Society

Travel agency H.I.S. referred to prosecutors for labor violations

Jun 15 (Japan Times) - Labor authorities on Wednesday referred H.I.S. Co. and two of the travel agency's senior officials to prosecutors for allegedly forcing employees to work overtime beyond legal limits.

The travel agency is suspected of violating the labor standards law in 2015 by making two corporate sales managers work more than the maximum 78 hours of overtime allowed per month under the company labor-management agreement.

The two employees separately clocked in at 110 hours and 135 hours of overtime during one month that year, according to sources close to the matter.

The Tokyo-based company had been advised by a labor standards office five times since 2014 to correct its practices. Authorities inspected the company in March last year and searched its offices last July, on suspicion of labor standards violations.

"We have set up an internal project to shorten business hours and manage working hours," a H.I.S. official have said. "(Any illegal working environment) has been resolved."

Founded in 1980 by Hideo Sawada, the travel agency has flourished as a pioneer in selling budget airline tickets. There are about 14,000 workers in the company, according to its website, with a group sales of about Â¥523.7 billion in the business through October 2016.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Japan’s H3 Rocket Sends New Cargo Vehicle to Space Station

Japan’s H3 Rocket No. 7, carrying a newly developed unmanned cargo spacecraft, successfully launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 9 a.m. on October 26th, marking another milestone for the nation’s space program.

Tokyo Court Rules Workplace Use of '-chan' as Sexual Harassment

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

Inside Japanese Fonts: How Designers Shape the Way We Read

Fonts are an invisible part of daily life, yet they profoundly shape how we perceive information and emotion. From the elegant Mincho to the bold Gothic, these designs are chosen according to purpose—whether to convey clarity, trust, or impact—and their influence extends beyond readability into branding and communication.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Nagoya High Court Confirms Acquittal in Cannabis Case

A 47-year-old man accused of possessing cannabis in Nagoya has been acquitted after the Nagoya High Court ruled that the procedures used to seize the evidence were illegal. The decision, handed down on October 9th, became final after prosecutors decided not to appeal.

Man Dies Trying to Save Elderly Couple From Bear

A 38-year-old man was killed on October 24th in the village of Higashinaruse, Akita Prefecture, after attempting to rescue a couple in their seventies who were being attacked by a bear.

Families Honor War Dead from Northern Territories

A memorial service marking 80 years since the end of World War II was held in Shari, a town in Hokkaido’s Shiretoko region, on October 22nd to honor those who perished in the Northern Territories and other areas.

Osaka Police End 14-Hour Siege

Police in Osaka arrested a 48-year-old man on October 22nd after a tense 14-hour standoff in which he allegedly held a woman at knifepoint inside an apartment. A special tactical unit forced entry into the residence late at night, ending the standoff without injuries.