May 13, 2020
In addition to Japan Airlines, another major airline of Japan, All Nippon Airways, has removed from its work rules a dress code requiring female cabin attendants and ground crewmembers to wear high-heeled shoes, Akahata learned on May 12.
The ANA’s greatest competitor in April already abolished a similar dress code requirement. JAL took this action just after Japanese Communist Party Upper House member Koike Akira’s Diet questioning in the previous month.
At the March 3 House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting, Koike brought up the “#KuToo” movement opposing work rules that impose the wearing of high heels on female employees. The JCP lawmaker asked Labor Minister Kato Katsunobu for his opinion on this labor practice. In response, Kato said that judging from the stated intent of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, such work rules seemed inappropriate.
According to the Akahata-obtained ANA internal document, the company explained that in order to ease foot problems and other physical pains caused by the wearing of high heels, the company revised its workplace dress codes to allow female cabin attendants and ground crewmembers to choose to wear low heel shoes in place of 5 cm-heel pumps, while prohibiting loafers and casual shoes.
A female ANA cabin attendant welcomed the company’s decision. She said to Akahata, “Cabin crew on international flights work for up to 15 hours under difficult conditions, such as when experiencing significant turbulence. So, when we arrive at the final destination, we are totally exhausted.” She went on to say, “Foreign airline companies have no dress codes imposing the wearing of high heels. I want my company to give us more alternatives.” She added, “Along with the ‘#KuToo’ campaign, efforts made by the JCP and other opposition parties in the Diet have been influencing public awareness to remedy the situation.”
Past related article:
>After JCP Koike's Diet questioning, JAL decides to end imposing the wearing of high heels on CAs [March 24, 2020]
The ANA’s greatest competitor in April already abolished a similar dress code requirement. JAL took this action just after Japanese Communist Party Upper House member Koike Akira’s Diet questioning in the previous month.
At the March 3 House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting, Koike brought up the “#KuToo” movement opposing work rules that impose the wearing of high heels on female employees. The JCP lawmaker asked Labor Minister Kato Katsunobu for his opinion on this labor practice. In response, Kato said that judging from the stated intent of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, such work rules seemed inappropriate.
According to the Akahata-obtained ANA internal document, the company explained that in order to ease foot problems and other physical pains caused by the wearing of high heels, the company revised its workplace dress codes to allow female cabin attendants and ground crewmembers to choose to wear low heel shoes in place of 5 cm-heel pumps, while prohibiting loafers and casual shoes.
A female ANA cabin attendant welcomed the company’s decision. She said to Akahata, “Cabin crew on international flights work for up to 15 hours under difficult conditions, such as when experiencing significant turbulence. So, when we arrive at the final destination, we are totally exhausted.” She went on to say, “Foreign airline companies have no dress codes imposing the wearing of high heels. I want my company to give us more alternatives.” She added, “Along with the ‘#KuToo’ campaign, efforts made by the JCP and other opposition parties in the Diet have been influencing public awareness to remedy the situation.”
Past related article:
>After JCP Koike's Diet questioning, JAL decides to end imposing the wearing of high heels on CAs [March 24, 2020]
