Tokyo urges men to wear shorts to work, but women say it’s ‘leg hair harassment’
As temperatures soar this summer, Japanese men are baring more legs than ever at work.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is forcing company employees to ditch their usual suits and ties and wear more casual attire consisting of T-shirts, sneakers and shorts. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike introduced “Tokyo Cool Biz” in April, hoping to expand her signature cooling initiative that has now become a widely recognized annual summer tradition.
For nearly four months now, newly permitted short circuits in office politics have been receiving mixed reviews.
Some reviewers enjoy relaxed rules that help them work more comfortably. Others say the policy is unfair to women because they are still expected to wear tights while showing some of their legs, while men can now opt for shorts.
And several women speak of the discomfort of being forced to see their colleagues’ leg hair, describing the experience of “leg hair harassment,” or “sunehara,” a term coined online.
Noboru Watanabe, environmental officer for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, told the BBC: “We want to give people more options in severe heat, not tell them what to wear. As long as workwear isn’t offensive to anyone, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
In recent years, more Japanese workers have started wearing casual clothes, especially those working in startups and technology companies. But this year, advice from the Tokyo government has made it more socially acceptable. Still, some men are shy about their leg hair.
Gorilla Clinic director Dr. Akifumi Funatsu said he has noticed more clients coming to the clinic not only for cosmetic reasons, but also for “social etiquette when wearing shorts.”
He thinks that women believe that “men should have less leg hair”, which leads them to laser hair removal so as not to disturb those around them.
Governor Koike first initiated the summer clothing exchange in 2005 as Japan’s environment minister. The company launched a national energy-saving campaign called “Cool Biz” to encourage employees to choose short-sleeved shirts. Government leaders joined the initiative; then-prime minister Junichiro Koizumi was often seen in public without wearing a tie or jacket, which helped spread the word.
A few years after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, the government launched “Super Cool Us,” which expanded guidelines to help reduce energy use at both work and home.
Like other parts of the world, Japan has been facing record temperatures in recent months and is also grappling with rising energy prices due to instability in the Middle East. As forecasters warn of extreme heat this summer, the Japan Meteorological Agency has announced “kokusho-bi”, meaning brutally hot day when the mercury exceeds 40°C, to warn residents.
The latest weekly data shows seven people died of heatstroke in Japan in the seven days from July 6 to 12 and 4,580 people were hospitalized, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
In addition to keeping up with water and turning on air conditioning, some of the most basic actions repeatedly encouraged by government officials, residents have turned to new products and devices to combat the heat.
Products such as clothing with built-in fans, disposable wet towels, UV and heat-blocking umbrellas, and portable hand fans have become popular and sold in stores across the country.
Experts from the Japan Academic Network for Disaster Mitigation underline the need for heat acclimation, as it takes several weeks for the body to adapt to high temperatures. The important thing, they say, is to start preparing for hot weather and take precautions to prevent heatstroke during the country’s rainy season, just before the summer heat arrives. Japan also faces high humidity, which makes it difficult for sweat to evaporate and reduces the body’s ability to cool itself.
