A handful of Japanese plaintiffs have won sexual-harassment suits before, largely because the accused failed to appear in court. This time the firm put up a spirited defense. The woman didn’t claim physical harassment, but verbal abuse. When she tried to stop her boss from spreading rumors that she was promiscuous, she alleged, she was advised to quit.
The court ordered the publishing firm and one of its employees to pay $12,500 for violating her rights. The ruling, which shocked the Japanese establishment, was a victory for Japan’s fledgling feminist movement - and for “office ladies” everywhere.
