Artists’ Union Japan - who we are

 

About

Artists’ Union Japan is the artists’ section of the Precariat Union in Japan, bringing together contemporary artists across disciplines to defend their rights and working conditions as workers within the cultural sector.

 

Established in 2024, the section was formed through nearly a year of collective organizing in response to the long-standing precarity, lack of contractual protection, and structural inequalities faced by artists in Japan.

 

Artists in Japan continue to face precarious employment, unfair compensation, censorship, harassment, and a lack of contractual protection. Despite the cultural and social value of artistic labour, artists are often excluded from basic workers’ rights.

 

Artists’ Union Japan was founded to change this reality. Rather than fuelling rivalry or division, we bring artists together through solidarity, mutual support, and cooperation, working toward a more equitable and sustainable art ecosystem.

 

 

 

Mission

Our mission is to defend artists’ rights as workers and to improve working conditions across the art industry.

 

We advocate for:

   ・Fair and transparent compensation

   ・Written and enforceable contracts

   ・Access to workers’ compensation and social protections

   ・Safe, respectful, and discrimination-free working environments

   ・Freedom of artistic expression

 

Artists’ Union Japan is committed to challenging entrenched power structures within the art world and engaging in constructive dialogue with institutions, public bodies, and cultural organizations to create long-term, sustainable creative environments.

 

Recent public cases—including the censorship of Yuki Iiyama’s work by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the violation of contractual agreements at Arts Maebashi involving artist Takayuki Yamamoto—demonstrate the urgent need for collective action and systemic change.

 

 

 

Organization

Artists’ Union Japan operates as an independent, artist-led trade union.

 

While rooted in local contexts, the union also functions as an international point of connection, fostering dialogue and collaboration with artists’ unions, advocacy groups, and cultural organizations worldwide.

 

As part of this effort, Artists’ Union Japan has launched an English-language website and contact desk to facilitate communication, partnerships, and solidarity across borders.

 

Representatives

   ・Section Head: Hanako Murakami

   ・Vice Section Head: Mari Minato

   ・Secretary: Yoi Kawakubo

   ・Observers: Nodoka Odawara, Emiko Kasahara

 

 

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