January 30, 2026

Unions participating in the People’s Spring Struggle Joint Committee held a rally in Tokyo on January 28, resolving to achieve a substantial hike in all workers’ wages as well as in the minimum hourly wage in this year’s “shunto” spring wage offensive.

Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Tokyo Regional Council of Trade Unions President Yabuki Yoshinori pointed out that workers’ real wages have been declining for eleven consecutive months. He said, “Let us encourage workers in workplaces to rise up together to fight for a massive wage hike with the use of strike threats!”

National Confederation of Trade Unions Secretary General Kurosawa Koichi, delivering the keynote speech, said that as shown by the Zenroren’s minimum cost of living survey, an hourly wage of at least 1,700 yen is needed to cover basic living needs. He called on union members to seek to achieve a minimum wage increase to 1,700 yen per hour in this year’s shunto.

Union representatives appeared on the stage and talked about their main goals.

A representative of the Japan Federation of Medical Workers’ Unions (Iroren) noted that the amount of the state remuneration paid to institutions providing healthcare and nursing-care services will be revised this year and that Iroren will work hard to realize an over 10% raise in the state remuneration which will enable the union to pressure employers to offer higher wages.

A representative of the Tokyo Construction Workers’ Union (Tokyo Doken) referred to the three revised laws related to the construction industry aimed at improving working conditions and ensuring fair contract prices. The Tokyo Doken representative expressed his determination to take advantage of the revised laws and strengthen the union’s campaign for a proper evaluation of labor costs.