Court Rules that Sumitomo Life Insurance Practiced Labor Discrimination
The Osaka District Court ruled on June 27 that the Sumitomo Life Insurance
Company had paid lower wages and provided fewer promotion opportunities to
married women than to unmarried women. The court ordered the company to pay a
total of 90.9 million yen to the 12 women who brought their suit against the
company.
In Japan, the Equal Employment Opportunity Law came into force in 1986.
The law was revised in 1994 by introducing
more clearly defined restrictions.
After the decision, lawyers for the plaintiffs stated that the ruling by the
Osaka District Court was the first in Japan in which different treatment between
married and unmarried women was deemed discriminatory.
The case of the Sumitomo Life Insurance Company, unfortunately, is just the tip
of the iceberg. Efforts are expected to be continued to ensure that women are
free to take maternity leave and ensure that if they do, it does not result in
their being denied opportunities later.