Japan Press Weekly

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2019 November 27 - December 3 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Job-seeking students demand end to sexual harassment during job-hunting process

A group of students and teachers from six universities in Tokyo has demanded that the government take effective measures to eradicate sexual harassment of job-seeking students by corporate recruiters.

The group is called "SAY" or "Safe Campus Youth Network" which regularly holds study meetings on gender-based violence.

The group held a press conference on December 2 in the Labor Ministry office building, and a student in her senior year said that she had conducted job-search activities for about a year and had frequently been asked if she has a boyfriend or what she thinks of marriage during her visits with alumni or meals after internships. She said, "Is this type of information really necessary for recruitment? I feel angry and at the same time very sad about the current atmosphere that accepts such inappropriate remarks in the process of job hunting and job interviews."

The Labor Ministry is now working on draft guidelines to prevent workplace power harassment. The draft, however, stops short of placing an obligation on companies to have preventive measures against harassment of job-seeking students. It only mentions that companies' anti-harassment measures pertaining to job-seeking students are "desirable".

A graduate student criticized this draft, saying, "It has no deterrence at all." She added, "Sexual harassment in the process of job-seeking activities is very serious as it affects our life choices. Job-seeking students are in a much weaker position vis-a-vis recruiting companies. We should be protected by law." She then demanded a review in the draft guidelines.

At the press conference, Miura Mari, a professor at Sophia University, and Hayashi Kaori, a professor at the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo, were also present.

Past related articles:
> Gov't draft guidelines to end power harassment will have opposite effect [November 19, 2019]
> Pushed by JCP, Labor Ministry steps up measures to prevent sexual harassment of job-hunting student [July 7, 2019]