Cabinet Secretariat [Tuesday, Nov 29, 2016]
Council for the Realization of Work Style Reform
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the fourth meeting of the Council for the Realization of Work Style Reform, at the Prime Minister’s Office.
At the meeting, there was a discussion on improvement of the employment conditions of non-regular employees such as by providing equal pay for equal work.
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
“Today we have discussed the employment conditions of non-regular employees, such as providing equal pay for equal work. We have discussed various other matters as well today, but the issue of equal pay for equal work covers not only wages, but also welfare and education, and opportunities for training and so on, which have not been sufficiently provided in the past. That is, there is a need to focus on overall employment conditions. Furthermore, the pay gap between regular and irregular employees is particularly marked in large corporations, and there is a need to correct this.
With regard to our future methods of advancing these plans, at our next meeting I would like you to submit draft government guidelines on the types of gaps that are unreasonable or are acceptable, in the event of there being a pay gap between regular and irregular employees, and discuss them.
Ministers Kato and Shiozaki are currently preparing the draft guidelines. I would like them to reflect the views expressed today and submit the draft at the next meeting. Then, I would like the members of this Council to discuss the nature of the legal revisions that will comprise the basis of these guidelines.
With regard to the guidelines, I would like to make a final decision on them upon taking into consideration the views of relevant parties and the Diet deliberations on the bill for the relevant legal revisions.
At our next meeting, I would like you to discuss equal pay for equal work. Ahead of the next meeting, I intend to hold roundtable meetings with women who work as irregular employees in particular, to directly hear their views on the nature of employment conditions.
I would like all of the expert members of this Council to also continue to hold discussions. Thank you.”
Cabinet Secretariat [Monday, Nov 28, 2016]
Regulatory Reform Promotion Council
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the sixth meeting of the Regulatory Reform Promotion Council at the Prime Minister’s Office.
At the meeting, there was discussion regarding opinions on the reform of agricultural cooperatives, and opinions on the reform of the production and distribution system for milk and dairy products.
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
“During the November 7 meeting, I requested that this Council quickly compile a proposal on the reform of agricultural cooperatives and of the production and distribution system for milk and dairy products that was truly for the benefit of farmers and consumers. Today, we made a decision on that proposal.
I want to express my gratitude to everyone in this Council and all related parties for putting your minds together for your discussion in order to pioneer a future for agriculture.
We will accelerate self-reforms for the reform of agricultural cooperatives during a concentrated promotion period.
In particular, in order to advance the reform of ZEN-NOH (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations) in the areas of production materials and distribution processing, which is a touchstone of the structural reform of the agriculture industry, I would like for results and numeric targets to be set that can be understood by the agricultural workers of each cooperative and the public. I would like annual plans to be established, and for self-reforms to be advanced with the intention of transforming into an entirely new organization.
There are many other issues that agricultural cooperatives across the country, including ZEN-NOH, should work on. I request that the Regulatory Reform Promotion Council thoroughly follow-up with both groups on the state of reforms.
Furthermore, concerning the reform of the distribution system for raw milk, we will reform the system that subsidizes only dairy farmers shipping to designated organizations for the first time in 50 years. Combining the good points of the system for joint sales by agricultural cooperatives and the free market, which delivers unique products to consumers, we will undertake reform to create a system that utilizes the innovations of dairy farmers.
Structural reforms and reforms to heighten productivity outside of the agricultural industry must also be urgently addressed. I want the Regulatory Reform Promotion Council to continue to exert every effort for regulatory reforms.”
