Brazilian workers protest layoffs

Monday 19th January, 06:56 AM JST

TOKYO —

Some 200 Brazilian workers on Sunday protested over layoffs by Japanese companies, which are forcing many of them to leave the country despite their community having been integrated in Japan for more than two decades. The demonstrators, who included mothers with their children, marched through the center of the Ginza shopping district, calling for the government’s support for stable employment.

The crowd, many holding Brazilian flags, demanded “employment for 320,000” Brazilians in Japan. “We are Brazilians!” they shouted in unison. “Companies must stop using us like disposable labor.” Since 1990, Japan has given special working visas to hundreds of thousands of Brazilians of Japanese descent, many of whom have taken up temporary positions as manual laborers in factories.

Amid the global economic downturn, however, many are being laid off and being forced to return to Brazil. They are often overshadowed by the 85,000 Japanese contract workers also said to be losing their jobs by March.

“No matter how hard we worked in Japan, we are being cut off because we are contract laborers,” said Midori Tateishi, 38, who came to Japan nearly 20 years ago. “Many of us are totally at a loss with children and a housing loan.”

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 36 Total Comments Show All

gogogo at 02:19 PM JST - 19th January

Japan doesn't consider itself discrimitive, the legal system wont help it will always side with big business.
Nessie at 02:28 PM JST - 19th January

The protest here is because this whole concept of two different system of employment inside the same society is odd to Brazilians. Down there we have only labour and capital. Employees and employers. Company and workes. This concept of some workers having more privileges than others is something very strange to us.

You're telling me the white-collar Brazilian nationals and blue collar work-visa aliens have the same priviliges? To put it politely, I'm skeptical.
tkoind2 at 02:28 PM JST - 19th January

But is isn't in the interests of most Japanese workers to have things work this way.

Legal and social protections for all workers benefits all workers. Period! So Japanese workers should be working towards the same goals.

And Xandirules is doing the right thing by at least trying and raising the issue publicly.

Immigrants do sacrifice a lot the first generation. But in most countries that means the second generation and look forward to better opportunities. But in Japan that isn't the case either. Which is severely unfair when people labor and work here for decades supporting companies and economy with no protection.

Best wishes to you for your protests and efforts to raise awareness and to enable change. It is good to see that not everyone has given up to subservient roles under corporate rule. Workers and consumers have the real power if we ever choose to exercise it.
jacksmacks at 03:39 PM JST - 19th January

If a country is not ok to do this, then external labor should be limited to short stay periods to avoid having large settled populations at risk of heavy loss in downturns.

Everyone makes their own choices. Working a temporary position in a factory for 20 years is a choice. Many workers in this position in Japan have acquired land in their home country, built houses and educated relatives. Getting laid off in bad times is a risk of this type of work. But the rewards are great. There is no reason to guarantee workers jobs in a capitalistic society.
nigelboy at 03:46 PM JST - 19th January

"This concept of some workers having more privileges than others is something very strange to us.

We understand that this is the way things are here in Japan. Many who do not agree are heading back to Brazil."

As you have stated, the Nikkei Brazilians have the option to head back to Brazil, something that the Japanese workers do not have.
Nessie at 07:40 PM JST - 19th January

But is isn't in the interests of most Japanese workers to have things work this way. Legal and social protections for all workers benefits all workers. Period! So Japanese workers should be working towards the same goals.

Why should a short-term part-timer, who has less investement in the company, have the same protections as a worker who's been with the company many years, for example. There is no way to make legal and social protections the same for all workers, even if it were desirable. Are you saying the priciple of last hired, first fired should be abandoned? Because that certainly doesn't protect all wokers equally.
namabiru4me at 08:19 AM JST - 20th January

I think 95% or more of the people that post have not ever worked, nor set foot in a Japanese factory. Of those few, I doubt they have Brazilian or other nisei co-workers that they know well.

I know several Brazilians that have worked in factories for over 15 years, much longer than many of their Japanese counterparts. They DO NOT have a chance to become regular employees, as the company will not hire them.

Some people are correct...the pay is better than back in their own country. They have sacrificed their home for the extra yen. So have most of the people that are living here! Why are you special? Cause you speak English??

This is sad for many of the foreign laborers in Japan. I feel for you, while I also fear that I might not last the year as a regular employee.
umbrella at 07:46 PM JST - 20th January

So what happens when the next "boom" occurs in say 5 years time?? These Japanese "bosses" will be complaining of a shortage of labor and trying again to import thousands of dirt cheap Brazilian slaves. Let's hope the word is out now and they all put two fingers up to these "bosses".
umbrella at 07:49 PM JST - 20th January

If the unemployment situation gets much worse, I won't be surprised if riots break out. Even in shoganai gaman japan. People will take only so much and then snap. They'll take notice of the unemployment problem then.
GaiKOKUjin77 at 01:10 AM JST - 21st January

I understand the Japanese reaction, any country would do the same.

But I cannot belive that most foreigners are not supportive of these brazilians.

Nigelboy writes:
Faderkinta at 01:11 PM JST - 22nd January

"Everyone makes their own choices. Working a temporary position in a factory for 20 years is a choice." I applaude the statement, so why is choosing to protest against going to the chopping block bad? Why should they meekly go home? Protest your heart out and if something comes of it then hurray. If not, then at least you didn't go meekly into that darkness. At least your tried to make your voice heard even it falls on deaf ears.
xandirules at 06:45 PM JST - 23rd January

You're telling me the white-collar Brazilian nationals and blue collar work-visa aliens have the same priviliges? To put it politely, I'm skeptical.

Yes Nessie, in Brazil the Labor Regulations clearly states one kind of employment only. In reality, after three months of daily activities for the same company you terminate your experience period and become full flagged employee, no matter if you are white or blue collar, native Brazilian or foreign.
xandirules at 06:59 PM JST - 23rd January

Why should a short-term part-timer, who has less investement in the company, have the same protections as a worker who's been with the company many years, for example.

Because of the exceptions. In this system os Shains and Hakens there a lot of situations where someone is doing haken because simply there is no other way.

Figure yourself up in a situation where you have been working for the same company for the last 10 years. All of a sudden the company goes bankruptcy. You are in the middle 30s. There is no way you’ll get employed as shain. NO WAY!!!

And the person goes haken for 20 years more and there are people who tell this a CHOICE!!!
Nessie at 01:52 AM JST - 24th January

Yes Nessie, in Brazil the Labor Regulations clearly states one kind of employment only. In reality, after three months of daily activities for the same company you terminate your experience period and become full flagged employee, no matter if you are white or blue collar, native Brazilian or foreign.

So who gets fired first? Last hired? Random? Most inept? If it's last fired, then not all workers have the same priviliges.

I didn't understand your second post to me. Could you please clarify?
Nessie at 01:58 AM JST - 24th January

Yes Nessie, in Brazil the Labor Regulations clearly states one kind of employment only.

So does that mean men have an equal duration of maternity leave? If not, then they don't have the same priviliges as women.

And regulations do not always reflect reality. My question was about reality: "You're telling me the white-collar Brazilian nationals and blue collar work-visa aliens have the same priviliges?" Are you saying that there are no salaried positions, that everything is by the hour?