Ishiba vows wage hikes keeping up with inflation at May Day event
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday vowed to realise wage hikes that keep up with the soaring cost of living, at his first May Day event attended since taking office last autumn.
"We'll definitely realise wage hikes that would not succumb to rising prices," Ishiba said at the May Day central convention in Tokyo hosted by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo.
It was the third year in a row for a Japanese prime minister to be present at Rengo's May Day event, after then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida became the first Japanese leader to attend such an event in nine years in 2023.
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is headed by Ishiba, has become closer to Rengo recently.
The first policy discussion between the prime minister and the chief of Rengo, the umbrella organization for Japanese labor unions, in 16 years was held earlier this month, while Tomoko Yoshino became the first Rengo president in 20 years to attend an LDP convention last month.
Noting that the wage hike levels agreed during this spring's "shunto" labour-management negotiations appear to be exceeding those of last year, Ishiba at the May Day event said, "We hope to spread this momentum (of higher wages) to smaller companies, regional areas and nonregular employment."
Ishiba also said that U.S. tariffs on Japanese products "could have a major impact on the domestic industry."
"We'll be strong in our negotiations with the US government to protect Japanese workers," he said.
Meanwhile, Yoshino said, "As salaries are a mirror of the value of workers' labour, wage hikes hold a meaning of paying respect to the value and dignity of workers."
According to the organiser, about 29,200 people attended Saturday's event, including Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and labour minister Takamaro Fukuoka.
A declaration was adopted at the event, featuring a goal of spreading the moves of wage hikes to smaller firms and businesses without labour unions through building a society in which each individual is respected, diversity is recognised, and no one is left behind.
As this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, participants also adopted a special resolution emphasising the need to pass on the lessons of war and the importance of peace to future generations.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Photo by Reuters
