July 26-28, 2026

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) held its 33rd Convention for three days from July 25 to July 27 in Tokyo and adopted a new action program which calls for blocking by means of strikes and other measures any attempt to revise the Constitution.

The adopted action program also seeks to achieve goals which include the realization of a substantial hike in wages and minimum hourly wages, the strengthening of minimum standards for working conditions, and the promotion of gender equality.

On the first day, Zenroren President Akiyama Masaomi in his opening speech noted that this year’s “shunto” labor offensive resulted in the third consecutive yearly increase in wages. He said that Zenroren’s fight to achieve a substantial, nationwide rise in minimum wages contributed to this outcome. He called on Zenroren members to work hard to push the Labor Ministry’s panel to issue a recommendation on this year’s minimum wage revision that will meet Zenroren’s demand.

Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko, along with other guests, delivered a speech in solidarity.

Tamura mentioned that Zenroren in its action program appealed for the need to organize strikes and other actions at the grassroots level to win higher wages in the next year’s spring wage talks and prevent constitutional revision, expressing her support. She noted, “Making efforts to increase wages substantially and reduce working hours is the way to meet people’s demands,” and expressed her determination to work jointly with Zenroren toward forging a major change in Japanese society.

During the three-day convention, delegates from industrial and local Zenroren organizations exchanged with each other their experiences in their activities regarding various issues, such as opposition to government’s pro-military policy and efforts establish higher minimum wages nationwide.

A delegate from the Japan Clerks Union (JCU), which represents tally clerks, checkers, and measurement certification workers in Japan’s ports and logistics sectors, talked about the government policy to designate ports and airports as specific use facilities. The delegate pointed out that such a policy will affect the safety of port workers and nearby residents as well as local economies, and said that the union will oppose this policy in collaboration with local residents.

Regarding the ongoing struggle to increase minimum wages nationwide, a delegate from Miyazaki Prefecture reported that the union has conducted a survey on the minimum cost of living for the first time, and noted that the survey results found that a minimum hourly wage of 1,900 yen is needed to meet people’s basic needs and pointed to the need to use this data in order to gain a substantial increase in the prefecture’s minimum wages.

The convention received messages from 25 organizations in 20 countries and five international and regional organizations. Among these organizations were the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

On the last day, the Convention elected Kurosawa Koichi as the new Zenroren president and Kugo Kenji as the new Zenroren secretary general.