[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the fourth meeting of the Council for the Realization of Work Style Reform, at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, there was a discussion on improvement of the employment conditions of non-regular employees such as by providing equal pay for equal work.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

“Today we have discussed the employment conditions of non-regular employees, such as providing equal pay for equal work. We have discussed various other matters as well today, but the issue of equal pay for equal work covers not only wages, but also welfare and education, and opportunities for training and so on, which have not been sufficiently provided in the past. That is, there is a need to focus on overall employment conditions. Furthermore, the pay gap between regular and irregular employees is particularly marked in large corporations, and there is a need to correct this.   

With regard to our future methods of advancing these plans, at our next meeting I would like you to submit draft government guidelines on the types of gaps that are unreasonable or are acceptable, in the event of there being a pay gap between regular and irregular employees, and discuss them.

Ministers Kato and Shiozaki are currently preparing the draft guidelines. I would like them to reflect the views expressed today and submit the draft at the next meeting. Then, I would like the members of this Council to discuss the nature of the legal revisions that will comprise the basis of these guidelines.

With regard to the guidelines, I would like to make a final decision on them upon taking into consideration the views of relevant parties and the Diet deliberations on the bill for the relevant legal revisions.

At our next meeting, I would like you to discuss equal pay for equal work. Ahead of the next meeting, I intend to hold roundtable meetings with women who work as irregular employees in particular, to directly hear their views on the nature of employment conditions. 

I would like all of the expert members of this Council to also continue to hold discussions. Thank you.”