Page:Sanzō Nosaka - A Brief Review of the Labour Movement in Japan (1921).pdf/10

 of industrialism and a consequent growth of the modern fighting proletariat. Those facts, side by side with an enormous advance of prices, gave a remarkable impetus to the combination movement of the working classes, as well as to industrial disputes.

Generally speaking, it is since those years that the modern Trade Union—a fighting body of enslaved classes against the bourgeois exploitation mainly in the industrial field—has come into existence in Japan.

A body which worked to a great extent for the development of the movement was the „Society for the Promoting Trade Unions“ in 1897. The society was an educational or propaganda association established by a dozen intellectuals (Katayama, Takano, etc.), followed by thousands of workers.

The first Union, born directly from the propaganda of the above „Society“, was the „Iron Workers Union“ in 1897, consisting of metal workers in several workshops near Tokyo. This is a landmark in the History of the Japanese Trade Union movement, both in a historical sense and in structure. Although its formal object was friendly benefit and mediation in trade disputes, with the rapid growth in membership (claiming 5400 in 1900), it became more and more militant against the employers. But the defeat of a dispute the same year was a fatal blow to the young organisation and soon a rapid reduction of members came in.

In 1898, no less important Union, called „The Nippon Railway Culture Society“ of locomotive-engineers and firemen, arose from a great successful strike which had stopped the whole traffics in the north-eastern district. It enrolled 1000 membership and accumulated funds of £1000 in the second year.

In the same year, the Printers' Union with 2000 members, under the auspices of middle class politicians and some employers, rose, but to disappear. After the collapse of this Union, a small group of printing workers was formed, and this group was succeeded in 1907 by „The Oyu-kai“, and then in 1916 by „The Shinyu-kai“, one of the most militant Unions at the present time.

While the above Unions were the organisations which came to existence directly or indirectly from the devoted efforts of the „Society for the Promoting Trade Unions“, there were many other associations extending. from skilled to unskilled workers, for the purpose of trade contract or mere friendly benefit. But those were of no significance historically.