Hitoshi Ashida attempted in 1948 to give a reorganized Democratic Party-Socialist Party coalition a second chance at leading Japan’s government. But at this time the progressive phase of the US Occupation was ending, and pressure to create a conservative regime embracing Washington’s Cold War objectives became irresistible.
Tetsu Katayama served as Japan’s first socialist prime minister in 1947-1948. His moderate approach, however, proved unable to satisfy the increasingly contradictory demands of his political base and the US occupiers.
A 68-year-old woman died of a heart attack at her workplace, the home of a bed-ridden elderly resident, in 2015. She worked as a housekeeper and nurse. Immediately before her death, she had worked in the home on a nearly 24-hour basis for a full week straight.
Due to rising inflation, the recent decision to hike the average minimum wage appears set to offer little or no advance to the real quality of life for low-income Japanese. This comes in spite of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s economic policy theme of “New Capitalism,” which is supposed to create a fairer society by enhancing the living standards of ordinary citizens.
While bicycle delivery services have become an integral part of Japan’s human infrastructure amidst the Covid pandemic, Japan’s estimated 90,000 bicycle delivery workers have been left with few labor protections while performing a sometimes dangerous job.
Japan is increasingly struggling with income inequality and poverty, but the burden is not shared equally between the genders; impoverished women suffer the most.
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the first half of June 2020.
Covid-19 has thrown the global economy into disarray. People have been forced to stay home, and businesses to stay closed, with little idea of when normal activity will resume. The government of Japan, in order to mitigate the virus’ impact on the economy, has proposed multiple measures to help workers and small and medium enterprises.
Japan’s labor laws have made several several distinct steps forward since the Meiji Restoration of 1868, with workers gradually gaining a degree of protection from the exploitation of business owners and managers. However, the era of Shinzo Abe has been characterized not only by a failure to progress further, but by a distinct step backwards.
A law firm in Yokohama is refusing to return the personal documents, including passport, college transcript, and college graduation certificate, of a 30-year-old Filipino woman because of a contract she signed for her employment in Japan.
