December 24, 2019

Performing arts organizations, including the Japan Actors Union (JAU), on December 23 held a press conference in the Labor Ministry office building to demand that freelance performing artists be included as workers eligible for workers’ compensation insurance.

This call was made at the start of discussions at the Labor Ministry’s Labor Policy Council regarding the expansion of eligibility for workers’ comp to workers in specific occupations, such as home-industry workers.

The demand for workers’ comp has so far been endorsed by the Musicians Union of Japan, the Japan Belly Dance Association, a nationwide rakugo arts organization (Rakugo Geijutu Kyoukai), and the Japan Professional Magicians’ Association, in addition to the JAU which has long demanded that actors be insured against occupational accidents.

At the press conference, JAU executive and well-known voice actor Ikemizu Michihiro cited voice cord lesions, such as polyps, as a typical example of voice actors’ work-related diseases.

JAU international division official Morisaki Megumi pointed out that freelance performing artists frequently face work-related sexual and/or power harassment, and said that mental damages caused by such acts should be covered by workers’ accident compensation insurance.

Together with JAU officials, representatives of the musicians’ union and belly dance association attended the press conference. They also provided examples of work-related hazards and stressed the need to enable performing artists to receive industrial accident compensation benefits.

Musicians’ Union official Tsuchiya Manabu talked about his experience of suffering from a hearing loss after falling down an orchestra pit. Belly Dance Association director Izumi explained that dancers give sword performances without shoes.

Past related article:
> More than 60% of freelancers experience 'power harassment' [ September 11, 2019]