate experts financed by the Government of Japan as part of technical cooperation activities.

As one of chief industrial countries, Japanese government has kept a seat in the GB ever since the establishment of the ILO, except for limited period soon after the readmission. Currently, GB has Japanese members in both workers' and employers' groups: Mr. Hiroshi MATSUI, Co-Director, International Cooperation Bureau, Japan Business Federation (KEIDANREN), and Mr. Takaaki SAKURADA, Advisor on International Affairs of RENGO, are elected as employer and worker members, respectively. It is not common to have members from same country in all three groups of the GB.

So far, Japan has ratified 48 ILO Conventions; most recently, it has ratified the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) in September 2007 as the first country to do so.

While there are many participants from Japan to ILO meetings, ILO officials are frequently invited to labour-related conferences held in Japan to provide inputs as specialists. ILO and Japan, one of its original members, have kept close and productive relationship since early days of its history until today.