Japan Press Weekly

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2015 December 9 - 15 [LABOR]

‘Black Corporation’ award winner agrees to pay compensation for its worker’s suicide from overwork

Izakaya restaurant chain Watami, which is notorious as a “black corporation”, on December 8 accepted a settlement mediated by the Tokyo District Court with the parents of its worker who committed suicide after working excessively long hours and agreed to offer an apology and pay 130 million yen to the parents.

The worker, Mori Mina, in April 2008 entered Watami. She committed suicide in June at the age of 26 after working 140 hours of overtime a month. The Labor Ministry warns that working more than 80 hours of overtime a month could cause a work-related death.

Mori’s parents in 2013 filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against the company and its founder Watanabe Miki who is now a Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Councilors, demanding the payment of compensation.

This case aroused public attention regarding “black corporations” that use workers as disposable labor under exploitative working conditions. Watami in 2013 was given the “Black Corporation of the Year” award which a citizens’ organization established to increase public awareness of corporate abusive labor practices.

The plaintiffs and their lawyers said that Watami in the settlement admitted that Mori’s death was caused by excessive overwork and that the company’s founder, Watanabe, should take primary responsibility to provide compensation for her death. In addition, a written apology will be placed on the homepage of the company’s official website and on Watanabe’s site for one year.

Mori’s father at a press conference held after the court settlement in the Labor Ministry building said that it is significant that the settlement requires the company to take measures such as strictly controlling the upper limit of overtime work to prevent a recurrence of a work-related suicide. He said, “I hope this settlement will bring about a positive effect on the working conditions of Watami workers who are still working under harsh working conditions.”

Past related articles:
> Suicide worker’s parents demand damages from employer [December 10, 2013]
> Watami receives ‘Black Corporation’ award [August 13, 2013]
> Izakaya restaurant chain worker’s suicide recognized as work-related [February 23 & 24, 2012]