Too much leg? Tokyo men wear shorts to work, women raise 'leg hair harassment' issue
As Tokyo eases office dress codes to beat the heat, some workers still aren't sold on seeing their colleagues' bare legs.
It is nearly four months into the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's energy-saving "Tokyo Cool Biz" campaign, and employees are still giving mixed reviews about the T-shirt-and-shorts office dress code being pushed.
In 2005, in an effort to mitigate a challenging electricity supply outlook, the Metropolitan Government started encouraging professionals to swap their ties and jackets for lighter, more casual outfits through the "Cool Biz" campaign. This upgraded initiative relaxed the corporate dress code even more, pushing office workers to wear T-shirts, shorts, and sneakers to the office.
The move, however, hasn't been smooth-sailing for some professionals.
According to a report by BBC, a June survey conducted by male aesthetic medical clinic chain Gorilla Clinic found that 53.5% opposed shorts in the workplace while 46.5% liked how it made work more comfortable.
The survey results found that the opposing half—made up of both men and women— were concerned about body shape and body hair. There were more women in the group, which suggested that females prefer to keep their male colleagues' legs covered. A few of them raised the issue of "leg hair harassment" or "sunehara," which alludes to the discomfort of being obligated to see colleagues' leg hair.
Others against workplace shorts said the policy is unfair to women as they are still expected socially to cover up their exposed legs with tights.
Perhaps as an offshoot of the campaign, more clients have been coming to Gorilla Clinic, per clinic director Akifumi Funatsu. He believed more men are getting treatments partly for cosmetic reasons but also to follow "social etiquette when wearing shorts." According to Funatsu, women generally think "men should have less leg hair." The clinic director said it's this assumption that has pushed more men to seek laser hair removal.
The updated cooling campaign was launched soon after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 to help reduce energy use throughout the country. Saving energy became even more crucial because of the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has severely crippled global oil supply.
With Japan now in the midst of summer, temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees celcius on the hottest days. Per BBC, seven people died due to heatstroke, and 4,580 had to be brought to the hospital because of the heat in the second week of July.
