EDITORIAL | Customer Harassment Rule Long Overdue, Now Make It Work

Tokyo has passed the nation's first ordinance aimed at preventing customer harassment. It includes provisions against unreasonable demands and verbal abuse of workers by customers. The ordinance will take effect from April 1, 2025. 

Damage caused by customer harassment has become a serious problem. Among the more extreme forms it has taken are customers forcing employees to kneel, relentlessly screaming at them, and taking pictures of their faces and name tags to post them on social media. This abuse has caused physical and mental health problems. And some employees have even been driven to quit or commit suicide from their suffering. 

Such customer harassment cannot be condoned. All of society needs to work together to prevent nuisance behavior so that everyone can work with peace of mind.

Seeking Society's Effort

There is as yet no legal definition of customer harassment.  Tokyo's new ordinance defines it is "aggressively harassing conduct (directed by customers against employees) that harms the working environment." It clearly labels it as the kind of behavior that should not take place in any situation. 

The ordinance also obligates customers to make an effort "to pay due attention to their words and actions [toward employees]." Also, business operators must "take necessary and appropriate measures [to protect the safety of employees]." 

The ordinance does not provide for penalties. However, the significance of the measure is that it states that customer harassment must be addressed not only by the individuals involved but by "society as a whole."

Legitimate Complaints

Nonetheless, we should bear in mind that many customers have legitimate reasons for their complaints and requests. And such requests can lead to improvements in business operations and products. It is therefore appropriate for the Tokyo ordinance to stipulate that, in applying the ordinance, "care must be taken not to unduly infringe on the rights of customers," and so on.

The challenge will come in drawing the line to distinguish between customer harassment and legitimate requests.  Even a legitimate request can become harassing if the request is made in an intimidating manner. But establishing the difference is no easy matter. 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government intends to issue guidelines citing specific examples of customer harassment by the end of 2024. Hopefully, it will clarify what constitutes nuisance behavior and provide guidelines on how to respond depending on the situation. Business operators can then use it as a guide for manuals that enable employees to respond appropriately in such situations. 

Supporting Companies and Workers

A government-operated consultation system also needs to be set up. Without a system to support companies and organizations struggling with customer harassment, workers cannot be protected.

Public awareness and education are also essential. To eliminate all forms of harassment, every one of us needs to develop the habit of thinking from the other person's perspective.

SEEKING HELP? If you are in Japan and having trouble with mental health due to workplace harassment, bullying, or for any other reason, someone is ready to help you in English at TELL Japan. Telephone (free dial inside Japan) 0800-300-8355. If you are outside of Japan, please check your national health authorities for guidance in your country. 

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(Read the editorial in Japanese)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun