Japan: Industrial relations profile

Japan's real GDP growth rate was 2.0% in 2012, continuing to make the country's economy the third largest worldwide. While manufacturing is still an important economic sector, in the past three decades the services sector has gradually grown. In 2013, Japan’s working population was 65. 6 million, but this will rapidly decrease because it has become a so-called ‘super-ageing society’. Workers’ right to organise, bargain and act collectively is guaranteed by the Constitution. This means a labour union is permitted to request the employer to hold discussions and conduct whatever activities are necessary to put pressure on the employer to comply with the law.