The General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (日本労働組合総評議会, Nihon Rōdōkumiai Sōhyōgikai), often abbreviated to Sōhyō (総評), was a left-leaning union confederation. Founded in 1950, it was the largest labor federation in Japan for several decades.[1]

Origins

In the immediate aftermath of Japan's defeat in World War II, the United States-led Allied Occupation of Japan issued directives legalizing labor unions, which were then protected by the new Constitution of Japan promulgated in 1947. In the early postwar years, numerous labor unions formed in industries throughout Japan, many of which were under the influence of the Japan Communist Party. However in 1950, following the advent of the global Cold War, and taking advantage of the sense of crisis precipitated by the sudden outbreak of the Korean War, conservative Japanese government and business leaders launched, with the tacit approval of US Occupation authorities, a "Red Purge" to remove communists and suspected communists from government and private-sector jobs. As part of the purge, Japanese conservatives fomented "democracy cells" within the established, Communist Party-dominated labor unions. As these unions collapsed amid the purge, the cells emerged and joined with some affiliates of the Japanese Federation of Labour to form a new labor federation, the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan, or Sōhyō.[1][2]

Early militancy

Conservatives hoped that the new federation would be more moderate than the federations controlled by the Communist Party, which had been extremely militant. However, Sōhyō rapidly fell under the sway of the Japan Socialist Party and took the lead in organizing an escalating series of increasingly large and contentious labor actions over the course of the 1950s, and increasingly became involved in political protests as well.[1]

On May 1, 1952, Sōhyō spearheaded a nationwide day of protest against the perceived one-sided nature of the Peace Treaty ending the Occupation of Japan. Although most of these activities were peaceful, a violent clash between protesters and police outside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo led to several deaths and injuries and became remembered as "Bloody May Day."[3]

Over the rest of the 1950s, Sōhyō became actively involved in a number of political and social movements, including movements to ban nuclear weapons and against US military bases in Japan. It also led a large number of strikes for higher wages across many different industries. Sōhyō's period of militancy culminated in 1960 when it took a leading role in the massive Anpo protests against revision of the US Japan Security Treaty, as well as the large-scale strike at the Miike Coal Mine in northern Kyushu. As part of the anti-Security Treaty Struggle, Sōhyō organized a nationwide general strike that involved 6.4 million workers and remains the largest recorded strike in Japanese history. However, both these efforts ended in disastrous defeats, and thereafter Sōhyō increasingly retreated from contentious strikes in favor of more moderate workplace actions.[4]

Merger to form Rengo

A large portion of Sōhyō merged with the more conservative Japanese Confederation of Labor (Domei)[5] and other unions to form Rengo in 1987. Rengo was formally launched in 1989.[6] Some elements of Sōhyō instead joined one of two new federations: the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), and the National Trade Union Council (Zenrokyo).[7]

Affiliates

The following unions were affiliated:

UnionAbbreviationFounded[7]LeftReason not affiliatedMembership (1958)[8]Membership (1970)[9]Membership (1985)[7]
Alcohol Monopoly Workers' UnionArukorusenbai19521,2781,056443
All Finance Bureau Labour UnionZenzaimu19541975Merged into KokkororenN/A5,339N/A
All Hokkaido Development Bureau Employees' UnionZenkaihatsu19511975Merged into KokkororenN/A11,050N/A
All International Trade and Industry Ministry Workers' UnionZenshoko19461975Merged into Kokkororen8,80310,791N/A
All Japan Construction Industry Workers' Union19711989DisaffiliatedN/AN/A3,000
All Japan Day Workers' UnionZennichijiro19471989Transferred to Zenroren150,339153,06867,386
All-Japan Express Workers' UnionZennitsu19461968Merged into Unyuroren67,92069,489N/A
All Japan Federation of Hotel Workers' UnionsHoteruroren19481989Transferred to RengoN/AN/A12,383
All Japan Federation of Metal Miners' UnionsZenko19471982Merged into Hitetsukinzokuroren57,00031,984N/A
All-Japan Federation of Municipal Traffic Workers' UnionsToshikotsu19471989Transferred to Rengo46,60166,23748,028
All Japan Federation of Non-Ferrous Metal Workers' UnionsHitetsukinzokuroren19821989Transferred to RengoN/AN/A16,477
All Japan Federation of Water Transport Workers' UnionsZenkairen19471989Transferred to Rengo4,9318,5057,949
All Japan Garrison Forces Labour UnionZenchuro19461989Transferred to Rengo81,75325,320
All Japan Glass and Bottle Makers' UnionZenshoro1972Merged into KagakudomeiN/A9,668N/A
All Japan Harbour Workers' UnionZenkowan19461989Disaffiliated20,26128,21422,124
All Japan National Hospital Workers' UnionZeniro19481957Merged into Irokyo24,159N/AN/A
All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' UnionJichiro19541989Transferred to Sohyo437,931836,0901,267,021
All-Japan Telecommunication Workers' UnionZendentsu19501989Transferred to Sohyo152,039232,519276,686
All Japan Transport and General Workers' UnionUnyuippan19501989Transferred to Zenroren12,65514,40916,267
All Judiciary Administration Employees' UnionZenshiho19471975Merged into Kokkororen16,63012,564N/A
All Kyushu Electric Power Workers' UnionZenkyudenN/A3,212
All Labour Ministry Workers' UnionZenrodo19491975Merged into Kokkororen13,25519,732N/A
All Minting Bureau Workers' UnionZenzohei19461989Transferred to Rengo1,5971,7901,444
All Monopoly Corporation Workers' UnionZensenbai19491987Dissolved39,72937,93830,219
All Radio Wave Control Agency Workers' UnionZendempa19511975Merged into Kokkororen2,8002,456N/A
All Transportation Workers' UnionZenunyu19621975Merged into KokkororenN/A5,790N/A
Audit Board Employees' UnionKaikenro19461989DisaffiliatedN/A1,1201,055
Construction Ministry Workers' UnionZenkenro19491975Merged into KokkororenN/A12,564N/A
Council of Special Governmental Corporations Workers' UnionsSeirokyo19601989Transferred to RengoN/A10,16121,479
Education Ministry Employees' UnionMonbushokuso1975Merged into Kokkororen1,6351,914N/A
Finance Ministry Employees' UnionOkurashokuso1,8001,985
General Federation of Private Railway Workers' Unions of JapanShitetsusroren19471989Transferred to Rengo134,374253,259197,045
Government Printing Bureau Workers' UnionZeninsatsu19471989Transferred to Rengo7,3407,4996,215
International Telecommunications Corporation Workers' UnionKokusai Den-Den19533,0633,2124,637
Japan Agriculture and Forestry Ministry Workers' UnionsZennorin19581975Merged into Kokkororen106,00050,613N/A
Japan Broadcasting Labour UnionNipporo19481989Merged into NHK Roren7,00013,32612,876
Japan Coal Miners' UnionTanro19501989Transferred to Rengo200,44154,64811,449
Japan Council of Medical Workers' UnionsIrokyo19571989Transferred to ZenrorenN/A65,646144,161
Japan Customs Employees' UnionZenzeikan1975Merged into KokkororenN/A1,190N/A
Japan Electric Power Industry Workers' UnionDensan3,0001,5172,626
Japanese Federation of Chemical Industry Workers' UnionsKagakudomei19511989Transferred to Rengo41,64432,963
Japanese Federation of Iron and Steel Workers' UnionsTekkororen19511989Transferred to Rengo120,722208,905211,886
Japanese Federation of Synthetic Chemistry Workers' UnionsGokaroren19501989Transferred to Rengo97,657118,615112,798
Japan Federation of National Public Service Employees' UnionsKokkororen19751989Transferred to ZenrorenN/AN/A136,570
Japan Federation of Newspaper Workers' UnionsShinbun Rōren19501989Disaffiliated27,05638,05741,961
Japan Federation of Textile and Clothing Workers' UnionsSeniroren19481989Transferred to RengoN/A19,5507,903
Japan Postal Transportation Labour UnionNitteiN/A3,916
Japan Postal Workers' UnionZentei19461989Transferred to Rengo218,013239,600171,606
Japan Teachers' UnionNikkyoso19471989Transferred to Rengo593,117547,311667,443
Japan Tobacco and Allied Workers' UnionZentabako19851989Transferred to RengoN/AN/A27,599
Justice Ministry Employees' UnionZenhomu19471975Merged into KokkororenN/A7,657N/A
Liaison Council of Housing Industry Workers' UnionsJutakurokyo19691973DisaffiliatedN/AN/A
National Council of Japanese Electric Powers WorkersZendenryoku19651989Transferred to RengoN/A4,3512,626
National Federation of Automobile Transport WorkersZenjiko19471989Transferred to RengoN/A58,57756,541
National Federation of Paper and Pulp Industry Workers' UnionsKamiparoren19471988Merged into Kamiparengo47,70758,00326,147
National Federation of Passenger Automobile Workers' UnionsZenryororen17,027N/AN/A
National Federation of Printing and Publishing Industry Workers' UnionsZeninsoren19531989Transferred to Zenroren16,53818,70013,376
National Federation of Rubber Industry Workers' UnionsGomuroren19651989Transferred to RengoN/A23,46049,294
National Federation of Water Supply Workers' UnionsZensuido19511989Transferred to Sohyo13,79628,56136,797
National Forest Workers' Union of JapanZenrinya19591989Merged into SinrinrorenN/A63,77737,984
National Lumber Industry Workers' UnionZenmokuroN/A11,961
National Procurement Agency Workers' UnionZenchotatsu2,502N/A
National Railway Locomotive Engineers' UnionDoryokusha19511985DisaffiliatedN/A61,650N/A
National Railway Workers' UnionKokuro19461989Transferred to Zenrokyo368,605275,615187,530
National Tax Collectors' UnionZenkokuzei19581975Merged into Kokkororen31,8963,209N/A
National Telecommunications Mutual Aid Association Workers' UnionDensairoN/A8,098
National Trade Union of Metal and Engineering WorkersZenkokukinzoku19471989Merged into Kinzokukikai91,000212,929155,799
National Union of General WorkersZenkokuippan19551989Transferred to RengoN/A104,345121,042
Okinawa Public Service Workers' UnionOkinawakankoro1975Merged into KokkororenN/A7,080N/A
Transportation Ministry Maritime Workers' UnionZenkaiji2,130N/AN/A
Union of Employees of the Harbour Construction BoardZenkoken1975Merged into Kokkororen4,3504,193N/A
Welfare Ministry Employees' UnionKoseishokuso3,6972,9263,413[10]

Leadership

Presidents

1950: Takeo Muto
1953: Totaro Fujita
1956: Yukitaka Haraguchi
1958: Ōta Kaoru
1966: Toshikatsu Horii
1970: Makoto Ichikawa
1978: Motofumi Makieda
1983: Takeshi Kurokawa

General Secretaries

1950: Zengoro Shimagami
1951: Minoru Takano
1955: Akira Iwai
1970: Shogo Oki
1976: Mitsuo Tomizuka
1983: Eikichi Makoto

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-6749-8442-4.
  2. ↑ Levine, Solomon B. (1954). "Prospects of Japanese Labor". Far Eastern Survey. 23 (5): 107–110. doi:10.2307/3024094. JSTOR 3024094.
  3. ↑ Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-6749-8442-4.
  4. ↑ Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. pp. 134–44. ISBN 978-0-6749-8442-4.
  5. ↑ The Japan Times EDITORIAL - Rengo's uphill battle October 31, 2005 Retrieved on August 15 2012
  6. ↑ Rengo website Rengo 2010 website Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on August 2012
  7. 1 2 3 Seifert, Wolfgang (13 March 2013). Gewerkschaften in der japanischen Politik von 1970 bis 1990. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. ISBN 9783322899309.
  8. ↑ Directory of Labor Organizations, Asia and Australasia. Washington DC: United States Department of Labor. 1958.
  9. ↑ Labor Law and Practice in Japan. Washington DC: United States Department of Labor. 1970.
  10. ↑ Figure is for 1980


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