Tokyo Pushes Office Shorts as 53.5% Oppose Policy Over 'Leg Hair Harassment'
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 21
Tokyo Pushes Office Shorts as 53.5% Oppose Policy Over 'Leg Hair Harassment'
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 21
Summary
Tokyo's office-shorts push under "Tokyo Cool Biz" is drawing backlash from women who say male coworkers' bare, hairy legs amount to "leg hair harassment," or "sunehara."
53.5% of respondents in a June Gorilla Clinic survey opposed shorts at work, while 46.5% supported them; concern over body shape and body hair was the main objection for both men and women.
Tokyo says the policy is meant to widen options during severe heat rather than dictate dress, as Governor Yuriko Koike's April campaign expands the long-running Cool Biz energy-saving initiative.
Record heat is raising the stakes: Japan logged seven heatstroke deaths and 4,580 hospitalizations in July 6-12, while forecasters warn of brutally hot days above 40C.