Arab News Japan

TOKYO: More than 1,500 workers gathered in central Tokyo’s Hibiya Park amphitheater to celebrate May Day. Several speakers talked about the difficulties of Japan’s work culture, which is known to be archaic. They called for improvements in the system of paternity leave which is law but rarely applied.

Japanese trade unionists showed their solidarity with resident foreigners who face challenges in the workplace.

The public garbage collection sector was also present and visible in work uniforms in the crowd. A Seisou union representative told Arab News Japan that income and working conditions had deteriorated since privatization, and the number of public service workers in this sector has fallen by 50%.

Mizuho Fukushima, the representative of the Social Democratic Party, made the same observation about working conditions while denouncing their structural nature.

Several unions have called on the government to legislate concretely on eight hours a working day. In reality, many Japanese still work between 10 and 15 hours a day.