The Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC) (日本労働組合総連合会, Nihon Rōdōkumiai Sōrengōkai), commonly known as RENGO (連合, Rengō), is the largest national trade union center in Japan, with over six million members as of 2011.[1] It was founded in 1989 as a result of the merger of the Japan Confederation of Labor (Dōmei), the Federation of Independent Unions (Chūritsu Rōren) and the National Federation Of Industrial Organisations (Shinsanbetsu). In 1990, the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (Sohyo) also joined RENGO.

RENGO
Japanese Trade Union Confederation
日本労働組合総連合会
Nihon Rōdōkumiai Sōrengōkai
Founded1989
HeadquartersKanda-Surugudai, Tokyo, Japan
Location
Members
6.83 million (2009)
Key people
Tomoko Yoshino, president, Hideyuki Shimizu, general secretary
AffiliationsITUC, TUAC
Websitewww.jtuc-rengo.org

As of July 2012, RENGO has 54 affiliate unions and 47 local organizations.[2]

Party affiliation edit

RENGO was historically affiliated with the Democratic Party of Japan, but on June 28, 2012, president Nobuaki Koga made a speech at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters stating that the confederation may reconsider its future.[3][4]In 2014, it endorsed LDP-supported candidate Yoichi Masuzoe for the Tokyo gubernatorial election.[5]

Affiliated organizations edit

Current affiliates edit

Rengo HQ in Kanda-Surugadai

Many unions are affiliated with RENGO:[6][1]

AbbreviationUnionFoundedMembership (2009)[7]Membership (2020)[8]
UA ZENSENJapanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Commerce, Food and General Services Workers' Unions20121,780,000[9]1,767,000
JICHIROAll-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union1954887,174785,445
JIDOSHA SORENConfederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions1972741,747784,777
DENKI RENGOJapanese Electrical, Electronic and Information Union1953616,571569,285
JAMJapanese Association of Metal, Machinery and Manufacturing Workers1999370,256341,681
KIKAN RORENJapan Federation of Basic Industry Workers' Unions2003248,781265,130
JPGUJapan Postal Group Union2007216,186243,754
SEIHO RORENNational Federation of Life Insurance Workers' Unions1969241,967233,614
NIKKYOSOJapan Teachers Union1947290,857230,475
DENRYOKU SORENThe Federation of Electric Power Related Industry Workers' Unions of Japan1981214,019208,996
ICTJThe Federation of Information and Communication Technology Service Workers of Japan1991220,730199,135
UNYU RORENAll Japan Federation of Transport Workers' Unions1968128,407128,095
SHITETSU SORENGeneral Federation of Private Railway and Bus Workers' Unions of Japan1947111,944113,253
JFUFederation of All Japan Foods and Tobacco Workers' Unions200097,762105,909
JEC RENGOJapan Federation of Energy and Chemistry Workers' Unions2002158,958104,038
SONPO RORENFederation of Non-Life Insurance Workers' Unions of Japan196768,02794,696
KOKKO RENGOJapan Public Sector Union2001110,76679,621
JR RENGOJapan Railway Trade Unions Confederation199263,00074,602
SERVICE RENGOJapan Federation of Service & Tourism Industries Workers' Unions200144,02947,454
KOTSU-RORENJapan Federation of Transport Workers' Unions196453,83545,579
KAIIN KUMIAIAll-Japan Seamen's Union194545,00045,000
KOKU RENGOJapan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions199936,18341,419
GOMU RENGOJapanese Rubber Workers' Union Confederation199243,48141,023
KAMIPA RENGOJapanese Federation of Pulp and Paper Workers' Unions198830,71325,453
ZEN DENSENJapan Federation of Electric Wire Workers' Unions194628,20524,757
ZENKOKU GASThe Federation of Gas Workers' Unions of Japan194625,67623,248
JR SORENJapan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions198755,04622,561
INSATSU RORENFederation of Printing Information Media Workers' Unions198920,66720,730
CERAMICS RENGOAll Japan Federation of Ceramics Industry Workers199518,90019,610
ZEN SUIDOAll Japan Water Supply Workers' Union195125,99816,281
ZENGIN RENGOAll Japan Federative Council of Bank Labours' Unions196715,59015,008
ZENKOKU-NODANRONational Federation of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Corporations' Workers' Unions198915,44613,725
MEDIA RORENJapan Federation of Media, Advertising, Motion Picture, and Theater Labor Unions2017N/A9,577
ZENJIKO RORENNational Federation of Automobile Transport Workers' Unions194735,2859,515
ZEN ROKINFederation of Labour Bank Workers' Unions of Japan19566,3978,871
HEALTH CARE ROKYOJapanese Health Care Workers' Union20027,7778,500
SINRIN RORENJapanese Federation of Forest and Wood Workers' Union19898,2955,362
ROSAI RORENFederation of ZENROSAI Trade Unions3,3784,296
ROKYO RORENConfederation of Labour Supply Trade Unions3,8604,228
ZEN INSATSUAll Printing Bureau Labour Union19474,5684,060
JICHI RORENNational Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Unions19703,3022,970
ZENKOKU UNIONJapan Community Workers Union Federation20023,3502,800
ZENKOKU KEIBA RENGONational Federation of Horse-racing Workers3,0322,599
JA RENGOAll Japan Agriculture Cooperative Staff Members' Union1,2961,354
KOUN-DOMEIJapanese Confederation of Port and Transport Workers' Unions19871,2001,200
ZEN ZOHEIAll Mint Labour Union995766

Observer affiliate:

  • DOKIRO Hokkaido Seasonal Workers' Union (2,660 members as of 2009)

Friendly affiliate:

  • NIKKENKYO Council of Japan Construction Industry Employee's Unions (35,624 members as of 2009)

Former affiliates edit

AbbreviationUnionFoundedLeftReason not affiliatedMembership (1996)[10]
ZENSENJapanese Federation of Textile, Garment, Chemical, Mercantile, Food and Allied Industries Workers' Unions19462002Merged into UI ZENSEN577,362
ZENKIN RENGOJapanese Metal Industrial Workers' Union19581999Merged into JAM314,693
CSG RENGOJapanese Federation of Chemical, Service and General Trade Unions19952002Merged into UI ZENSEN237,474
KINZOKU RENGONational Metal and Machinery Workers' Union19891999Merged into JAM200,000
TEKKO RORENJapanese Federation of Iron and Steel Workers' Unions19512003Merged into JBU193,472
ZENTEIJapan Postal Workers' Union19462007Merged into JPGU158,691
ZOSENJUKI RORENJapan Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Workers' Unions19722003Merged into JBU133,407
SHOGYO RORENJapan Federation of Commercial Workers' Unions19702001Merged into JSD129,043
SHOKUHIN RENGOJapan Federation of Foods and Tobacco Workers' Unions19952000Merged into JFU116,747
GOKA RORENJapanese Federation of Synthetic Chemistry Workers' Unions19501998Merged into KAGAKU LEAGUE91,242
ZEN YUSAIAll Japan Postal Labour Union19652007Merged into JPGU77,718
KAGAKU SORENJapanese Federation of Chemical Workers' Unions19782016Disaffiliated67,629
ZENKOKU IPPANNational Union of General Workers19552006Merged into JICHIRO60,096
LEISURE SERVICE RENGOJapan Federation of Leisure-Service Industries Workers' Unions19702001Merged into SERVICE RENGO46,900
TOSHIKOAll Japan Municipal Transport Workers' Union19472013Merged into JICHIRO43,767
KOKKO SORENJapan Central Federation of National Public Service Employees' Unions19892001Merged into KOKKO RENGO43,697
CHAIN RENGOChain Store Labor Unions Council19702001Merged into JSD40,944
KOKUZEI ROSOJapanese Confederation of National Tax Unions19582001Merged into KOKKO RENGO40,128
SEIRORENLabor Federation of Government Related Organizations19602001Merged into KOKKO RENGO33,392
SEKIYU RORENJapan Confederation of Petroleum Industry Workers' Unions19472002Merged into JEC29,505
HITETSU RENGOJapanese Metal Mine Workers' Union19642003Merged into JBU23,500
SHOKUHIN ROKYOFood Industry Workers' Unions Council19892000Merged into JFU21,826
KOKU DOMEIJapanese Confederation of Aviation Labour19741999Merged into KOKO RENGO15,178
ZENCHUROAll Japan Garrison Forces Labor Union19462001Merged into KOKKO RENGO14,314
KENSETSU RENGOJapan Construction Trade Union Confederation19902014Merged into JBU13,413
NHK RORENFederation of All-NHK Labour Unions19882017Merged into MEDIA ROREN11,584
ZENKOKU KAGAKUAll Japan Chemistry Workers' Union19871998Merged into KAGAKU LEAGUE10,540
SHINKAGAKUNational Organization of All Chemical Workers19582002Merged into JEC8,313
ZENROKINFederation of Labor Bank Workers' Unions of Japan7,617
ZENKOKU SEMENTONational Federation of Cement Workers' Unions of Japan19472002Merged into JEC7,263
ZEIKAN RORENFederation of Japanese Customs Personnel Labour Unions19652001Merged into KOKKO RENGO5,524
SEN-I SEIKATSU RORENJapan Federation of Textile and Clothing Workers' Unions19482002Merged into UI ZENSEN5,127
SHIN UNTENFIO-Drivers' Craft Union19594,435
ZENZOSEN-KIKAIAll Japan Shipbuilding and Engineering Union19462016Dissolved3,226
ZENKAIRENAll Japan Shipping Labor Union19472,750
JIUNROJapan Automobile Drivers' Union19582,109
NICHIRINRONational Forestry Workers' Union of Japan19652006Merged into SINRIN ROREN2,020
ZENTANKONational Union of Coal Mine Workers19521,750
TANROJapan Coal Miners' Union19502004Dissolved1,460
ZEN-EIENNational Cinema and Theater Workers' Union19472017Merged into MEDIA ROREN473
TOKEI ROSOStatistics Labor Union-management and Coordination Agency19622005Dissolved200
ZENSHIN RORENAll Japan Community Bank Labour Union Association19612018DisaffiliatedN/A
SHOKUHIN RORENAll Japan Federation of Food Industries Workers' Unions19651995Merged into SHOKUHIN RENGON/A
HITETSU KINZOKU RORENAll Japan Federation of Non-Ferrous Metal Workers' Unions1982Merged into HITETSU RORENN/A
KENSETSU DOMEIJapanese Federation of Construction Industry Workers19781990Merged into KENSETSU RENGON/A
JSDJapan Federation of Service and Distributive Workers' Unions20012012Merged into UA ZENSENN/A
UI ZENSENJapanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Food, Commercial, Service and General Workers' Unions20022012Merged into UA ZENSENN/A
ZENKA DOMEIJapanese Federation of Chemical and General Workers' Unions19511995Merged into CSG RENGON/A
KAGAKU LEAGUEJapanese Federation of Chemistry Workers' Unions19982002Merged into JECN/A
ZENTABAKOJapan Tobacco and Allied Workers' Union19851995Merged into SHOKUHIN RENGON/A
ZENDENRYOKUNational Council of Japanese Electric Powers Workers19651996Merged into DENRYOKU SORENN/A
ZENYORENNational Federation of Ceramic Industry Workers' Unions19491995Merged into CERAMICS RENGON/A
ZEN SHOKUHIN DOMEINational Federation of Food Industry Workers' Unions19471995Merged into SHOKUHIN RENGON/A
IPPAN DOMEINational Federation of General Workers' Unions19661995Merged into CSG RENGON/A
GOMU RORENNational Federation of Rubber Industry Workers' Unions19651992Merged into GOMU RENGON/A

Local organizations edit

RENGO also has local organizations for each of Japan's 47 prefectures.[2]

Leadership edit

General secretaries edit

  • Seigo Yamada (1989–1993)
  • Etsuya Washio (1993–1997)
  • Kiyoshi Sasamori (1997–2001)
  • Hiroyuki Nagumo (2001–2013)
  • Rikio Kozu (2013–2015)
  • Naoto Omi (2015–2017)
  • Yasunobu Aihara (2017–2021)
  • Hideyuki Shimizu (2021—present)

Presidents edit

  • Akira Yamagishi (1989–1995)
  • Jinnosuke Ashida (1995–1997)
  • Etsuya Washio (1997–2001)
  • Kiyoshi Sasamori (2001–2005)
  • Tsuyoshi Takagi (2005–2009)
  • Nobuaki Koga (2009–2015)
  • Rikio Kozu (2015–2021)
  • Tomoko Yoshino (2021—present)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Rengo website Rengo brochure 2010-2011 Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on July 6, 2012
  2. ^ a b Rengo website Role and Function Retrieved on July 6, 2012
  3. ^ The Daily Yomiuri Rengo may rethink support for DPJ Retrieved on July 4, 2012
  4. ^ The Japan Times Labor leader hints at cooler DPJ ties Retrieved on July 4, 2012
  5. ^ "舛添氏と連合東京が協定 都知事選、細川氏は小泉氏側と詰め". 日本経済新聞. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  6. ^ Rengo website Affiliates Retrieved on July 6, 2012
  7. ^ "RENGO 2010 2011". ILO. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  8. ^ "RENGO 2020-2021" (PDF). RENGO. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  9. ^ Combined membership of predecessor unions as of 2009
  10. ^ "List of RENGO affiliated union members" (PDF). Cross Currents. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
Sources

External links edit