A few years ago, after seemingly being pigeonholed as an English teacher job after job, I was excited to finally have my first non-teaching office position in Japan. My excitement waned, however, with each red flag I noticed. I was repeatedly held late at the office, alone with the much older male CEO. My coworkers, on the other hand, were given permission to leave. I was pressured several times into drinking alone with the CEO, while other coworkers never were. And finally, I was inappropriately touched after that CEO had perhaps a few too many drinks. Would this be considered harassment in Japan?
What is harassment?
Though the red flags I experienced may seem obvious, I refrained from identifying any of these actions as harassment (often shortened to hara in Japanese) until much later. Though the legal definition varies by country, harassment is typically any unwanted, offensive or threatening behavior that overpowers the victim.
While harassment can commonly happen at work, like in my experience, harassment in Japan isn’t always workplace-specific, sometimes occurring between family, friends and even strangers.
The Many Kinds of “Hara”
While harassment unfortunately exists around the world, there are dozens of types of hara identified in Japanese culture. Here are 10 kinds you may come across in Japan:
- パワハラ Pawahara (Power Harassment)
- セクハラ Sekuhara (Sexual Harassment)
- ジェンハラ Jenhara (Gender Harassment)
- モラハラ Morahara (Moral Harassment)
- アルハラ Aruhara (Alcohol Harassment)
- マタハラ Matahara (Maternity Harassment)
- ヤメハラ Yamehara (Quitting Harassment)
- テクハラ Tekuhara (Technology Harassment)
- ロジハラ Rojihara (Logical Harassment)
- ハラハラ Harahara (Harassment Harassment)
1. パワハラ Pawahara (Power Harassment)
Pawahara is a type of harassment that may occur at work. In this type of harassment, a boss or senior employee causes mental, emotional or physical suffering to a subordinate. The boss’s position of power is used as justification to belittle, control or lash out at their employee. Legally, however, this form of harassment is prohibited.
2. セクハラ Sekuhara (Sexual Harassment)
Sexual harassment involves any unwanted behavior or gesture that can be considered sexual in nature. It can happen at work, but it can also occur elsewhere too. For example, in Japan, train chikan (groping) is a well-known issue, creating the need for women-only train cars (though women aren’t the only victims). Sekuhara may also lead to セカハラ (sekahara; secondary harassment), where victims are blamed or criticized for reporting sexual harassment.
3. ジェンハラ Jenhara (Gender Harassment)
Gender harassment involves being harassed or pressured into conforming to gender roles and shaming those who don’t. In Japan, women being expected to cook for their husbands or prepare tea in the workplace are examples of jenhara.
4. モラハラ Morahara (Moral Harassment)
This type of harassment relies on psychological abuse, including gossiping and intentionally excluding or scolding a coworker or acquaintance. Unlike power harassment, moral harassment can happen between peers or colleagues of similar seniority.
5. アルハラ Aruhara (Alcohol Harassment)
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- External Link
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20 Comments
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Banthu
Banthu
I personally experienced this in 2021 and 2022 when I refused to conform to what everybody else was doing despite massive pressure.
I stood up to the harrassment and clearly said "No, I won't comply"
The bullies gave up and went away.
John-San
I can't believe this. This Brie, held against her will by her CEO, plying her with alcohol then touching her up and she don't report this to the police ????. Even if these criminals action don't bother her which she has clearly shown. It has to be reported to the police, so it does not happen to her follow worker. Or all of this is just fabricated adding to the believe that women cannot be believe when harassment is claimed.
virusrex
Unfortunately lots of people use this as an excuse to behave badly, avoid taking responsibility of their actions and even break rules and laws. The "pressure" for cooks to wash their hands before dealing with food is there for more than just harassment.
Mocheake
Shouldn't that be *deru kugi wa utareru? Anyway, as a foreign man, I've only mildly experienced some of this, namely the pressure to conform. Many Japanese want you to conform when it matters to them but is all about excluding you most times.*
Mocheake
Hit "post" too soon. Shouldn't that be "deru kugi wa utareru?" Anyway, as a foreign man, I've only mildly experienced some of this, namely the pressure to conform. Many Japanese want you to conform when it matters to them but are all about excluding you most times. For years, my company held end-of-year parties for the Japanese staff and management. All of a sudden one year they decided to invite everyone and there was a massive push to get us all to go along. I knew what I was seeing and only went for the Champagne, drinks and food. After about 3 years, they went back to the old way.
Hercolobus
Asahara-morning harassment
Bad Haircut
Some of the slow ones didn't get the message and still keep trying to gaslight and bully us. But to no avail, we just laugh at them.
virusrex
Which is fine, except on the cases I described where the supposed "harassment" is just justified pressure to act responsibly instead of people acting irrationally in a way that could endanger others. In that case this would be an example of "harahara" in the article, claiming harassment for a valid interaction that do not constitute harassment at all. People claiming harassment because other complain about smoking outside of designated spaces would be another example.
falseflagsteve
Well, I’m glad I’ve been self employed my whole 23 years here in Japan. When I came here it was on a spouse vías so I could do my own thing without being tied to working for a company or institution that may have treated me in a beastly manner.
Jind
My bad experiences have been at work where I have been fired for speaking out.
This just does not only happen in Japan but many countries including USA.
Be aware of companies that say, 'We have an open-door policy".
The minute you raise issues, you are gone within 2 weeks in USA.
Most people may agree there are issues but keep their mouths shut with a fake smile to just keep their jobs. It is very stressful.
kohakuebisu
Many people will know this as "sexual discrimination".
https://www.eeoc.gov/youth/sex-discrimination
I see little need to reframe everything as "something harassment", especially because people will need lots of lessons to learn what the new terms mean. A quick Google suggests gender harrassment in English means something slightly different to the description given here.
fallaffel
Yes, and was it because you were being childish? Now we can go back to ignoring it.
finally rich
Good Lord, I feel so lucky for not having to deal with strangers on a daily basis, it's either a really brief talk (with a clerk somewhere) or many hours around like minded people I really enjoy being with.
Workplaces can be difficult to put up with in Japan.
If you're good, you will attract lots of envy and gossip.
If you suck, you will attract lots of crazy people who will apply all sorts of harassment (especially the 7. and 9. in the article) just to feel good about themselves or something.
Again, thank God I'm out of this nightmare called "soshiki"!!!
Moonraker
'Shouldn't that be "deru kugi wa utareru?" '
Kugi (釘) is nail in English and we say "the nail that sticks up..." in English, but the Japanese is actually "kui" (杭) which means a wooden peg, stake or dowel, like used in carpentry.
The Ripper!
Where is this claim documented? Guess it's just your personal experience. Come to Japan, and you'll see the reality.
rcch
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Another “Japan ain’t for everyone” article, lmao…
( guess what: people experience all types of harassment anywhere in the world—human stupidity is not exclusive to Japan… )
Mocheake
Outstanding! I never knew that and all this time I had been hearing "kui" but assuming people were saying "kugi." Thanks for the correction.
Negative Nancy
Honestly I feel there are genuine cases but in many cases, people just need to toughen up. Stand up for yourselves and stop being so bloody soft!
Roten
We have signs posted throughout our city hall cautioning against カストマーハラ。I wasn't sure of what it meant until I looked it up after reading this article, as it could be city hall employees berating customers, or the reverse. Now I see. It is about Karens.
The following actions are considered to be customer harassment:
Complaints and behavior from customers, etc., where the means and manner of realizing the demands are socially inappropriate in light of the validity of the content of the complaints and behavior, and where said means and manner harm the working environment of employees.