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Japan: expedited ratification of Hong Kong Convention

23 June, 2015After a meeting in June between unions and the responsible government ministry, Japan has committed to expediting the ratification of the Hong Kong Convention.

On 9 June, a joint delegation of IndustriALL affiliate Japan Council of Metalworkers’ Union and Japan Federation of Basic Industry Workers' Unions met with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The aim of the meeting was to demand that the Japanese government ratify the Hong Kong Convention and contribute to the development of an effective solution to the issue of shipbreaking.

The ministry responded that they will make an effort to expedite the ratification of the Hong Kong Convention by setting up national legislation to meet the requirements.

It was also mentioned that the ministry is in consultation with India, the world’s biggest shipbreaking country, to accelerate bilateral cooperation to improve conditions in the shipbreaking industry. 

JCM also met with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MOFA, on 30 June and demanded that Japan actively tackles the shipbreaking issues through diplomacy. MOFA responded that they will promote and support countries' ratification of the convention, such as India.