Critics question changes to Japan's working women laws
Parliament approves measures designed to end discrimination
June 12, 1997
Web posted at: 5:13 p.m. EDT (1713 GMT)
TOKYO (CNN) -- Women's rights advocates in Japan said Thursday that two new laws passed on women's rights in the workplace do too little to promote real change in Japan's male-dominated business culture.
One of two bills adopted Wednesday by Japan's upper house of Parliament scraps limits on women working overnight and overtime, except for those who are pregnant or raising children.
Under the old law, employers in nearly all industries were prohibited from requiring women to work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.. Certain workers, such as airline cabin crews, nurses and broadcasters were exempt from the law.
And if they worked overtime in an attempt to get ahead in their careers, apparently many weren't paid for it. Men could rack up as many as 360 hours of overtime a year, while women could only work up to 150 hours.
Women may face death through overwork
"Karoshi," or death through overwork, is already a common problem among Japanese men. Scrapping the limit on overtime for women puts them in the same boat, posing a threat to their health, according to National Confederation of Trade Unions spokesman Seiji Terama.
"According to Labor Ministry figures, the average worker puts in 147 hours of overtime per year, but our figures show that the actual number is more than three times that," he said.
"So scrapping the limit on overtime for women without putting a general ceiling on work hours exposes both male and female employees to overwork and abuse by employers," he added.
Few enforcement measures in anti-discrimination law
The other bill requires companies to step up efforts to prevent discrimination against women in hiring and promotion. An earlier law merely asked employers to "make efforts" to ensure equal treatment and opportunity for women at the workplace.
Critics say the old law was inadequate, and the new one is not much better, since it doesn't mention any fines or penalties for violations. The only punishment for offending companies is to be publicly identified -- which, many say, is still not enough to change decades of discrimination.
Many Japanese women seem to agree with the critics, saying companies are slow to change and government measures usually have little impact.
"The will to change has to come from the people. If it's just the law, it's superficial and things don't really change," said one woman.
Laws could open up new opportunities for women
But Mayumi Moriyama, one of Japan's few female lawmakers and an advocate of the recent changes to the anti-discrimination laws, is more optimistic.
Women, she said, "can have ambitions because they have equal opportunity, almost perfect equal opportunity, now."
The restrictions kept women from assuming some management positions, and prevented women police officers from winning promotions and more challenging assignments. Japanese women are expected to quit their jobs when they get married or have children.
The new bills won't come into effect until April 1999. But with little teeth, experts say, the laws won't dramatically change the status of Japan's working women anytime soon.
Reporter Karuna Shinsho andReuters contributed to this report.
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