Labour Relations Commission

A commission made up of equal numbers of members representing employers, members representing workers and members representing the public interest (Labor Union Act, Article 19, paragraph (1)). There are two kinds: the Central Labour Relations Commission (中央労働委員会), set up under the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, and a Prefectural Labour Relations Commission (都道府県労働委員会) under each prefectural governor (Labor Union Act, Article 19, paragraph (2), Article 19-2, paragraph (1), and Article 19-12, paragraph (1)). The prefectural governor appoints a prefectural commission's members: the employers' members on the recommendation of employers' organizations, the workers' members on the recommendation of labor unions, and the public-interest members with the consent of the employers' members and the workers' members (Labor Union Act, Article 19-12, paragraph (3)). A commission has the power to examine unfair labor practice cases and to conciliate, mediate and arbitrate labor disputes (Labor Union Act, Article 20).