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Tokyo urges men to wear shorts to work, but women say it's 'leg hair harassment'
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike expanded the "Tokyo Cool Biz" initiative to promote lighter summer work attire, aiming to offer more comfort during severe heat while maintaining workplace etiquette.
- The policy has sparked mixed reactions, with some appreciating the relaxed dress code, while others, particularly women, criticize it for perpetuating expectations like wearing tights and discomfort over leg hair visibility, termed "sunehara."
- A June survey revealed divided opinions on wearing shorts to work, with concerns centered on body shape and body hair, and women showing more resistance to seeing male colleagues' bare legs.
- The initiative has made casual summer attire more socially acceptable, especially in startups and tech companies, leading some men to seek laser hair removal to conform to social etiquette regarding leg hair.
- The Cool Biz campaign, originally launched in 2005 to reduce energy consumption, has evolved amid record heat and energy price hikes, with government warnings about extreme temperatures and increased heatstroke cases reported this summer.
