ABSTRACT
This chapter looks first at the national centres, and then at the enterprise unions for the peripheral and core labor forces. The union movement in postwar Japan has been characterized by periods of unification and periods of schism. The union movement now has three national centers, and a large number of unionists are affiliated with none of the three. The process leading to the formation of Rengo was characterized by the competition of each new center to acquire as many members as possible. The union movement has in the postwar period taken the lead in many areas other than industrial relations. It is expected that the emergence of Rengo will serve to limit the broader concern with social issues which characterized many of Sohyo’s activities. The movement against nuclear weapons, which had relied on Sohyo as a major supporter in the past, will not be expecting much from Rengo.
