Japan Press Weekly

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2025 April 30 - May 13 [LABOR]

Workers in 2025 May Day rallies resolve to block huge military buildup and realize sales tax cut

On May 1, Japanese workers, mainly with unions affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), took part in May Day rallies held at 274 locations throughout the country.

At the central May Day Rally in Tokyo, attended by about 14,000 people, Zenroren President Akiyama Masaomi delivered a speech on behalf of the organizing committee.

He noted that many Zenroren member unions in this year’s “shunto” wage offensive won a monthly wage hike of more than 10,000 yen. However, he pointed out, this is not enough to boost real wages amid the rising prices of rice and other foodstuffs. He called on the participants to push the government to spend tax revenues to protect people’s lives and livelihoods, not for a major military expansion.

Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko in her solidarity speech said that one main reason why wage growth does not keep pace with inflation is that the Liberal Democratic-Komei government is unable to implement proper measures to deal with the ongoing cost of living crisis. She appealed for the need to change the government policies to ones that will support people’s livelihoods during the time of rising prices.

Stating that the lowering of the consumption tax rate has become a major political agenda item, Tamura said, “Let us work together to achieve this!”

At the rally venue, a 22-year-old childcare worker, who took part in a May Day rally for the first time, said, “I came here because I thought it is important to protect workers’ rights.” As his/her demand, the worker cited the need for an increase in the number of childcare workers.

After the rally, the participants marched in demonstration through Tokyo’s major shopping districts of Shinjuku and Harajuku. With creative signs and placards, they appealed to pedestrians to support their demands, such as a minimum wage increase to 1,500 yen an hour across the country, shorter working hours, and the safeguarding of protections provided by labor rules and regulations.