Workplace harassment is illegal in Japan, and foreign workers have the same legal protections as Japanese workers. Yet many SSW workers and other foreign employees endure abuse silently because they don't know their rights, fear retaliation, or worry about visa consequences. This guide gives you a complete picture of what counts as harassment, your legal rights, what evidence to gather, where to report, and how to protect your visa status during a dispute.

If you are currently experiencing workplace harassment, the most important first steps are: start documenting everything in writing immediately, and contact a free multilingual consultation hotline for advice (Yorisoi Hotline 0120-279-338, free in 14 languages). You do not have to handle this alone.

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Until relatively recently, Japan had limited specific laws against workplace harassment beyond general civil law remedies. Major reforms in the past decade have established explicit prohibitions:

All employers in Japan, regardless of size, must: have a clear anti-harassment policy, designate a contact point for complaints, properly investigate complaints, take corrective action against harassers, and protect complainants from retaliation.

Foreign workers have the same legal protection as Japanese workers under all of these laws. Your nationality, visa status, or Japanese language ability does not reduce your rights.

Types of Workplace Harassment

Japanese law and corporate practice recognize several distinct types of workplace harassment:

Power Harassment (パワハラ) — the 6 Patterns

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare officially recognizes 6 patterns of power harassment. If you experience any of these from a superior or person with workplace power over you, it constitutes power harassment under the law.

Pattern 1: Physical attacks (身体的な攻撃) — Hitting, kicking, throwing objects, or any physical violence. Always illegal.

Pattern 2: Mental attacks (精神的な攻撃) — Humiliation, insults, threatening language, public criticism intended to demean, repeated harsh scolding far beyond what the situation warrants.

Pattern 3: Isolation (人間関係からの切り離し) — Ignoring you, excluding you from team activities or meetings, ordering co-workers not to speak with you, isolating you physically (assigning you to work alone away from others).

Pattern 4: Excessive demands (過大な要求) — Assigning impossible workloads, requiring tasks far beyond your role, demanding you work beyond legal hours regularly, requiring duties unrelated to your job description.

Pattern 5: Deprivation of work / inadequate demands (過小な要求) — Removing meaningful work, assigning only menial tasks far below your role, refusing to give work, intentionally underutilizing you to push you to quit.

Pattern 6: Invasion of privacy (個の侵害) — Asking inappropriate personal questions, demanding access to private information (medical records, family situation, religion), spreading personal information without consent.

Sexual Harassment (セクハラ)

Japanese law recognizes two main types of sexual harassment:

Conditional sexual harassment (対価型セクハラ)

When sexual conduct or relationships are tied to employment outcomes — for example, "if you go on a date with me, I'll give you a promotion", or "if you reject my advances, I'll fire you". This is the most clearly illegal form and is often a basis for criminal charges as well.

Environmental sexual harassment (環境型セクハラ)

When sexual conduct creates a hostile work environment — including unwanted touching, sexual jokes or comments, displaying sexual images, repeated invitations after refusal. This does not require explicit job consequences to be illegal.

Sexual harassment law applies regardless of the gender of the harasser or victim. Same-gender harassment, harassment based on sexual orientation, and harassment by colleagues (not just superiors) are all covered.

Maternity, Care, and Other Harassment

Maternity harassment (マタハラ): Includes refusing pregnancy-related accommodations, pressuring an employee to resign due to pregnancy or childbirth, denying childcare leave, treating returning mothers unfavorably, demoting workers who request maternity protections.

Care harassment (ケアハラ): Includes refusing family care leave, demoting workers who request reduced hours for caregiving, pressuring caregivers to resign, denying flexibility for caregiving needs.

Both are illegal under Japanese law and apply to foreign workers equally.

How to Document Evidence

Strong evidence is the foundation of a successful complaint. Start documenting from the first incident, even if you're not yet sure you'll formally complain. You can always choose later not to file — but if you don't have evidence, you can't choose to file.

1

Keep a dated incident journal

Write down every incident as soon as possible after it happens. Include: exact date and time, location, who was present (witnesses), what was said (quote exactly if possible), what was done, your reaction, any visible impact (you cried, you couldn't sleep, you needed medical attention). Store on your personal device, not company device.

2

Save written communications

Screenshot or save: harassing LINE/text messages, emails, internal chat messages (Slack, Teams). Save them with timestamps visible. If documents may disappear, capture both the content and surrounding context (sender, channel, date).

3

Audio recordings (legal in Japan)

In Japan, recording a conversation you are participating in is generally legal and admissible as evidence (you do not need the other party's consent to record a conversation you are part of). Many smartphones have voice memo apps. Keep recordings in cloud storage as backup.

4

Photographs of physical evidence

If you have visible injuries, photograph them with the date showing. If personal items are damaged or stolen at work, photograph the damage. If you receive medical treatment as a result of harassment, save medical records.

5

Identify and approach witnesses

Co-workers who witnessed incidents may be willing to support your complaint. Note their names. If they are also being harassed, they may be willing to file a joint complaint. Be cautious about approaching potential witnesses too early — do it after you have gathered initial evidence.

Where to Report — Free Channels

You have multiple options for reporting workplace harassment, ranging from free internal channels to government enforcement to civil litigation.

1. Internal company complaint channel (recommended first step)

By law, all Japanese companies must have a designated harassment complaint contact point (相談窓口). Ask HR or check your employee handbook. Filing internally first is often required before external action.

2. Yorisoi Hotline (よりそいホットライン) — Free Multilingual Phone Consultation

Phone: 0120-279-338 (free). Available 24/7 in 14 languages including English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Nepali, and more. Trained counselors can advise you in your native language. This is often the best first call for foreign workers unsure where to start.

3. Foreign Workers Multilingual Consultation Center

Operated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Provides free consultation on labor law issues including harassment. Multilingual support varies by location. See our Labor Consultation Hotlines guide for full contact details.

4. Labor Standards Inspection Office (労働基準監督署)

Government enforcement body for labor law violations. Handles wage theft, illegal overtime, dangerous working conditions, and serious harassment cases. Can investigate employers and order corrective action. Find your local office on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website.

5. Comprehensive Labor Consultation Corner (総合労働相談コーナー)

Located at each Prefectural Labor Bureau. Provides free mediation (あっせん) between you and the employer. Faster than litigation; outcomes are not legally binding but often successful.

6. Police (in cases of physical violence or criminal acts)

Sexual assault, physical violence, threats, and theft are crimes that should be reported to police, regardless of the workplace context.

7. Labor Tribunal / Civil Litigation

For damages claims, the Labor Tribunal (労働審判) is the structured court process for individual labor disputes (typically resolved in 3 hearings over 3–6 months). Civil litigation is available as a last resort. Both require legal representation; 法テラス (0570-078374) can connect financially-eligible workers with affordable legal help.

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Visa Protection During Disputes

Many foreign workers stay silent about harassment because they fear visa consequences. The reality:

If you are concerned about visa implications, contact your registered support organization first, or call the Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338) for free consultation in your language. TGP can also provide guidance on your specific situation.

What NOT to Do

Don't sign documents under pressure. Especially do not sign a resignation letter (退職届) under threat or coercion. If pressured, ask to take the document home for review. A resignation under pressure can be challenged but it's much harder than refusing to sign in the first place.

Don't physically retaliate. Even if you are physically attacked, fighting back can result in criminal charges against you. Document and report instead.

Don't suffer in silence. The longer harassment continues without action, the harder it becomes to address. Mental and physical health damage can be severe and long-lasting.

Don't quit before you have a plan. If your situation is unsafe, leaving immediately may be necessary. But if you can wait, securing your next job (or an exit plan with the support organization) before resigning is much better for your visa and finances.

Don't give up evidence to the harasser. Don't share your documentation with the person harassing you. Don't store evidence on company devices that the company can access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Power harassment (パワーハラスメント / パワハラ) was made illegal under amendments to Japan's Labor Measures Promotion Act (労働施策総合推進法), effective since 2020 for large companies and 2022 for SMEs. Sexual harassment (セクハラ) is illegal under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. Maternity harassment (マタハラ) is also illegal. Employers have a legal obligation to prevent harassment and to act on complaints. Foreign workers have the same legal protection as Japanese workers.
Power harassment (パワハラ): abuse of power by a superior or senior — physical violence, verbal abuse, isolation, excessive demands, deprivation of work, or invasion of privacy. Sexual harassment (セクハラ): unwanted sexual conduct or comments, including conditional harassment (quid pro quo) and environmental harassment (hostile work environment). Maternity harassment (マタハラ): harassment related to pregnancy, childbirth, or childcare leave. Care harassment (ケアハラ): harassment related to family caregiving leave. All are illegal under Japanese law.
No, reporting workplace harassment does not directly affect your visa status. The visa is tied to your employment, not to whether you have made a complaint. However, if reporting leads to your dismissal (which is itself often illegal as retaliation), you would need to navigate the visa transition. The 3-month grace period for SSW workers to find a new employer applies in most cases. Contact your registered support organization (登録支援機関) immediately if you are concerned about visa implications. The Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338) also provides free multilingual consultation.
Strong evidence makes a complaint more likely to succeed. Gather: dated written notes of incidents (what happened, who said what, who was present), screenshots of LINE/email/text messages, audio recordings (legal in Japan if you're a participant in the conversation), photos of physical evidence (injuries, damaged personal items), witness names and contact information if applicable, your work schedule or shift records showing relevant context, and copies of any formal documents related to the incidents. Store evidence on your personal device, NOT a company device.

Summary

  • Workplace harassment is illegal in Japan and foreign workers have the same legal protection as Japanese workers
  • Power harassment law (パワハラ防止法) requires all employers to prevent and address harassment, in effect since 2020 (large) / 2022 (SMEs)
  • 6 patterns of power harassment: physical attacks, mental attacks, isolation, excessive demands, deprivation of work, invasion of privacy
  • Sexual harassment (セクハラ) includes conditional (job tied to sexual conduct) and environmental (hostile work environment) forms
  • Other types: maternity (マタハラ), paternity (パタハラ), care (ケアハラ), moral (モラハラ), SOGI harassment
  • Document everything: dated journal, screenshots, audio recordings (legal if you're a participant), photos, witnesses, medical records
  • Reporting channels: internal complaint → Yorisoi Hotline 0120-279-338 (free, 14 languages) → Labor Standards Inspection Office → Comprehensive Labor Consultation Corner → Police (for crimes) → Labor Tribunal
  • Visa protection: reporting does not affect your status; retaliation is illegal; 3-month grace period applies if you lose your job; support organization must help
  • Don't: sign under pressure, physically retaliate, suffer in silence, quit without a plan, give evidence to harasser
  • TreeGlobalPartners can help you find a new SSW employer who respects Japanese labor law — free placement for foreign workers

Workplace harassment is one of the most damaging things that can happen to a foreign worker's life in Japan — and it is also entirely illegal. Knowing your rights, documenting evidence, and using the free reporting channels available to you is the path to a safer workplace, whether at your current employer or your next one. You are not alone, and the law is on your side.

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Disclaimer: Information in this article is accurate as of May 2026 and is based on Japan's Labor Measures Promotion Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Act, Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, Labor Standards Act, and related regulations as currently in force. Specific legal interpretations may vary by case. For individual situations, consult a qualified labor lawyer (弁護士), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, or call the Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338). This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.