Stories are shared through a new hashtag.
In January 2025, Nakai MasahiroA former member of the legendary J-Pop group SmapHe was revealed that he sexually harassed a female Fuji TV employee in 2023. He later paid 90 million yen (about $ 568,101 USD) to the woman.
This scandal has further revealed the horrible reality of Japanese women in the workforce, most of whom must face sexual harassment in the workplace. After the controversy of Masahiro, Fuji TV was also focused on presumably harassing his employees. The network presumably put pressure on its female announcers regularly to “entertain” popular male celebrities.
These male celebrities would participate in events such as dinners organized by the network to access women. It was apparently an open secret that women in these events were often under pressure in sex by guests.
In an interview with the tabloid Weekly bunshunA women’s Fuji TV journalist testified anonymously that his job opportunities had significantly decreased after refusing the progress of a popular celebrity.
This story has further inspired other Japanese women to share their horror stories to be sexually abused in their workplaces. The hashtag said: “The real reason I left my job” (I’m not waiting for anything in Japanese.
A user on X (former Twitter) He published that his boss tried to induce her to share a bed with him during a business trip.
I made a business trip with my boss and reserved only one room. There were two Futon. I got angry. After murmuring something to get another drink somewhere, I told the staff that it was a business trip and they quickly prepared a room. The face of the staff member was shock. Incredible.
– @Elyokofv19./Twitter
Another woman came forward, sharing how her garments would be regularly misogynist towards other women.
My old garments made me clean the dirty bath every day and when I said we should do in turn, they have bullying for pushing the “women’s work” on them and led me to resign. When I had problems finding a new job, a male relative said: “If the interviewer is a guy, you can use your body to be hired. Women have it easy. ‘
– @mgq4u9jtfqlle8o./Twitter
Some of the other stories included cases of a student forced to sleep with his teacher and a woman who was harassed by her drunk head.
The hashtag also reached international netizen, who were left disgusted by the stories shared by women and asked for better protection of their rights.
Sexual harassment are rampant in Japan. Unfortunately, almost every friend of mine has at least one story. https://t.co/tzvxeiuwmn
– Richard 🏳️ wit (@gaijinthouaughs) February 3, 2025
Reading this in 2025 is actually horrible and disturbing. I was also told once by someone that the laundry is a woman’s job. Seriously in a modern society it is unacceptable that these gender rules are still so widespread. https://t.co/ddcvmjxlwl
– Hana T (@theasianmustash) February 5, 2025
Now in Japan, the hashtag “This is the real reason why I left my job”. It is viral.
This is the Japanese version of #Me too .
Japanese women begin to talk about their experiences.
We have never forgotten what happened. There was always anger and despair. And now let’s talk.
– Lotus (@lotusi11) January 31, 2025
