Japan to Ratify ILO Convention No. 155 on Occupational Safety and Health

On May 23, Japan’s parliament approved the ratification of ILO Convention No. 155 on Occupational Safety and Health. This convention, adopted in 1981, is one of the most basic international standards on workplace safety and health. It is also one of the 10 key ILO conventions considered especially important, making its ratification a significant step.

Convention No. 155 calls on member states to establish and regularly review national policies on occupational safety and health through consultation with workers’ and employers’ organizations. It includes detailed provisions to protect workers’ safety and health in the workplace. A key feature of the convention is the recognition of workers’ right to remove themselves from situations where they face imminent danger that the employer has not addressed, without facing negative consequences.

With this ratification, Japan has now adopted nine out of the ten fundamental ILO conventions. The only remaining one is Convention No. 111, which addresses discrimination in employment and occupation. As global attention to human rights grows, particularly through initiatives like “Business and Human Rights,” Japan is increasingly expected to ratify all core labor standards.

In a public statement, Mr. Hideyuki Shimizu, Secretary General of RENGO (Japanese Trade Union Confederation), welcomed the ratification and emphasized the need to continue efforts toward ratifying Convention No. 111 as well.

Occupational safety and health remain major challenges in Japan. Although the number of industrial accidents has declined, around 800 workers still die each year from work-related incidents. In addition, overwork-related deaths (karoshi) and mental health issues have become more serious concerns in recent years. This ratification presents an opportunity for the government, labor unions, and employers to strengthen efforts to improve working conditions.

There is a growing need for greater international cooperation in the area of occupational safety and health. JILAF (Japan International Labour Foundation) has been running a safety and health program (POSITIVE) in Asian and the Pacific countries since 1989. To date, the program has been implemented in 12 countries. Participants are certified as trainers in safety and health measures, playing active roles in workplaces and communities in their own countries.

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