Japan mulls mandatory anti-harassment steps for job-hunting students

Japan’s labor ministry is considering making it mandatory for companies to take measures to prevent sexual harassment toward students searching for jobs, a source close to the matter said Tuesday.

Possible measures include establishing rules for interviews between students and company officials, as well as creating an inquiry counter for harassment cases. The government aims to submit a bill during next year’s ordinary Diet session to amend related laws.

Currently, companies are required under the equal employment law to take measures against sexual harassment in the workplace for their employees. However, no legal obligation exists to do the same for job-hunting students.

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has recognized the need to offer more protection to vulnerable groups, with one survey revealing that around 30 percent of students have experienced sexual harassment during the job search process.

Common cases include being asked sexual questions or teased during interviews, as well as being persistently pressured to go out for a meal.

In the past, sexual harassment during job hunting has led to the arrests of employees from major companies, highlighting the seriousness of the issue.

In 2019, a male employee from the construction company Obayashi Corp. was arrested for allegedly committing an obscene act with a female student at his home. The student had approached him seeking advice from male alumni.

Some crimes may go unreported, as students might refrain from speaking out for fear that it could negatively impact their job-hunting process.

Details will be finalized by an advisory body to the labor minister. Implementing the new measures would require amendments to either the equal employment law or the labor policy promotion law, according to the source.

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