May 25, 2020 (Japan Today) - The threat of sexual harassment is an all-too-real concern for Japan's student job hunters, and it is sometimes university alumni who use promises of patronage to abuse their position of trust.
When a revised law comes into effect in June, companies in Japan will for the first time be required to implement steps such as providing counseling to victims and general workplace harassment training. They will also be required to investigate harassment complaints, take measures against offenders and consult with local authorities about possible further action.
How the changes apply to job hunters, however, remains unclear with only "similar steps" prescribed by law.
Of a total of 110 major Japanese companies surveyed between January and February, 67.3 percent said that they have already taken measures to prevent harassment toward job-seeking students, a Kyodo News survey showed.
A total of 13.6 percent of the companies said they are planning to take steps, and the same percentage of companies said they have no plans to protect the young people who apply for a job with them.
The main counter-harassment changes companies have implemented are requiring their employees to conduct one-on-one meetings at a company facility and also the obvious step of prohibiting the consumption of alcohol during meetups. Some have implemented a rule requiring employees to only meet with prospective hires of the same sex.
Other efforts include distributing manuals detailing appropriate behavior to employees engaged in recruiting activity and conducting specific in-house training addressing the issue of harassment.
