Man sues his firm for harassment
TOKYO — A Japanese man who says he was penalised for taking paternity leave brought his case to a Tokyo court on Thursday, a rare suit in a country struggling with one of the world’s lowest birthrates.
The 38-year-old, who has remained anonymous, is suing his employer sportswear maker Asics for $41,000 in damages.
He says that after he took paternity leave, he was transferred to jobs that bore no relation to his skills or experience — and has accused the company of doing this to punish him and deter others.
By law, Japan offers comparatively generous parental leave. Both parents can take up to a year off, with additional renewable sixmonth periods if a nursery place is unavailable.
But only six per cent of fathers take parental leave, compared to more than 80 per cent of mothers who use their all owance beyond the mandatory eight weeks after birth.
The disparity, activists say, is partly due to pressure from employers and a society that prizes long work hours. The plaintiff took a year’s leave in 2015-2016 when his first child was born, and another year in 2018-2019 after the birth of his second child.
Among the small number of men in Japan who take paternity leave, more than 70 per cent are away for less than a fortnight.
On Thursday, the man told the court he was accused of not being a “team player”.
“But it’s wrong. I believe the company is attempting to squash an individual who tried to correct its injustice,” he said.
“The management in fact seems to value when men work outside and women stay at home,” he added.
Asics denies any wrongdoing and says it held “sincere” discussions with the man, his lawyer, and labour union officials. —