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August 16th, 2025 KIP Forum "International Labor Policy"
Lecturer: Ms. Ruka Ishino, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
【Speech and Q&A】
At this forum, we had a lecture by Ms. Ruka Ishino, an alumna of KIP. Drawing on her experience at the International Affairs Division of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, where she has been involved in negotiations at G7 and G20 meetings as well as international conferences of the International Labour Organization (ILO), she spoke about international labor policy. She explained that international labor policy consists of several elements: international conferences at the ILO to establish labor standards and monitor their implementation, economic partnership agreements, multilateral meetings such as the G7 and G20 aimed at sharing knowledge and creating guidelines, and improving labor conditions through development cooperation. She elaborated on initiatives in each of these areas. Regarding the ILO, she highlighted that discussions about the platform economy have recently become an important topic, including debates on the legal definition of “worker” and whether social protection is necessary. Concerning trade agreements, she mentioned that there has been a growing trend in recent years to include labor provisions in agreements, ensuring the protection of workers’ rights. She then introduced the main themes of G7 and G20 meetings, where countries cooperate to address labor and employment issues, and concluded by explaining specific examples of international cooperation in the labor sector.
【Ground discussion】
Building on this, the general discussion focused on whether Japan should strengthen international cooperation in the labor sector, considering the current political climate emphasizing “national-first” policies. Participants also actively debated the significance of establishing international labor standards, considering the difficulty of balancing content quality with practical enforceability. Some opinions questioned the need for international cooperation, arguing that economic disparities between countries make such cooperation unnecessary, or that protection of labor rights should primarily be the responsibility of each country. On the other hand, supporting cooperation, participants pointed out that development cooperation improving occupational safety and health standards or social security systems can reduce uncertainty in supply chains; that industries and products from developing countries are essential to our daily lives, creating a moral responsibility; and that accepting workers from countries with established labor laws is important for Japan in addressing labor shortages. Regarding the significance of ILO standard-setting, critical opinions questioned whether the agreed-upon wording is meaningful enough or whether it might hinder regulatory development. Positive opinions noted that countries with insufficient domestic legislation can later develop rules aligned with international standards, and that such standards provide a basis for criticizing countries that deviate from norms.
【Personal Opinion】
Overall, this discussion was impressive in how it covered multiple angles, from ILO standard-setting to the desirable form of Japan’s international cooperation in the labor sector. Regarding the ILO, it offered an opportunity to reflect on both the importance of creating international norms and the difficulties and dilemmas involved. Personally, I support maintaining international cooperation in the labor sector. The reasons are not only moral but also practical: protecting human rights and improving occupational safety and health standards contributes to stable supply chains, and these are widely recognized as universal values, giving them significant diplomatic importance. At the same time, concerns such as difficulty seeing immediate results or weak appeal to domestic audiences cannot be ignored given the current political climate. Through this discussion, I encountered both supportive and skeptical views and had a chance to reconsider my own stance, but personally , I want to emphasize the importance of maintaining international cooperation in the labor sector, not only pursuing short-term, easily visible benefits but also considering long-term and diplomatic interests.
Haruka Inokuchi, The University of Tokyo, Liberal Arts, 3rd year