Tag - keidanren

 
 

KEIDANREN

Keidanren chief Masakazu Tokura addresses the Liberal Democratic Party's annual convention in Tokyo on Sunday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 17, 2024
Japan business lobby chief hopes for government efforts to end deflation
The BOJ may end negative interest rates at its two-day monetary policy meeting through Tuesday, in what could be the first hike in 17 years.
Plaintiffs who have filed a lawsuit over Japan's separate surname rule head into the Tokyo District Court on Friday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 8, 2024
Group files lawsuit over Japan law that mandates couples share a surname
Similar lawsuits have been filed before, but public opinion appears to be shifting in favor of allowing couples to have separate surnames.
Keidanren chairman Masakazu Tokura
JAPAN / Society
Feb 14, 2024
Business lobby chief shows support for separate surnames for spouses
Masakazu Tokura of Keidanren expressed bewilderment at why the issue "has been left hanging for so long."
Masakazu Tokura (center), chairman of Keidanren, meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (right) in Beijing on Thursday along with members of a Japanese business delegation.
BUSINESS
Jan 25, 2024
China vows to improve business conditions, Japan top lobby says
Beijing has embarked on a push in recent months to attract foreign investment back, with the government pledging more "heartwarming” steps.
Leaders of Keidanren and labor unions officially started annual spring wage negotiations on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Jan 24, 2024
Japanese firms and unions kick off wage talks as markets bet on bigger pay hikes
Japan's big firms are expected to offer their unions wage hikes of 3.85% on average this year, the highest wage increase in 31 years.
Kishida speaks at a meeting with leaders of Japanese Trade Union Confederation and Japan Business Federation on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 23, 2024
With meetings, Japan leader amplifies call for wage hikes at small firms
Dissatisfaction over falling real wages has been one of the factors undermining the prime minister's support rate, which remained under 30% in a series of recent polls.
At stake in this year's spring negotiations between trade unions and large Japanese firms, analysts say, is whether wages will rise far enough to ignite the sustainable inflation that policymakers consider a prerequisite for ending negative interest rates.
BUSINESS
Jan 16, 2024
Japan's top business lobby calls for worker pay raises above inflation
The call sets the tone for annual wage talks that may pave the way for the Bank of Japan to exit its ultraeasy monetary policy.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (left) shakes hands with Masakazu Tokura, head of Keidanren, during the business lobby's meeting in Tokyo on Monday.
BUSINESS
Dec 25, 2023
Kishida asks firms to achieve larger pay hikes in 2024 than this year
Kishida also underscored the need to support people's disposable incomes, with a scheduled tax cut to be implemented next year.
Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura at a news conference in Tokyo on Oct. 25. In September, the head of the business lobby group expressed the expectation that pay hikes exceeding 4% will be seen next year.
BUSINESS
Nov 6, 2023
Japan's main business lobby to press firms for over 4% wage hikes
The average pay hike at major member firms this year stood at 3.99%, the highest in 31 years.
Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura welcomed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet reshuffle for including more women.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 14, 2023
Japan Inc. hails diverse Cabinet and urges it to stem prices
Kishida's appointment of a record-tying five women as ministers is part of the government's efforts to promote women's empowerment in politics.
Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, the country's most influential business lobby known as Keidanren, is expected to be part of a group of Japanese business leaders that will visit China in January for the first time since 2019.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 2, 2023
Japan business leaders to make first China visit since COVID
Preparations are underway for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping's leadership, sources familiar with the bilateral relationship have said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Jul 17, 2023
Japan ramps up support for startups venturing overseas
Private-sector and government initiatives are seeking to equip young companies with the knowledge and contacts to be successful outside Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
May 11, 2023
Keidanren establishes fund for improving Japan-South Korea ties
Japan's biggest business lobby will use the 'future partnership fund' for joint projects with its South Korean counterpart, the Federation of Korean Industries.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 18, 2023
Government asks firms to work together to stop harassment during job hunts
As Japanese companies hire aggressively, concern is growing over the prevalence of owahara, a form of harassment in which prospective hires are pressured into ending their job-hunt.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 11, 2023
Keidanren to seek tax use for raising Japan's birthrate
The country's top business lobby is calling for 'the best mix' of financial resources, including taxation, social insurance premiums and government bonds, together with spending reforms.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Feb 16, 2023
Annual wage talks in Japan closely watched amid price hikes
In negotiations, the labor union side is demanding large wage hikes to alleviate the pressure of higher living expenses as much as possible.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Jan 29, 2023
Toyota CEO taps younger successor amid industry paradigm shift
Akio Toyoda, 66, picked an executive more than 10 years younger to succeed him as the auto industry faces a once-in-a-century paradigm shift driven by decarbonization and digitization.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 23, 2023
Wage talks begin with Rengo and Keidanren agreeing on need for pay hikes
Core consumer prices in the country rose 4% in December from a year earlier, the highest level since 1981, while Japan's real wages declined for the eighth straight month in November.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 11, 2023
Top Japan business lobby to request pay increases that top inflation
The request comes as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urges businesses to give above-inflation wage rises as part of his 'new capitalism' growth and redistribution policy.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 5, 2023
Kishida urges faster wage hikes to avoid stagflation
The government is pledging to spend u00a51 trillion ($7.5 billion) in the next five years on re-skilling workers, while encouraging firms to make pay scales more flexible.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
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