Abstract
Japanese corporations and managers were once criticized for being “closed,” but in recent years, under “external pressure,” they have come to embrace Corporate Social Responsibility （CSR）. This study examines CSR in Japan and assesses whether equal consideration is given to all stakeholders. However, the epicenter of Japan’s CSR lies outside its borders. Given the global penetration of market fundamentalism, some socially adverse effects have occurred, and even international institutions have exhibited corporate behavioral principles. Nevertheless, CSR in Japan remains biased toward market fundamentalism. Although Japanese corporations still face difficulties in demonstrating strong social consciousness, improvement has been seen in industrial relations, where Japanese companies are becoming more open to CSR. This study focuses especially on recent corporate practices regarding the signing of Global Framework Agreements （GFA） with labor unions, domestic industrial trade unions, and international industrial trade unions. This investigation enables us to identify a pattern of progress in Japanese corporations’ social consciousness.
