Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Japan (Ratification: 1932)

1. In its previous comments, the Committee has discussed at length the limits of its mandate in respect of the two historical breaches by the Government of the Convention relating to the Second World War and the years leading up to it namely, military sexual slavery (the system of so-called “comfort women”) and wartime industrial forced labour. It will not repeat them here.

2. The Committee, in its last two observations, has requested the Government to continue to inform it about the course and outcomes of litigation in relation to claims of the victims and also to provide information about any related action. Next year is the reporting year for the Government under this Convention.

3. This year, following its previous observation, the Committee has received further information from numerous workers’ organizations, including communications from:

–      the All Japan Shipbuilding and Engineering Union received on 28 May, 27 and 28 August 2007, copies of which were forwarded to the Government on 5 June and 5 September 2007;

–      the Japan Dockworkers Union (Nagoya Branch), received on 24 July 2007, of which a copy was forwarded on 21 August 2007;

–      the All Toyota Labour Union (ATU), received on 10 August 2007, with a copy forwarded on 17 August 2007;

–      the Heavy Industry Labour Union (Japan), received on 27 August 2007, with a copy forwarded to the Government on 5 September 2007;

–      the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) received on 30 August 2007, with a copy forwarded to the Government on 11 September 2007;

–      the Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV) received on 30 August 2007 with a copy forwarded on 13 September 2007. A second communication was received on 28 November 2007; and

–      the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on 13 September 2007, of which a copy was forwarded to the Government on 21 September 2007.

4. The Committee notes that the communications essentially referred to a number of recent judgements by Japanese courts in cases involving individual claims by victims of wartime industrial forced labour and military sexual slavery, in which the courts have dismissed the claims, finding that the legal basis of the claims has been extinguished by post-war treaties (or barred by statutes of limitation). At the same time, factual findings have been made in favour of the victim plaintiffs and encouraging the party defendants to settle the claims on moral or humanitarian grounds. Some cases may be the subject of future appeal on legal grounds.

5. In addition, the communications of the workers’ organizations referred to above include reference to public remarks in October 2006 and March 2007 by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other Cabinet officials. The communications assert that the remarks amount to assertions denying proof of the use of direct, physical coercion by the Japanese military to recruit women and girls into conditions of wartime sexual slavery, which statements appeared to repudiate the August 1993 statement of the then Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr Yohei Kono, reporting on the findings of a government inquiry, and noted by this Committee in its 2002 observation.

6. The Committee notes the communication submitted by the Government dated 30 November 2007, informing it that, given the volume of communications it has received, it will provide a comprehensive report in 2008, which is its regular reporting year for this Convention. The Government however provided a copy in Japanese of the Supreme Court judgement on the Nishimatsu Corporation case on 27 April 2007. It also stated as regards the issue of “comfort women” that the position of the Government expressed in the statement of the then Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr Yohei Kono, on the result of the study on the issue of “comfort women” in 1993 remained unchanged and that the then Prime Minister Abe has expressed his support for this statement.

7. The Committee requests the Government to fully respond to the recent judicial and related developments referred to in the communications from the workers’ organizations referred to above as well as to the observation contained in its last report.