Held meeting today for final discussions
Draft submission soon
'Myeoksal jabgi' and '100 million yen compensation' classified as power abuse
Specific cases specified
Tokyo Metropolitan Government will be the first in the country to enact an ordinance to prevent 'Kasuhara (customer harassment),' a term referring to abusive behavior by customers. The purpose is to raise consumer awareness about customer harassment and prevent it, and the draft ordinance will include specific cases identified as Kasuhara to help consumers better understand the issue.
On the 22nd, NHK reported that Tokyo Metropolitan Government held an expert meeting on the same day and will soon submit a draft based on the discussions. Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided that improving consumer awareness is essential to prevent customer harassment. Unlike 'power harassment' (workplace bullying) or 'sekuhara' (sexual harassment involving hierarchical abuse), Kasuhara currently lacks a legal definition, so the ordinance aims to legally redefine it.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government has formed an expert group including legal professionals to discuss this matter. The draft defines Kasuhara as "illegal acts such as assault or threats against employees, verbal abuse, or unjust acts such as excessive demands without legitimate reasons that harm the work environment."
To ensure the effectiveness of the ordinance, guidelines to inform consumers will also be prepared, including various cases of harassment to aid consumer understanding. One case under review involves a customer who ordered a 3,000 yen (26,800 KRW) cake for a child's birthday but demanded 100 million yen (893 million KRW) from the company because the child's name was misspelled on the cake.
Specifically, the ordinance clarifies that the following acts constitute Kasuhara: grabbing a clerk by the collar and demanding 100 million yen; politely demanding 100 million yen; grabbing a clerk by the collar and demanding a 3,000 yen refund. However, politely requesting a 3,000 yen refund for the cake is not considered Kasuhara.
Kasuhara is emerging as a new social issue in Japan. In a public opinion survey conducted by consulting firm SP Network last November, 64.5% of respondents said they had experienced Kasuhara. More than half of workers in retail, taxi driving, and other transportation infrastructure sectors reported experiencing "persistent demands" and "intimidating behavior."
Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s ordinance is likely to be expanded nationwide in the future. Local governments that have independently created and distributed anti-harassment posters are increasing. For example, Sapporo City in Hokkaido recognized the seriousness of Kasuhara after a surge in malicious complaints at city hall and produced and distributed Kasuhara prevention posters.
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