Workers at a major Tokyo department store went on strike on Thursday after talks with management over the planned sale of their company broke down, marking the first major walk-out the country has seen in decades.

Workers at a major Tokyo department store went on strike on Thursday after talks with management over the planned sale of their company broke down, marking the first major walk-out the country has seen in decades.

Some 900 workers at the flagship Seibu store in the bustling district of Ikebukuro are protesting the sale of Sogo & Seibu, a unit of Japanese retail giant Seven & i (3382.T), to U.S. fund Fortress Investment Group.

They are seeking job and business continuity guarantees, unhappy with reported plans for discount electronics retailer Yodobashi Holdings to take over roughly half of the store.

  • @[email protected]English
    43•2 years ago

    Awesome! More people in Japan should do that! Show some spine! Don’t just constantly accept the status quo that is so pervasive in Japan.

    • themeatbridgeEnglish
      16•2 years ago

      The irony is that they are demanding guarantees that things won’t change. They are striking to preserve the status quo.

      • trashcanEnglish
        2•2 years ago

        Breaking the status quo to maintain the status quo

        • themeatbridgeEnglish
          1•2 years ago

          Destroying the status quo because the status is not quo. The world is a mess, and I just want to rule it.