August 24, 2026

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The International Labor Conference, the ILO’s highest decision-making body, in July adopted the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026 (No.193).

Platform workers engage in work in various forms, either remotely or on location. Their work includes ride-hailing, delivery on streets, and logistics work that connects people to services and goods. These workers are often treated as self-employed workers, and their rights as workers are denied.

The ILO’s new Convention is the first treaty that guarantees global labor standards for platform workers. The Japanese delegation, consisting of delegates of the government, labor, and management, voted for the convention.

The Convention requires each Member to take measures to respect, promote and realize the fundamental principles and rights at work, such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation, and a safe and healthy working environment. It calls on each Member to implement measures to eliminate violence and harassment at work, promote decent work; enable platform workers to access social security at the same rate as other workers; and provide equal treatment to platform workers.

The Convention stipulates that each Member shall take appropriate measures to ensure the correct classification of digital platform workers in respect of the existence or non-existence of an employment relationship, guided mainly by the facts relating to the performance of work and the remuneration of payment to the digital platform worker, among other elements, and considering the specificities of work via digital labor platforms.

Japan in November 2023 enacted the legislation aimed at improving the level of protection of freelance workers. This law established fair trading rules, which was a step forward in protecting freelance workers’ rights. However, they are still excluded from exercising labor rights. Addressing this issue is a matter of urgency. Now, it is high time for Japan to protect workers broadly by recognizing workers’ status based on the new ILO convention and the ILO’s Employment Relationship Recommendation, 2006, which represent today’s international standards. Japan should ratify the Convention without delay.

Past related article:
> New law not enough to protect freelancers’ labor rights [May 8, 2023]