Commentary 25/02/06 Anonymous disclosures on harassment in Japanese workplaces

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The collective outcry on X points to a pervasive culture of harassment that transcends industries

Office workers walk along an elevated walkway near Shinagawa station during the lunch hour in Tokyo on May 21, 2024. (Photo: AFP)

By Cristian Martini Grimaldi

Published: February 06, 2025 11:59 AM GMT

Updated: February 06, 2025 12:08 PM GMT

A wave of anonymous workplace harassment posts has flooded social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in Japan, triggered by the recent Fuji TV scandal.

This revelation has unleashed a torrent of personal accounts, exposing a deeply rooted culture of abuse and intimidation across industries. One viral post, in particular, lays bare just how widespread and insidious the problem truly is.

"I once went on an overnight business trip with my boss and there was only one room available. There were two futons. I pulled them out. My boss was mumbling something about going out for drinks again, but I explained to the people at the inn that I was on a business trip and they quickly prepared a room for us. The people at the inn had grimaces too. It's unbelievable."

This post on X, while brief, encapsulates the subtle pressures and uncomfortable dynamics that many employees, particularly women, face in professional settings.

Similar stories are flooding X, painting a disturbing picture of corporate culture in Japanwhere boundaries are often blurred, and inappropriate behavior is normalized under the guise of work obligations.

The Fuji TV scandal, though not the first of its kind, has seemingly broken the dam, allowing a torrent of suppressed stories to emerge.

What’s also truly revealing about this scandal is that none of the Japanese media have disclosed the woman’s name, as we did — likely out of fear of confronting the question everyone wants answered: what happened that night with Nakai that led to her receiving nearly US$600,000? What could have possibly occurred? And why isn’t the state broadcaster NHK asking this question?

Is it to shield Nakai from potential wrongdoing or a horrible crime? Or is it because similar practices occur at NHK too? That’s the assumption many Japanese people are quietly making. This silence speaks volumes about the deep-rooted corruption within the Japanese media landscape.

The scandal has not only highlighted issues within the media industry but has also prompted a broader reckoning across various sectors.

Employees from different industries are sharing their experiences, revealing patterns of misconduct that include forced social gatherings with superiors, inappropriate comments, and, in some cases, outright harassment and abuse.

But not all those sexual harassment claims come from anonymous sources, I interviewed Miho Matsuzaka, the founder of Startup Union, a group established to support harassment victims, and she shared her painful experiences.

Not many are aware, in fact, that another disturbing trend has come to light in Japan: the sexual harassment of female entrepreneurs by investors and venture capital representatives. Reports of such misconduct continue to surface, exposing the vulnerabilities faced by women in the startup ecosystem.

A recent survey revealed that 52.4 percent of 105 female entrepreneurs reported experiencing sexual harassment within the past year. Alarmingly, 43.2 percent of the perpetrators were investors or venture capital representatives, with others including business partners and individuals from startup support organizations.

"I endured many cases of sexual harassment,” Matsuzaka told me, “someone tried to kiss me and another asked me to show my naked body, and when I confronted them I was told to quit my job. These acts came from men of all ages, from the 30s to 60s,” she said.

She recounted how, during efforts to launch a counseling-related business, an investor propositioned her to become his mistress. In other instances, business meetings turned into scenarios resembling dates or led to situations of sexual assault.

Matsuzaka also expressed her sympathy for the victim involved in the Fuji TV scandal we previously reported on. "I believe," she said, "that the business world and the entertainment industry share many similarities when it comes to placing women in uncomfortable situations, like dinner events.”

“I've had similar experiences where I found myself in an awkward position while sitting at the same table with a famous person. And I can understand it's difficult for a woman to say no when faced with such a power imbalance, but that should change."

Just recently, former Fuji TV president Koichi Minato admitted that such gatherings between female announcers and managers took place but claimed participation was voluntary.

However, anyone who’s lived in Japan long enough understands what that really means — it's often a choice between joining in or facing social ostracism.

But Matsuzaka’s story is not unique. She discovered a troubling pattern among other female entrepreneurs, who shared similar experiences of being objectified and propositioned by investors.

Her words resonate beyond the startup community, echoing the sentiments of countless individuals now sharing their stories on X. The collective outcry stresses a pervasive culture of harassment that transcends industries, fueled by entrenched power imbalances and societal norms that discourage victims from speaking out.

*The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.