Legal Tokyo District Court rules suffix '-chan' as sexual harassment

[thomas]

The Tokyo District Court has ruled that calling a colleague "chan" amounted to sexual harassment and ordered a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages: a woman in her forties, who had worked at a Sagawa Express branch, said she had been repeatedly subjected to inappropriate comments from a male co-worker, leaving her uncomfortable and distressed. She filed a lawsuit in 2023 seeking approximately 5.5 million yen in damages.

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The man habitually addressed her with "chan," a diminutive term generally reserved for children or those with a close personal bond. He made comments such as calling her "cute," remarking that her underwear was visible, and complimenting her figure. The woman later suffered from depression and eventually left her job.

In its verdict delivered on 23 October, the court stated that the use of "chan" in a professional environment lacked any legitimate basis and acknowledged that the man's words and behaviour constituted sexual harassment. The court ordered him to pay 220,000 yen in damages. The woman had also filed a claim against Sagawa Express, but the company settled the matter in February 2025 by agreeing to pay 700,000 yen.

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has previously listed examples showing that using "chan" at work may constitute sexual harassment depending on the context. Harassment prevention expert Yuko Yamafuji commented that the court's decision should not be interpreted as recognizing "chan" alone as harassment but rather as part of a broader pattern of inappropriate workplace conduct. She added that "while the intention might be to create closeness, workplaces require respect in both language and attitude." When interviewed on the streets of Tokyo's Shinbashi district, most workers said they call colleagues with "-san," regardless of gender, as it shows respect and avoids confusion. Some noted that using "chan" with certain coworkers while using "san" with others can cause misunderstandings. Women expressed mixed views. One said that she finds it "creepy" when someone uses "chan" without being close, while another said she didn't feel uncomfortable when addressed that way because she interpreted it as a friendly gesture. Yamafuji also addressed the use of "kun," often applied to male subordinates, saying it is generally recognized as referring to boys and does not necessarily convey professional respect. She concluded that "-san" remains the most neutral and respectful form of address for any colleague, regardless of gender or seniority.

Tokyo Court Rules Workplace Use of '-chan' as Sexual Harassment

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

newsonjapan.com

 

[Ukigumo]

Sounds reasonable to me. My colleagues at work never called me 'hunny-bunny' …regardless of how much I asked