Staff writer

In 1994, Kinuko Ishida applied for Labor Ministry arbitration with her employer, alleging sexual discrimination over pay and promotion in violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law. But the company exercised its right under the law to refuse such mediation.

Three years later, in 1997, the Sumitomo Chemical Co. employee complained to the ministry again about her "discriminatory redeployment" from sales work to a clerical job. Again the company rejected arbitration.