Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 82nd ILC session (1995)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Japan (Ratification: 1932)

The Committee notes with interest the detailed information supplied by the Government in its report.

Article 25 of the Convention. The Committee has taken note of several articles in the Japanese daily press (e.g. Asahi Shimbun of 3 and 4 February 1993, Nikkei Shimbun of 24 April 1994) alleging that there have been cases where graduate nurses or auxiliary nurses were compelled to work for a particular hospital for a certain period unless they paid a lump sum of money as a "scholarship refund". Such cases seemed to be decreasing because of court cases lost by the hospitals and also of the guidance given by the Japan Association of Medical Doctors. However, it was alleged that instead of being asked for the payment of money, now the nurses who did not want to work for the hospital might be denied a certificate of qualification. The Committee requests the Government to supply copies of, or extracts from, any relevant court decisions. It would also appreciate if the Government would supply further information concerning these allegations, such as the age of the persons concerned upon taking up training, the length of the training and details of the conditions of training and graduation of nurses and auxiliary nurses.