The , commonly known as , is the largest

national trade union center A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national trade union center, and many have more than one. In some regions, such a ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, with over six million members as of 2011.Rengo websit
Rengo brochure 2010-2011
Retrieved on July 6, 2012 It was founded in 1989 as a result of the merger of the

Japan Confederation of Labor The Japanese Confederation of Labour (Domei; ja, 全日本労働総同盟) was a national trade union federation in Japan. The federation was founded in 1964, with the merger of the All-Japan Trade Union Congress, the National Council of Governme ...

(''Domei''), the

Federation of Independent Unions The Federation of Independent Unions ( ja, 中立労働組合連絡会議, Churitsuroren) was a national trade union federation in Japan. The federation was established in 1962 as a loose association. It was closely linked to the General Council ...

(''Churitsuroren'') and the

National Federation Of Industrial Organisations The National Federation Of Industrial Organisations (FIO, ja, 全国産業別労働組合連合, Shinsambetsu) was a national trade union federation in Japan. The federation was a split from Sanbetsu, which took place in 1952. Always a small org ...

(''Shinsambetsu''). In 1990, the

General Council of Trade Unions of Japan A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED On ...

(''Sohyo'') also joined RENGO. As of July 2012, RENGO has 54 affiliate unions and 47 local organizations.Rengo websit
Role and Function
Retrieved on July 6, 2012

Party affiliation

RENGO was historically affiliated with the

Democratic Party of Japan The was a centristThe Democratic Party of Japan was widely described as centrist: * * * * * * * to centre-left liberal or social-liberal political party in Japan from 1998 to 2016. The party's origins lie in the previous Democratic Part ...

, but on June 28, 2012, president

Nobuaki Koga is a Japanese unionist. From 2009 to 2015, he served as president of Rengo, the largest national trade union federation in Japan, having previously been its general secretary. Prior to Rengo leadership Koga was born in Fukuoka, and studied engine ...

made a speech at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters stating that the confederation may reconsider its future. In 2014, it endorsed LDP-supported candidate

Yoichi Masuzoe Yoichi may refer to: *Yōichi, Japanese given name *, district in Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Japan *, town in Yoichi District *, a Japanese whisky distillery in the town *, train station in Yoichi District * also Yoichi is a masculine Japane ...

for the Tokyo gubernatorial election.

Affiliated organizations

Current affiliates

Many unions are affiliated with RENGO:Rengo websit
Affiliates
Retrieved on July 6, 2012 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

Local organizations

RENGO also has local organizations for each of Japan's 47

prefectures A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

Leadership

General Secretaries

*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

Akira Yamagishi was a Japanese trade union leader who served as the first president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation from 1989 to 1994. Born in Osaka, Yamagishi began working in a telegram office, and joined the Japan Telecommunications Workers' Union. ...

(1989–1995) *Jinnosuke Ashida (1995–1997) *Etsuya Washio (1997–2001) *Kiyoshi Sasamori (2001–2005) *Tsuyoshi Takagi (2005–2009) *

(2009–2015) *Rikio Kozu (2015–2021) *

Tomoko Yoshino Tomoko Yoshino (芳野友子) is the first female president of RENGO, Japan's largest labor organization. In her role at RENGO, she has worked to reduce gender gaps in the Japanese workforce. Yoshino is also one of a council responsible for implem ...

(2021—Present)

References

;Sources
Rengo website
*

External links

*
Japanese Trade Union Confederation
{{Authority control National trade union centers of Japan International Trade Union Confederation Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD Trade unions established in 1989