Japan's Largest Labor Union Raises Part-Tme Wages by 6.92%

Mar 19, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Japan’s largest labor union group UA Zensen announced that part-time workers secured a record-high average wage increase of 6.92% in this year’s spring labor negotiations as of today, marking the highest level ever recorded for this stage of the talks.

Tomoko Nagashima, chair of UA Zensen, said, "We believe this represents significant progress toward establishing around a 1% increase in real wages across society."

UA Zensen, one of the country’s largest labor organizations, represents more than 2,100 unions across sectors such as retail, food service, and textiles, with part-time workers accounting for roughly 60% of its membership.

According to the first tally released today, the average wage increase stood at 5.45% for full-time employees and 6.92% for part-time workers, with the latter setting a new record for this period.

Companies including Aeon Group, Asahi Kasei, and Toray provided full responses meeting union demands, while Toridoll, which operates chains such as Marugame Seimen, exceeded those demands.

The strong results reflect a convergence of interests between unions seeking to address rising prices and employers aiming to secure labor amid ongoing shortages.

Regarding the impact of the situation in Iran on negotiations, UA Zensen acknowledged that it could not be ruled out entirely, while also calling for talks to be brought forward and emphasizing efforts to reach early agreements.

Source: TBS

Earthquake Shakes Gunma and Saitama, Reaching Lower-5 Intensity

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck eastern Japan at around 7:46 p.m., with a maximum seismic intensity of lower 5 recorded in parts of Gunma and Saitama prefectures, though no injuries or major damage had been confirmed and there was no risk of a tsunami.

Massive LED Canvas Unveiled at Ueno Station

JR Ueno Station has unveiled "Ueno Canvas," a new 75-square-meter LED display featuring videos that highlight the area's cultural attractions, tourism destinations, and artistic heritage as part of a station renovation aimed at connecting people and the city through culture.

Six Ice Cream Makers Investigated Over Price-Fixing

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has conducted on-site inspections of six major food manufacturers over suspicions they formed a cartel to coordinate ice cream prices, with authorities investigating whether the companies exchanged information and unfairly adjusted planned retail price increases in response to rising costs.

Bear Family Spotted Near Kyoto Nursery

A parent bear and two cubs were spotted near an interchange in Kyoto Prefecture, just a few minutes' drive from a nursery school, in one of many bear sightings reported across Japan in recent days.

Royals Watch Japan-Netherlands World Cup Together

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched Japan's opening FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands together with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, highlighting the close ties between the Japanese Imperial Family and the Dutch Royal Family.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Nikkei Average Stock Price Reaches 70,000 Level for First Time

The Nikkei Stock Average briefly topped the 70,000 mark for the first time on June 16, rising as much as 700 points to an intraday high of 70,020 after the Bank of Japan's decision to raise interest rates matched market expectations, before retreating as investors locked in profits, though the benchmark still ended the day at a record high.

BOJ Raises Policy Rate to 1% for First Time in 31 Years

The Bank of Japan decided at its monetary policy meeting on June 16th to raise its policy interest rate for the first time in four meetings, lifting the benchmark rate from around 0.75% to around 1.0%, the highest level in 31 years.

Okinawa Coca-Cola Launches Large-Scale Solar Powered Factory

Okinawa Coca-Cola Bottling has begun operating a large-scale solar power generation system at its Urasoe plant, aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 330 tons annually while expanding the use of renewable energy in the prefecture.

Nikkei Surges Above 69,000 for First Time as U.S.-Iran Deal Sparks Broad Market Rally

Tokyo stocks posted one of the strongest gains in the history of Japan's equity market on June 15, with the Nikkei Stock Average closing above 69,000 for the first time after a U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending hostilities eased concerns over energy prices and global economic risks.

Nikkei Surges Into 66,000 Range as Kioxia Becomes Japan's Most Valuable Company

Japanese stocks rebounded sharply on June 12th, with the Nikkei Stock Average closing back above the 66,000 level for the first time in a week as easing concerns over tensions in the Middle East and a strong rally in U.S. technology shares fueled broad buying of AI-related stocks.

Japanese Companies Turn To Early Retirement

Restructuring is often associated with companies in financial trouble, but a growing number of profitable Japanese corporations are now encouraging employees to take early retirement as part of efforts to reshape their workforces for the future, creating both opportunities and significant risks for workers considering a second career.

Seven-Eleven, Dentsu Launch New Advertising Venture

Seven-Eleven Japan announced that it will establish a new company with CyberAgent and Dentsu to develop advertising services, using digital signage installed in its stores to deliver targeted advertisements based on real-time conditions.

Gold Slumps Below 23,300 Yen Per Gram in Japan

Domestic gold prices in Japan fell sharply on June 11, with the benchmark retail gold price announced by Tanaka Precious Metal Technologies dropping 906 yen from the previous day to 23,262 yen per gram as of 9:30 a.m., marking the lowest level of the year.

< 2 3 4 5 >