Japan Press Weekly

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2022 April 20 - 26 [LABOR]

As demanded by union/JCP, unemployment benefit program will assist pandemic-induced loss of employment

In response to the demand of a union and the Japanese Communist Party, the Labor Ministry introduced a new measure in the unemployment compensation program so that workers who left their jobs due to pandemic-triggered cuts in working hours can receive unemployment benefits promptly, Akahata learned on April 21.

Under Japan’s unemployment insurance system, people who quit their jobs for personal reasons have to wait two months before receiving unemployment benefits even though they are qualified to be recipients.

The Tokyo Regional Council of Trade Unions (Tokyo Chihyo) and the JCP on April 12 urged the Labor Ministry to not apply the two-month waiting period to workers who voluntarily left their workplace on the grounds that their working hours had been reduced due to business suspensions during the pandemic.

The ministry in reply expressed its intent to take measures to meet this demand without delay.

With the newly-introduced measure, workers who left their job because the number of working hours they can work per week decreased or may decrease below 20 hours due to pandemic-induced business suspensions can receive unemployment benefits without a waiting period after they are deemed eligible.