130 Join First "Manufacturing Workshop for Parents and Children"
■IMF-JC Kyushu Block offers class in Kokura, Kitakyushu ■
During the afternoon of May 30, 2010, the first-ever Manufacturing Workshop for Parents and Children was held in the "Konomi Club" employee facility located in a corner of the Sumitomo Metals Kokura offices in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The event was organized by the IMF-JC Kyushu Block with support from Kitakyushu City. The workshop was held in two parts, an experiment demonstration and a manufacturing class, with support from the IMF-JC head office and cooperation from the Gakken Institute of Research and Innovation. This workshop also served as a promotional event for workshops held in other prefectures in the Kyushu Block. The Manufacturing Workshop for Parents and Children welcomed the enthusiastic participation of 130 parents and children (56 children) from industry-based unions in the Rengo Fukuoka Coordinating Council for Metalworkers Unions.

For Greater Consistency in Training Future Manufacturing Personnel
■The First "Waku-Waku" Science and Engineering Festival for electric industry labor and management ■
The First "Waku-Waku" Science and Construction Festival was held on the 7th floor of the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Odaiba, Tokyo on April 24, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The festival was organized by the Electric Industry Manufacturing Personnel Education Committee, which is comprised of labor and management in the electric industry and has an office in the Japanese Electrical Electronic and Information Union. The festival was comprised of two science demonstrations with audience participation and five workshops on engineering for parents and children. More than 300 parents and children attended the festival, participating in the programs and experiencing the thrill and enjoyment of manufacturing.

Masayuki Naoshima		Toshiyuki Kato
Yataro Tsuda		Minoru Yanagida

Four IMF-JC-backed Candidates for 22nd House of Councillors Election Confirmed

In its 21st Executive Board Meeting on April 23, 2010, the IMF-JC confirmed its backing for four candidates in the 22nd House of Councillors election scheduled for July 2010. These decisions were based on the IMF-JC "Guidelines for Support and Treatment of Government Advisors" and shaped through requests from industry-based unions. The names, parties and other information for the four supported candidates are listed below.

Name Party Status/times elected Constituency Recommending Union Masayuki Naoshima DPJ Incumbent - 3 Proportional representation JAW Toshiyuki Kato DPJ Incumbent - 1 Proportional representation JEIU Yataro Tsuda DPJ Incumbent - 1 Proportional representation JAM Minoru Yanagida DPJ Incumbent - 2 Hiroshima JBU

Group Work Yields Vigorous Exchange of Ideas on "Helping Women Continue to Work Vibrantly in the Metal Industry"
■April 19: First IMF-JC Women's Conference■
The IMF-JC held its first Women's Conference at Workpia Yokohama in the morning of April 19, 2010. Approximately 50 female union officials from affiliated industry-based, corporate and individual unions took part. Participants in this conference were divided into seven groups to engage in lively group work projects on the theme of "Helping Women Continue to Work Vibrantly in the Metal Industry," from a woman's perspective and from the viewpoints of the private sector, manufacturing and metal industries.

In Singapore 61 union members from 12 affiliated organizations in 10 countries discuss 2010 IMF priority movement issues
■IMF East and Southeast Asia-Pacific Sub-Regional Committee Meeting■

IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina and other IMF head office officials attended the meeting.
IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina		IMF-Singapore Council President Cyrille Tan

IMF East and Southeast Asia-Pacific Sub-Regional Committee Meeting held at NTUC-backed Orchid Country Club in Singapore from April 16-17, 2010.
A total of 61 union members took part in the meeting, including 55 from twelve affiliated organizations in ten countries and regions and five members of the IMF head and regional offices, including IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina. Thirteen members attended from Japan, including IMF-JC President Koichiro Nishihara.
This was the first meeting since the consolidation of the East Asia Sub-Region and the Southeast Asia-Pacific Sub-Region at the IMF Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in 2008. It was also the first discussion held in this region under the IMF Action Program adopted at the 32nd IMF World Congress in 2009.
At this meeting, lively discussions were held on the 2010 IMF priority action areas of networks in transnational companies, union building, sustainable development, and regional activities. The issue of GUF integration was raised by the IMF head office for the first time in the Asian region, and opinions were exchanged. It was also acknowledged that the gender issue would be included on the agenda and discussed as an IMF priority issue at each of the future meetings.
Discussions were also held on the selection of successors to two executive committee members representing the Asia region who retired or resigned their posts. Australian Workers Union National Secretary Paul Howes was chosen to succeed Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union president Julius Roe, and Federasi Serikat Pekerja Metal Indonesia (FSPMI) secretary Wati Anwar was selected to succeed FSMPI vice president Aghni Damayanti as head of the Indonesian women's executive committee.
Regarding the future of the sub-region, the IMF head office proposed that the Asia region, which is currently divided into two sections including South Asia, be combined into a single region. Opinions were exchanged, but due to the GUF integration issue it was decided that more time would be given to the discussions.

Regional Policy and System Issues for 2010 Outlined

In the 18th meeting of its three top party officials held on April 4, the IMF-JC outlined its Regional Policy and System Issues for 2010. Based on the IMF-JC 2009-10 Action Program and 2010-11 Policy and System Issues (Draft), matters were selected that are closely related to local areas and that should be developed as being central to these regions. The summary will serve as a reference in discussions on policy and system issues within the regional unions and in other venues. The IMF-JC 2010-11 Policy and System Issues (Draft) will be discussed at the IMF-JC 2010 Policy and System Central Discussion Meeting to be held at Workpia Yokohama from Monday, April 19 at 1:30 p.m. until noon on Tuesday, April 20.

Many Unions Face Critical Stage in Negotiations, Aiming for Resolutions within April
REMAINING PERSISTENT IN NEGOTIATIONS TO GET SATISFACOTRY RESPONSES
Of the 2667 unions throughout the IMF-JC that submitted demands, 1121 unions receive responses
■April 4: 7th Strategic Committee Meeting ■
The IMF-JC held its 7th Strategic Committee Meeting in the IMF-JC offices on Sunday, April 4 from 11:00 a.m. In this meeting, the IMF-JC gathered the responses received thus far in the 2010 Spring Offensive and confirmed the way forward for the JC Joint Struggle.
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March 25 Small and Medium-Sized Registered Unions
Press Conference on Status of Responses
Responses Received by 111 out of 155 Small and Medium-Sized Unions
■March 25 Press Conference at IMF-JC Head Office■
On March 17 of last week, arriving at the IMF-JC Unified Response Day for major unions, small and medium-sized unions throughout Japan began fierce negotiations. As of this writing on March 25, 111 out of the 155 small and medium-sized unions in the IMF-JC had received responses.
To support the small and medium-sized unions' negotiations, the IMF-JC held a press conference at its head office in Nihonbashi, Tokyo on March 25 from 4:00 p.m. at which it presented the status of demands and responses for the 155 registered unions which influence their regions and industries. To begin the press conference, General Secretary Wakamatsu offered greetings and commented on the status of the 2010 Spring Offensive, stating: "On the IMF-JC Unified Response Day on March 17 of last week, all 55 of the aggregating unions were ensured their regular pay raise amounts. Bonuses also increased by 0.2 months' pay over last year. Eighteen unions succeeded in raising intra-company minimum wages. Up to this day, 111 of the 155 small and medium-sized unions, more than 70%, received responses, and leveraging the responses to large unions' demands as further incentive for rigorous and persistent negotiations, most maintained their regular pay raise amounts and seven unions received higher wages. I hope that the status of demands and responses for IMF-JC small and medium-sized unions as posted by region will support wage improvements at the companies in the respective regions."
Later, Assistant General Secretary Kenji Yonai offered a detailed report on the status of the Spring Offensive for the IMF-JC designated unions for aggregating responses and IMF-JC small and medium-sized unions as of March 25.
A question-and-answer session for reporters was then held.

IMF-JC has prioritized “Investment in people”in its 2010 Spring Offensive in Japan
■March 17: IMF-JC Unified Response Day■
On March 17, 2010, among economic conditions that are as grave as ever, the IMF-JC Unified Response Day arrived. Press corps from the mass media gathered from morning at the IMF-JC head office in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, near the Coredo Building.
The first responses began to come in just after 10:00 a.m., and camera flashes lit the room each time the officers wrote on the white board.

Afternoon Press Conference		IMF-JC President Koichiro Nishihara

At its 6th Strategic Committee Meeting, which began at 11:00 a.m., the IMF-JC confirmed the responses it had received thus far and the way forward for the JC Joint Struggle in small and medium-sized unions. After hearing these remarks, the three top-ranking officials of the IMF-JC held a press conference from noon. The press conference opened with General Secretary Hideyuki Wakamatsu's presentation of the Points for Confirmation on the 6th Strategic Committee Meeting. Then IMF-JC President Koichiro Nishihara offered his overall comments. Next, the presidents and chairmen of the five industry-based unions gave comments in reaction to today's responses, and then a question-and-answer session was held. details>>

Breaking Free from Deflation and Eliminating Uncertainty over Employment and Livelihoods Japan's Leading Unions Band Together in the Joint Struggle
■2010 Spring Offensive Executive Meeting■
The IMF-JC held its 2010 Spring Offensive Executive Meeting in Shin-yokohama on January 26 and 27, 2010. In attendance were nearly 150 officers in charge of wage issues from affiliated industry-based, corporate, and individual unions. To begin, President Koichiro Nishihara delivered greetings, stating, "Escaping from deflation and solving employment-related issues are urgent needs, and the duties of labor and management are to protect jobs and livelihoods and to determine how to spread a message that eliminates uncertainty about the future. The role of the IMF-JC, which has the power to influence the form the wage negotiations take, is becoming more and more important." After Kazuo Ishikawa, Chief Research Fellow at the Tokyo Foundation, gave a talk on mid-term labor policy and the roles of labor unions, IMF-JC Assistant General Secretary Kenji Yonai gave the official report titled "Opinions of the IMF-JC Facing the 2010 Spring Offensive," which included the IMF-JC's views on the "Report of the Committee on Management and Labor Policy" of Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation).　In the morning of the 27th, a panel discussion titled "Industry-based Union Initiatives for the 2010 Spring Offensive" was held. Coordinated by General Secretary Hideyuki Wakamatsu, the panel was comprised of the presidents and general secretaries of five industry-based unions. The panelists explained the circumstances in their industries and the details of their demands, then stated their determinations for the March 17 IMF-JC Unified Response Day. General Secretary Wakamatsu stated, "This Offensive is a struggle for all workers of Japan, including non-regular workers. I would like for the IMF-JC to devote all of its energy to safeguarding wage levels, and toward the 'Manufacturing Revolution' to determine how to keep manufacturing jobs in Japan. As Japan's leading labor unions, let's band together in the JC Joint Struggle for the 2010 Spring Offensive."

Promoting Raises in Industry-based Minimum Wages and Intra-company Minimum Wage Agreements, and Boosting Wages for Workers in the Metal Industry
■2010 Policy is set at the nationwide IMF-JC Minimum Wage Center Meeting■
On January 27, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., the IMF-JC held a meeting of 250 central and regional minimum wage representatives from its affiliated industry-based unions to recap its efforts for 2009 and to discuss and confirm its policy for industry-based minimum wage initiatives for 2010. To begin, IMF-JC Minimum Wage Center President and IMF-JC General Secretary Hideyuki Wakamatsu thanked the central and regional minimum wage representatives from each industry for their constant and enthusiastic efforts toward industry-based minimum wages and spoke about the current situation and challenges. Then Michiyo Suwa, Head of the Labor Policy Bureau of the IMF-JC, reported on the progress of the 2009 initiatives. Specially invited guest speaker Takashi Muramoto, Executive Director of the RENGO Working Conditions Department, gave a talk on the latest circumstances and issues involving minimum wages. Then, after Minimum Wage Center President Wakamatsu proposed the 2010 Policy on Industry-based Minimum Wage Initiatives, the official discussions began, with each region's representatives on minimum wage issues offering a variety of opinions and requests. Minimum Wage Center governing board members Hagiwara and Kishino offered their responses, and the policy was confirmed to close the meeting.

Invest in People and Distribute Wealth to Households to Protect and Create Jobs!
■The IMF-JC gives its views on Nippon Keidanren's "Report of the Committee on Management and Labor Policy"■
The IMF-JC held its 1st Central Spring Offensive Committee meeting on the afternoon of January 20, 2010. There it confirmed and announced its views on Nippon Keidanren's "Report of the Committee on Management and Labor Policy," which was issued on January 19, with the theme of "Invest in People and Distribute Wealth to Households to Families to Protect and Create Jobs!"

Confirming the Way Forward for the 2010 Spring Offensive
■2nd Strategic Committee Meeting■
The IMF-JC held its 2nd Strategic Committee Meeting in the morning of January 20, 2010. The way forward for the 2010 Spring Offensive was confirmed, including initiatives for halting the deflationary spiral, maintaining and creating jobs and fully ensuring the periodic pay raise amount. details>>　

39 Elites Prepare to Lead the New Era
■The 41th Labor Leadership Course opens■
From January 7 to 23, 2010, 39 next-generation union leaders gathered at the Kansai Seminar House in Kyoto. They came from as far north as Fukushima and as far south as Kumamoto for the 41st Labor Leadership Course. With a theme of "Roles of Labor Unions in These Times," the two and one-half weeks of the course were divided into lectures based on four core principles and five seminars. Students brainstormed on the challenges for unions in manufacturing workplaces throughout this boarding-style course.

2010 Unified Response Day Set for March 17
■IMF-JC 1st Strategic Committee Meeting is held■
The IMF-JC held its 2010 Spring Offensive 1st Strategic Committee Meeting on December 24, 2009, in Tokyo. At this meeting, the IMF-JC discussed and confirmed its initiatives toward its strategy for demands in order to "ensure safety and stability in daily lives by maintaining jobs and stopping the decline in wages and household incomes." It also confirmed its general schedule for the 2010 Spring Offensive, including setting the IMF-JC Unified Response Day for March 17 in consideration of the RENGO peak negotiation periods, which have been set for March 17-18. details>>　

Exchanging Opinions for Building a Nation Centered on Manufacturing
■Metal Industry Labor-Management Discussion Meeting is held■
The IMF-JC held its Metal Industry Labor-Management Discussion Meeting at the Hotel Grand Palace in Tokyo on December 24, 2009. To begin, President Nishihara offered greetings and raised the issues for discussion. Then General Secretary Wakamatsu explained the IMF-JC's views on the policy developments by Prime Minister Hatoyama's administration and the direction for the IMF World Congress. Explanations were offered for the IMF-JC's ideas for the campaign to promote national expansion of manufacturing workshops and for initiatives for preventing labor-management disputes in Japanese companies' overseas operations, and requests for cooperation were made. Frank opinions were also exchanged on matters including labor-management cooperation for building the nation centered on manufacturing.
The three top-ranking officials from the IMF-JC were present at the discussion meeting, and the management side was represented by executives in charge of labor and working-level senior employees from the companies from which the industry-based union leaders came.

Exchange of Opinions on Challenges for Maintaining and Creating Jobs and Economic Growth and Other Issues
■Discussion Meeting with Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)■
The three top-ranking officials of the IMF-JC conducted a discussion meeting with Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) on the morning of December 14, 2009, at the Keidanren Kaikan in Tokyo. The two sides reported on their ideas focused on two themes: Challenges for maintaining and creating jobs and economic growth, and roles of labor and management in the expansion of overseas operations. The two sides exchanged frank opinions and furthered their mutual understanding.
From the Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), Vice Chairman Yoji Ohashi took part, along with Yoshikazu Sashida, Co-Chairman of the Committee on Personnel and Labor Management; Director General Yoshio Nakamura; Senior Managing Director Masakazu Kubota; and Managing Directors Satoshi Mukuta, Nobuko Sanui and Hiroyasu Kawamoto. The IMF-JC contingent included the three top-ranking officials, including President Koichiro Nishihara, Vice Presidents Masatake Nakamura, Junro Naito, and Masaaki Maeda, and General Secretary Hideyuki Wakamatsu.

Calling for Cooperation in the IMF-JC's Policy Initiatives
■IMF-JC Policy Research Conference is held■
The IMF-JC held its Policy Research Conference in the morning of Wednesday, November 25, 2009, at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo Hotel in Akasaka, Tokyo. A total of 22 persons, including the IMF-JC's three top-ranking officers as well as Diet members backed by IMF-JC affiliated unions and their secretaries took part. To begin, President Nishihara expressed his hopes for the Democratic Party of Japan administration brought into power in the recent regime change, and called for the Diet members' cooperation in IMF-JC policy initiatives for the private sector, manufacturing, and metal industries. He also said he would give his full support for the victory of IMF-JC-backed Diet members in next year's House of Councilors (Upper House) election to stabilize and strengthen the administration's base. General Secretary Wakamatsu explained the IMF-JC's ideas for the policy development of the Hatoyama administration (proposals), then specially invited political advisor and Diet member Tsuyoshi Takagi reported on the latest government news. At the discussion meeting, opinions were exchanged on policy initiatives taking into account future economic, social and political conditions, and then the meeting was adjourned.

New Relations between Japanese and Vietnamese Metalworkers Unions
■Exchange held with the Vietnam Union of Workers in Industry and Trade■
The IMF-JC welcomed a delegation from the Vietnam Union of Workers in Industry and Trade (VUIT), an IMF member union from Vietnam, from November 15-21, 2009. The group was led by Vice Chairman Ngo Phi Tuan and comprised of six members (including one woman), including delegates from steelworkers' and electrical workers' unions. The VUIT was universally welcomed as a "new partner" when it joined the IMF at the World Congress in Gothenburg, Sweden in May 2009. The VUIT group visited the IMF-JC headquarters as well as the offices of the IMF-JC's affiliated industry-based unions, including the Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Union (JAW), the Japanese Electrical Electronic and Information Union (JEUI), the Japanese Association of Metal, Machinery and Manufacturing Workers (JAM), and the Japan Federation of Basic Industry Workers' Unions (JBU), and met with each union's presidents and general secretaries. The group also toured the Toshiba Science Museum and Honda Saitama Factory and furthered its understanding of Japan's industrial union activities, labor-management relations at workplaces, manufacturing technology, and more. During the exchange, Vice Chairman Tuan expressed his wish to continue such interactions between the VUIT and the IMF-JC in the future.