Japan Press Weekly

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2021 March 24 - 30 [LABOR]

Asics promises to provide workplace environment free of ‘paternity leave harassment’

In a lawsuit filed by a male Asics worker to demand the elimination of “paternity leave harassment” at the leading sporting goods manufacturer, the two sides on March 26 in the Tokyo District Court accepted a court-mediated settlement with the company’s promise to provide a workplace environment so that taking childcare leave will become easy.

This was announced by the Tokyo Youth Union, which the plaintiff belongs to, on its website. However, the details of the settlement were not disclosed.

Asics Corporation is a Gold Partner for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the highest tier of the domestic sponsorship program. Accordingly, the company has obligations to abide by the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee-set rules which call for compliance with national laws and international treaties regarding the protection of human rights and workers.

The man in 2011 began working in sports marketing and sales promotion at an Asics office located in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. In 2015, he decided to take childcare leave following the birth of his first child. However, after applying for paternity leave, he experienced harassment from his boss. When he returned to work after an absence of one year, he was transferred to an Asics subsidiary storehouse. Furthermore, between 2017 and 2018, just before he had his second child, he suffered unfair punishments such as receiving abrupt pay cuts and a reprimand.

Regarding the settlement, the union issued a statement expressing its determination to continue working hard to realize a workplace where all workers can take childcare leave without being harassed and to create a Japanese society friendly to working parents.

Past related article:
> Male Asics employee sues sports giant for 'paternity' harassment [June 29, 2019]