News Labour shortage: Japanese retailers and restaurants ease their dress codes

Amid a serious labour shortage and increased diversity, numerous retailers and restaurant chains in Japan have begun easing employee dress code requirements. Previously, these companies prohibited workers from bleaching their hair blonde or wearing piercings, fearing potential customer complaints. However, such restrictions are no longer in place.

Akindo Sushiro, the operator of the popular conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro, has taken steps to accommodate diversity. Last November, the company allowed its Muslim female employees to wear hijabs, and male employees are now permitted to grow beards for religious reasons, provided they wear face masks while working. Akindo Sushiro aims to foster an inclusive environment where workers from approximately 60 countries can embrace their unique identities.

"Being able to work while still being who I am raises my motivation," says Ami Katayama, a 42-year-old children's clothing salesperson at the Apita Kisarazu shopping mall in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture. A customer in her 60s said she did not mind Katayama's pink hair and flashy manicured nails at all. "I think (Katayama's appearance) fits the times," she pointed out. "It's nice to make efforts to look good." In 2022, Pan Pacific International Holdings, the parent company of the firm that operates Apita, abolished rules on hair color following requests by its employees. The company's 2023 survey found that about half of workers at group supermarket chains, including Apita, had sported hair color that was other than black. Of them, 20% flaunted vibrant colors such as pink and blonde.

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