CHIBA, Japan — Twenty-five teachers at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) launched a strike recently, demanding management grant ten-year contracts to all faculty members.
The dispute traces back to a 2023 court settlement. Fearing a court ruling that would grant six-year contract workers the right to permanent employment, the university reached an agreement with the staff: teachers received ten-year contracts in exchange for waiving their right to apply for permanent status.
Following that settlement, however, the university began placing new hires on five-year contracts, effectively preventing them from ever qualifying for permanent tenure.
Outraged by the university’s refusal to offer longer-term stability, the KUIS Workers’ Union – a local of Tozen Union -staged its first strike in three years to demand universal ten-year contracts across all teaching positions.
