Translation guide
In Japanese, the most common term for a labor union is 労働組合 (roudou kumiai). There are also abbreviated forms and related terms for specific contexts.
The standard, all-purpose term for a labor union in Japan.
The standard term for a labor union. Used in formal and everyday contexts.
彼は労働組合の委員長です。
He is the chairman of the labor union.
労働組合がストライキを計画している。
The labor union is planning a strike.
Abbreviation of 労働組合. Common in news and informal writing.
労組の代表が会社と交渉した。
The union representative negotiated with the company.
Loanword from English, often used in names of specific unions or in a more casual sense.
彼はユニオンに加入している。
He belongs to a union.
Refers to the typical Japanese union organized within a single company.
Specifically refers to an enterprise-based union, the most common type in Japan.
日本の労働組合の多くは企業内組合です。
Many labor unions in Japan are enterprise-based unions.
A union that organizes workers across an entire industry or trade.
An industrial union, organizing workers by industry rather than by company.
産業別組合は業界全体の労働条件を改善しようとしている。
The industrial union is trying to improve working conditions across the industry.
A national organization that coordinates multiple unions.
A federation or confederation of labor unions. Often shortened to 連合 (れんごう).
連合は日本の最大の労働組合連合です。
Rengo is Japan's largest labor union federation.
In news headlines or casual conversation, 労組 (ろうそ) is often used instead of the full 労働組合.
Japanese unions are often enterprise-based (企業内組合), unlike many Western countries where industrial or trade unions are more common. When discussing unions in Japan, it may be helpful to specify the type.