"More Employees Say 'I Don't Want to See My Boss Anymore' as Workplace Harassment Cases Surge"

Record-High Number of Workers Recognized for Work-Related Mental Disorders in Japan
Main Causes Include Harassment by Superiors, Malicious Complaints, and Sexual Harassment

In Japan, the number of workers recognized for industrial accidents (workers' compensation) due to work-related stress-induced mental disorders reached an all-time high last year.

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According to a survey by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 1,086 people were granted compensation last year for mental disorders such as depression, which is 28 more than the previous year, Yonhap News reported on the 16th, citing NHK.

This marked a record high for the seventh straight year. However, the number of people who attempted or committed suicide among these cases was 76, down by 13 from the previous year.

The most common cause for compensation recognition was “workplace harassment by superiors,” accounting for 222 cases. This was followed by “verbal abuse or unreasonable demands (malicious complaints)” and sexual harassment, with 127 cases each.

Other major causes included “sudden changes in work content or workload” (113 cases), and “directly experiencing or witnessing horrific work-related accidents or disasters” (110 cases).

The number of workers who developed brain or heart disorders due to overwork or excessive workload and were recognized for industrial accidents was 224, a decrease of 23 from the previous year. Of these, 69 were fatal cases.

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Experts identified the recent worsening labor shortage as a major factor. They analyzed that as workforce shortages led to increased workload, the space for communication and consideration in the workplace diminished, resulting in greater conflict.

Hisashi Eguchi, a professor at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, said, “Employees’ mental health should not be dismissed as an individual issue. The entire organization must take responsibility,” adding, “Systematic measures such as establishing regular organizational communication channels are necessary at the company level.”

Workplace Harassment Becomes Increasingly Sophisticated...From “Power Harassment” to “White Harassment”

Meanwhile, in Japan, any behavior that causes physical or psychological pain or discomfort to another person is collectively called “harassment.” The Japanese add “hara”—derived from the English word “harassment”—to various terms to categorize different types of workplace bullying.

The most commonly cited type is “power harassment” (“pawahara”), where a superior abuses authority to act unfairly. Sexual harassment is called “sekuhara” (sexual harassment), and harassment by a customer is called “kasuhara” (customer harassment).

Conversely, when subordinates harass their superiors, the term “gyakupawahara” (reverse power harassment) is used. There is also a term, “white harassment” (“whitehara”), referring to cases where superiors are overly considerate or neglectful toward their subordinates.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.