LABOR PAINS

Listening to the excuses being given for discrimination today, it's almost as if 1985's Equal Opportunity Act never happened.

The country's courts are drawing a line in the sand over discrimination against LGBT people, even as far-right LDP lawmaker Mio Sugita slams support for 'unproductive' members of society.

June 1, 2018, saw two verdicts from two similar cases handed down by the Supreme Court, both based on the 2012 amendment to the Labor Contract Law.

In "Miss Devil," each firing has some deeper purpose that in the end benefits the hapless victim. The lesson boils down to "I know what's good for you more than you do yourself."

The foreign proportion of Japan's population remains tiny compared to that in European countries or North America, yet the impact of the growing ranks of foreign workers is considerable.

At first glance, the discretionary work system looks like a dream come true in terms of work-life balance. On closer inspection, though, it has the potential to be a worker's nightmare.

Having just suffered a string of painful losses, this month I will explore compassionate leave (kibiki kyūka), the days you take off in Japan after the death of a close family member.

Two cases currently before the courts show how the reality of Japanese workplaces can clash with government attempts to encourage fathers to help raise their children.

In the TBS drama "Rikuo," female factory workers work all hours — some of them unpaid — to make a new type of running shoe.