Asahi Kosei threatens Japanese unions with libel and business obstruction charges

07 March 2011

Japanese labour unions are facing legal charges for supporting the struggle of migrant outsourced workers in Malaysia working for the Japanese electronics company Asahi Kosei. Early this year, using his blog and Twitter, Malaysian human rights defender Charles Hector made a start in addressing Asahi Kosei for failing to take responsibility as an employer for migrant workers who are set to work in its facility in Malaysia. In Japan, the Precariate Union and Labor Net Japan supported this action by posting  information on their websites. The Precariate Union and Labor Net, together with more than 80 other organisations from all over the world, also signed on to a public statement calling upon Asahi Kosei to respect human rights.

The Precariate Union and Labor Net Japan received 'a letter of demand and warning' from Suzuki Toshio Legal Office, the legal representative for Asahi Kosei and Asahi Kosei Malaysia, dated 18 February 2011. Through its legal representative, Asahi Kosei is accusing the Japanese unions of libel and obstruction of business.

Threatening with criminal and civil charges, the company demands:

• withdrawal of all information regarding Asahi Kosei and Asahi Kosei Malaysia from the websites of the labour unions, within three days of arrival of the letter.

• a declaration from the labour unions not to post or issue any information regarding Asahi Kosei and Asahi Kosei Malaysia ‘that is not based on fact’. [Source- GoodElectronics Website]