Japan Business Federation
May 2002 marked the end of two separate business groups and the birth of a single entity. The Japan Federation of Economic Organizations, known as Keidanren since 1946, absorbed its rival Nikkeiren. This older group had existed since 1948 under the name Japan Federation of Employers' Associations. The merger combined their resources into one powerful organization. Hiroshi Okuda from Toyota served as the first chairman of this new body. He held the position until May 2006. The union created an organization with over 1,600 members by June 2010. These members included 1,281 companies, 129 industrial associations, and 47 regional economic organizations.
the 15th of June 2010 saw the federation count 1,601 total members. The list contained 1,281 individual companies. It also included 129 industrial associations. Finally, 47 regional economic organizations joined the fold. Most post-war leaders came from manufacturing sectors. Two-thirds of the 18 vice-chairmen in 2002 were executives from factories. By July 2012, only eight of those eighteen seats remained filled by manufacturers. Masakazu Tokura of Sumitomo Chemical currently chairs the board. Shuzo Sumi serves as Senior Executive Advisor for Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance. Tetsuro Tomita leads East Japan Railway Company. Shinya Katanozaki runs ANA Holdings. Tsutomu Sugimori represents ENEOS Holdings.
The Noda government pushed to raise Japan's consumption tax from 5% to 10%. Keidanren supported this specific increase. They had previously argued for a hike even higher, up to 15%. This stance drew criticism from some business leaders. Rakuten president Hiroshi Mikitani left the federation partly over this issue. Masayoshi Son of Softbank publicly objected to the focus on restarting nuclear plants. He did not leave the organization despite his disagreement. The March 11 nuclear disaster led to the shutdown of all nuclear plants in Japan. Keidanren called for their restart immediately after the event. This view was not shared by all members within the group.
Keidanren and its predecessor bodies provided substantial political donations to the Liberal Democratic Party for decades. In the lead-up to the 2009 general election, the Democratic Party of Japan made a pledge to ban such contributions. After the DPJ victory in that election, Keidanren stopped making political donations. This shift marked a significant change in their relationship with the ruling party. The Asahi Shimbun editorialized about these changes in March 2010. Nikkei Weekly Business lobbies reported on the state of flux in June 2012. The cessation of funds followed a long history of financial support. The organization adapted its strategy to align with new political realities.
the 1st of July 2021 listed the current board composition. Fumiaki Watari serves as Advisor of JX Holdings. Yu Nomaguchi acts as Honorary Adviser of Mitsubishi Electric. Yoshiya Hara leads Daiwa Securities Group from his Senior Advisor Head Office role. Naotake Okubo provides Board Counsel at Sekisui Chemical. Akihiko Ide chairs Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. Tsuneji Uchida runs Canon. Norio Yamaguchi leads Ajinomoto. Kazuhisa Shinoda heads Oji Paper Company. Go Ojita chairs Asahi Group Holdings. Ashida Akimitsu manages Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. Kunio Ishihara leads Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. Kaoru Yano chairs NEC. Atsushi Kamei runs Ito-Yokado. Fumio Ohtsubo is President of Panasonic Corporation. Shinzo Maeda chairs Shiseido. Susumu Kato leads Sumitomo Corporation. Eiza Kobayashi chairs Itochu Corporation.
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Common questions
When was the Japan Business Federation founded?
The Japan Business Federation was established in May 2002. This entity emerged from the merger of the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations and Nikkeiren on that date.
Who is the current chairman of the Japan Business Federation board as of July 1 2021?
Masakazu Tokura of Sumitomo Chemical chairs the board of the Japan Business Federation. He holds this position alongside other executives listed in the 1st of July 2021 board composition.
Why did Hiroshi Mikitani leave the Japan Business Federation?
Hiroshi Mikitani left the Japan Business Federation due to disagreements over tax policy. The federation supported raising consumption taxes, which conflicted with his views as president of Rakuten.
How many members does the Japan Business Federation have as of June 15 2010?
The Japan Business Federation counted 1,601 total members by the 15th of June 2010. This figure included 1,281 individual companies, 129 industrial associations, and 47 regional economic organizations.
What political donations did the Japan Business Federation make before 2009?
Keidanren provided substantial political donations to the Liberal Democratic Party for decades prior to 2009. The organization stopped making these contributions after the Democratic Party of Japan won the general election that year.