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.