Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto's demand this month that all city workers reveal in a survey whether they have tattoos followed an alleged incident in which a city worker showed off his tattoo to children at a welfare facility.

The city government concluded that a questionnaire compiled for the survey — to let the mayor know how many employees had tattoos — does not violate employees' privacy. It said a new "ethics rule" banning tattoos and advocating removal of tattoos will be introduced. The survey asks employees to indicate the size and location of tattoos and whether the tattoo was done before or after they were hired by the city.

Initially, of the 33,000 employees surveyed, 110 responded that they have tattoos and another 513 workers refused to answer. Mayor Hashimoto said those who refused to answer could be denied promotion and that he would "reposition" personnel based on the survey. Those who answered yes to having tattoos were not fit for employment and should quit, he stated.