RENGO


The Japanese Trade Union Confederation, commonly known as RENGO, is the largest national trade union center in Japan, with over six million members as of 2011. It was founded in 1989 as a result of the merger of the Japan Confederation of Labor, the Federation of Independent Unions and the National Federation Of Industrial Organisations. In 1990, the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan also joined RENGO.
As of July 2012, RENGO has 54 affiliate unions and 47 local organizations.
WWW jtuc-rengo.org𝕏 unionionFB jtuc.rengoYT rengotv

Party affiliation

RENGO was historically affiliated with the Democratic Party of Japan, but on June 28, 2012, president Nobuaki Koga made a speech at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters stating that the confederation may reconsider its future.
In 2014, it endorsed LDP-supported candidate Yoichi Masuzoe for the Tokyo gubernatorial election.

Affiliated organizations

Current affiliates

Many unions are affiliated with RENGO:
AbbreviationUnionFoundedMembership Membership
UA ZENSENJapanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Commerce, Food and General Services Workers' Unions20121,780,0001,767,000
JICHIROAll-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union1954887,174785,445
JIDOSHA SORENConfederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions1972741,747784,777
DENKI RENGOJapanese Electrical, Electronic and Information Union1953616,571569,285
JAMJapanese Association of Metal, Machinery and Manufacturing Workers1999370,256341,681
KIKAN RORENJapan Federation of Basic Industry Workers' Unions2003248,781265,130
JPGUJapan Postal Group Union2007216,186243,754
SEIHO RORENNational Federation of Life Insurance Workers' Unions1969241,967233,614
NIKKYOSOJapan Teachers Union1947290,857230,475
DENRYOKU SORENThe Federation of Electric Power Related Industry Workers' Unions of Japan1981214,019208,996
ICTJThe Federation of Information and Communication Technology Service Workers of Japan1991220,730199,135
UNYU RORENAll Japan Federation of Transport Workers' Unions1968128,407128,095
SHITETSU SORENGeneral Federation of Private Railway and Bus Workers' Unions of Japan1947111,944113,253
JFUFederation of All Japan Foods and Tobacco Workers' Unions200097,762105,909
JEC RENGOJapan Federation of Energy and Chemistry Workers' Unions2002158,958104,038
SONPO RORENFederation of Non-Life Insurance Workers' Unions of Japan196768,02794,696
KOKKO RENGOJapan Public Sector Union2001110,76679,621
JR RENGOJapan Railway Trade Unions Confederation199263,00074,602
SERVICE RENGOJapan Federation of Service & Tourism Industries Workers' Unions200144,02947,454
KOTSU-RORENJapan Federation of Transport Workers' Unions196453,83545,579
KAIIN KUMIAIAll-Japan Seamen's Union194545,00045,000
KOKU RENGOJapan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions199936,18341,419
GOMU RENGOJapanese Rubber Workers' Union Confederation199243,48141,023
KAMIPA RENGOJapanese Federation of Pulp and Paper Workers' Unions198830,71325,453
ZEN DENSENJapan Federation of Electric Wire Workers' Unions194628,20524,757
ZENKOKU GASThe Federation of Gas Workers' Unions of Japan194625,67623,248
JR SORENJapan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions198755,04622,561
INSATSU RORENFederation of Printing Information Media Workers' Unions198920,66720,730
CERAMICS RENGOAll Japan Federation of Ceramics Industry Workers199518,90019,610
ZEN SUIDOAll Japan Water Supply Workers' Union195125,99816,281
ZENGIN RENGOAll Japan Federative Council of Bank Labours' Unions196715,59015,008
ZENKOKU-NODANRONational Federation of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Corporations' Workers' Unions198915,44613,725
MEDIA RORENJapan Federation of Media, Advertising, Motion Picture, and Theater Labor Unions2017N/A9,577
ZENJIKO RORENNational Federation of Automobile Transport Workers' Unions194735,2859,515
ZEN ROKINFederation of Labour Bank Workers' Unions of Japan19566,3978,871
HEALTH CARE ROKYOJapanese Health Care Workers' Union20027,7778,500
SINRIN RORENJapanese Federation of Forest and Wood Workers' Union19898,2955,362
ROSAI RORENFederation of ZENROSAI Trade Unions3,3784,296
ROKYO RORENConfederation of Labour Supply Trade Unions3,8604,228
ZEN INSATSUAll Printing Bureau Labour Union19474,5684,060
JICHI RORENNational Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Unions19703,3022,970
ZENKOKU UNIONJapan Community Workers Union Federation20023,3502,800
ZENKOKU KEIBA RENGONational Federation of Horse-racing Workers3,0322,599
JA RENGOAll Japan Agriculture Cooperative Staff Members' Union1,2961,354
KOUN-DOMEIJapanese Confederation of Port and Transport Workers' Unions19871,2001,200
ZEN ZOHEIAll Mint Labour Union995766

Observer affiliate:
  • DOKIRO Hokkaido Seasonal Workers' Union
Friendly affiliate:

Local organizations

RENGO also has local organizations for each of Japan's 47 prefectures.

Leadership

General secretaries

  • Seigo Yamada
  • Etsuya Washio
  • Kiyoshi Sasamori
  • Hiroyuki Nagumo
  • Rikio Kozu
  • Naoto Omi
  • Yasunobu Aihara
  • Hideyuki Shimizu

Presidents