Law amendments enacted in 2025, requiring companies to employ measures to prevent “customer harassment” and “sexual harassment in recruitment activities” are due to be implemented on October 1, 2026. This article looks at reviews necessary measures to combat work-related harassment.
[1] Measures to prevent harassment at work
In recent years, public awareness has been growing about various kinds of “harassment.” Currently, companies are required to implement measures against “sexual harassment,” “power harassment” and “harassment relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare and nursing care leave.” From October 2026, the legislation will also require firms to take measures to eliminate “customer harassment” and “sexual harassment in recruitment activities.”
[2] Measures against harassment by customers
Under the law, customer harassment is defined as behaviors that satisfy all of the three conditions below;
1. Speech or action by customers, business partners, facility users or other interested individuals;
2. that is deemed unacceptable in view of social conventions;
3. and damages the working environment.
Companies are required to establish a necessary structure to provide consultation to employees who have experienced customer harassment and take appropriate action.
Companies should also provide training to their staff members to ensure they will not behave inappropriately against workers of other firms.
[3] Measures against sexual harassment in recruiting activities
There have been cases where people seeking employment receive sexual speech or behavior by companies’ recruiting staff and become unable to continue job hunting.
Similarly to customer harassment, companies need to build a structure to hear claims of affected job seekers and deal with the problem.
Rules regarding other types of harassment described in the law encourage companies to protect their workers, whereas harassment in recruiting activities are aimed to protect people who are not their employees.
Companies may need to revise their employment rules or create a system to provide consultation about harassment. Please make necessary preparations by October 1.
