Photo/Illutration Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino speaks at a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward on April 14. (Takeshi Iwashita)

Concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs led in part to the first meeting in 16 years between the Japanese prime minister and the leader of Rengo (Japan Trade Union Confederation).

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino discussed measures to counter not only inflation but also the impact of Trump’s tariffs at the prime minister’s office on April 14.

“We are concerned the tariffs may dampen the wage hike trend in Japan, and we ask for your utmost effort,” Yoshino said to Ishiba.

Ishiba agreed that the U.S. tariffs could hurt the world economy.

“Considering the expected negative impact on domestic industries, we will take all necessary measures, such as financial support for companies,” Ishiba told Yoshino.

In this spring’s “shunto” labor negotiations, major companies agreed to increase wages of regular employees by an average of more than 5 percent for the second straight year.

When talks gained momentum in favor of the unions under Rengo’s umbrella, Yoshino asked the government for an additional push to increase pay at small and mid-sized companies.

She also called on the government to reduce the wage disparity between men and women and to increase promotions of working women.

Yoshino raised these issues again in her meeting with Ishiba.

The prime minister agreed that pay hikes are needed to enable households to withstand inflation.

“Recognizing that wage increases are crucial for our economic growth strategy, we aim to quickly implement wage hikes that outpace rising prices and ensure this trend continues,” Ishiba said.

After the meeting, Yoshino told reporters, “We have secured government cooperation to create an environment that encourages wage increases at small and mid-sized companies.”

Meetings between prime ministers and Rengo leaders had continued until 2009, when Taro Aso was the nation’s leader.

But the now-dissolved Democratic Party of Japan, which was supported by Rengo, took power from Aso and the Liberal Democratic Party that year, and the meetings shifted to a new format between the government and Rengo.

However, such meetings have not been held since 2012, when the LDP regained power and Shinzo Abe took office as prime minister for a second time.

Rengo, which now supports the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People, has been requesting meetings with LDP-led governments.

The tide may have turned in Rengo’s favor when the LDP lost its majority in the Lower House election in October last year.

By agreeing to hold talks with Yoshino, the Ishiba administration appears intent on gaining support from the trade union confederation and other backers of the opposition parties.

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