Japanese Company Famous for 135 Million KRW Salary Offer Shocks Employees with Extreme Workplace Abuse

"If Sales Were Poor, We Were Forced to Pose Nude"
Five Former Employees Allege Verbal and Physical Abuse
Japanese Company Says "There Are Factual Errors"...Completely Denies Allegations

Five former employees have come forward with allegations that a Japanese company, previously in the spotlight for its unconventional recruitment ads, imposed humiliating and violent punishments on staff who failed to meet sales targets, including forcing them to pose for nude photos and grabbing their genitals.

On July 3, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that an energy equipment sales and installation company in Osaka forced underperforming employees to take inappropriate photos and that the company president physically abused male employees by grabbing their private parts. The case came to light after five former employees filed a lawsuit in March, alleging verbal abuse and physical harassment.

A Japanese company has sparked controversy by imposing humiliating punishments on employees who failed to meet sales targets. The photo is for illustrative purposes only and is unrelated to the article. Pixabay

Previously, the company had attracted attention for its unconventional recruitment advertisements. With nine branches across Japan, the company’s average annual salary for sales staff last year was 14.27 million yen (approximately 13.5 million KRW). More than half (57.1%) of the sales staff earned over 10 million yen (about 9.5 million KRW) annually.

During the trial, the former employees claimed, "Employees who failed to increase sales were forced to take nude photos," and "The president distributed these photos to other colleagues." They also alleged, "Supervisors often punished us in humiliating ways, such as grabbing our private parts." They reported that overtime work and verbal abuse were rampant. According to them, a branch manager was reportedly slapped by a company executive for missing a company dinner. They also claimed that large fines, such as those for traffic violations or for canceling contracts, were deducted from their salaries.

However, the company has denied all allegations. The company stated, "Harassment cannot be tolerated," and explained, "There are also factual errors based on biased perspectives." Despite this explanation, criticism has poured in online. Internet users expressed outrage, saying, "No matter how much they pay, I would never work at a company like that," "You'd end up spending all your money on psychiatric treatment if you worked there," and "Unbelievable. This goes far beyond workplace harassment."