JILAF | Japan International Labour Foundation

JILAF and the Korea International Labour Foundation (KOILAF) of the Korea Labour Foundation held regular exchange in Seoul on November 21–25. The JILAF delegation was led by President Tsuyoshi Takagi.

At the beginning of the regular exchange, KOILAF Representative Chairman Park In-sang commented, “The regular exchange between JILAF and KOILAF is playing a major role in establishing a cooperative setup between Japan and Korea in the field of labour. Through this exchange, I hope we can discuss labour, economic, and social conditions in our two countries and deepen our mutual understanding.”

Next, JILAF President Takagi stated, “At the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake, we received a lot of support from the government and labour and business circles in Korea. The donation raised by KOILAF executives is being put to use through RENGO [Japanese Trade Union Confederation] for the recovery of those who suffered from the disaster.”

In project explanations, JILAF gave an explanation of its new grass-roots support project, and KOILAF mainly gave an outline of its structure after reorganization.

In a lecture meeting titled “The Present State of the Japanese Labour Movement and the Shortening of Working Hours,” JILAF President Takagi spoke about issues facing the labour movement in Japan, and JILAF Deputy Executive Director Hisashige Danno talked about the current state of working hours. The participants asked such questions as “The shortening of working hours in the automobile industry is a problem in Korea. What is the situation in Japan?” and “Please tell us the background to the rapid increase in the number of nonregular workers.”

In the regular exchange, the JILAF delegation also visited such places as the Korea Labour & Society Institute, Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, and Economic and Social Development Commission, where discussions took place on the labour situation and economic conditions in Korea.

The next JILAF-KOILAF regular exchange will be held in Japan in 2012.