Most foreign workers in trouble tend to keep quiet because they don't understand Japan's legal system.

Japan actually has pretty strong employee protection laws, just sadly no-one uses then.

And they have very few human rights.

If I remember correctly, in a survey 5 years back, over 70% of Japanese like it like that.

Why does "Quote of the Day" never give more information? Why not pass along the hotline number so folks who need help who are reading this can call? Why not name the mosque from the other day's quote? No point in a quote if folks don'T get the full information of whatever the quote is from.

And they have very few human rights.

@Gary Raynor: What human rights don't Japanese have and don't mind not having? As far as I can see, human rights are the same level as other developed countries, so very curious

Japan actually has pretty strong employee protection laws, just sadly no-one uses then.

No. Japan actually has pretty strong employee protection laws, just sadly no-one enforces them. Its just all on paper.

And they have very few human rights. If I remember correctly, in a survey 5 years back, over 70% of Japanese like it like that.

very few human rights? Try none. 0. That's actually by law. you have to be a japanese national to qualify for human rights. And yes, you are right. over 70% of Japanese like it like that. But from what I read, they conduct the survey every year. Not sure what the results were this time around.

Japan has strong laws if you are a full-time employee aka very hard to get fired.

Part-time workers are disposable like a used tissue.

Japan has strong laws if you are a full-time employee aka very hard to get fired.

even harder to get full time if you are foreign.

Aly.

I agree was lucky my 2nd job was full-time under a company from IBM. Great benefits and the works.

tmarie: Agreed.

TELL and most local Foreigner Associations will help.

I know of MiA(Musashino), MiShop(Mitaka) and am sure similar exist in the 23 Tokyo Wards.

They will help with translations, put you in touch with lawyers, etc. Diitto for your ward office.

Sorry, but saying I don't know shows a lack of effort.

Reckless.

That is a bit harsh HoTerrace(sic) offers great service to Japanese and Foreigners and charges like 5000Yen/month.

Used them for my divorce which was smooth as me and my worked thing out between us.

Thing was about employment law not other but yes of course.. When your visa relies on having a job and being employed it makes it difficult to take legal action against your employer of course. And even if you have permanent residency it's not really anything more than an open work visa, you pay the taxes, retirement but get no protection.

There is unquestionably massive work to do here, I haven't had to do it for years but helped a friend recently with first apartment, cell phone and credit card in Japan, I had forgotten just how demoralizing and awful it is to be turned away like a criminal while just try and get the essentials to live.

I am PR holder on social welfare(due mto edical Disability) and I got no problems with those issues. Got my Softbank phone, nice apartment, etc.

And I have no issues now either.. But it's tough when you first get here

I adjusted the quote to be both broader and more accurate:

"Most Japanese workers tend to keep quiet because they don't understand Japan's legal system."

(including the ignorant submission to unpaid overtime, harassment, unused or unknown of paid vacation time, overpaying tax, pressure to quit when pregnant, failure to apply for unemployment benefits...)

dcog9065

@Gary Raynor: What human rights don't Japanese have and don't mind not having? As far as I can see, human rights are the same level as other developed countries, so very curious

On paper yes and as others have said, statute employment law in Japan is very codified and strict.

HOOWWever as anybody who has worked in Japan for a considerable time, and I don't mean eikaiwa, will vouch, practice and paper are completely different animals.

Concerning non-Japanese and Japanese human rights, please read Ally Rustom's post .

It"S ME.

I am PR holder on social welfare(due mto edical Disability) and I got no problems with those issues. Got my Softbank phone, nice apartment, etc.

Lucky you. One drop of rain doesn't make a thunderstorm and the Supreme Court ruled just last year that local/central government's obligation to pay social welfare is limited to kokumin. You've just got a nice local government and that might well change in the near future,

Here is a trick for getting a keitai cheap and without a job.

Ask for their 0yen models, those are older but work fine and you only pay for the package plan. no credit or employment check.

New models need a 2-year contract as you will be paying the phone off over 24 month + package plan. If you got the cash you can buy the phone outright and still only pay the monthly package fee.

My phone is a 0yen model but works fine for calls, E-Mails, chat and tethering to my Nexus, changed the plan from 5GB to 7GB as I hardly make calls my monthly payment dropped by 2000yen.

It is a tool and does what I want of it, do what if it is an older model.

full time employement hard to get fired.... you must be joking. i know a guy who was full time employed and had enuff of unpaid over time and always drinking with the boss after work when he wanted to spend time with family. guess what happen.... one day he arrived at work and they told him to sit in an empty office. they just said we pay you and if we have work for you we will call you.... after a week that guy resigned by himself.... and for sure no bonus!!

Were you a true full-time worker or just a hire/contract worker.

Gary.

I doubt that they will stop social welfare for PR workers, checked with my case worker and the local Komeito official(,good friend) neither heard of it.

PR-Holders got the same rights as Kokumin except we can't vote, in all other aspects we are equal. My Residents card is valid till 2022(my Disability won't go away) and I just posted for 'My Number" Phase Ii, plus I doubt that they will kick my son out of school (dual nationality).

It"S ME

I doubt that they will stop social welfare for PR workers, checked with my case worker and the local Komeito official(,good friend) neither heard of it.

You and your case worker should do a little more research. This was the Supreme Court ruling last year

'The Supreme Court ruled Friday that foreigners with permanent residency status are ineligible for welfare benefits, overturning a decision by the Fukuoka High Court that had acknowledged their eligibility under the public assistance law.'

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/07/18/national/social-issues/top-court-rules-non-japanese-residents-ineligible-welfare-benefits/#.Vl_Xt02mqM8

You get your welfare, at present, at the discretion of your local government, not as a right.

Like I said, today's Komeito local government can become an LDP government and they are perfectly in their right to withdraw your benefits, no matter how long you've been here and paid taxes.

Japanese permanent residence is a glorified spouse visa.

If you think PR is a glorified spouse visa I know the difference, good sir.

Cancelling welfare for PR worker's will hurt japan majorly.

Like I said no-one I know is aware of the ruling and I do speak directly to government officials and don't rely on newspaper articles.

Nuff said.

It"S ME

Like I said no-one I know is aware of the ruling and I do speak directly to government officials and don't rely on newspaper articles.

Are you for real?

It's the supreme court ruling, not a newspaper opining. Here's another 2 sources for the ruling.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1557063/anger-erupts-over-court-denial-welfare-foreign-permanent-residents-japan

http://www.japancrush.com/2014/stories/foreigners-not-entitled-to-welfare-rules-supreme-court.html

Don't move to Oita and pray that the LDP doesn't do well in the summer 2016 elections. By the way, a large section of the LDP in the lower house of the Diet are trying to take away those discretionary powers of the local governments and make it compulsory that only kokumin are eligible for welfare payments

It"S MEDec. 03, 2015 - 02:36PM JST

PR-Holders got the same rights as Kokumin except we can't vote

I've quite clearly shown that to be untrue.

nuff said.

Just imagine the USA will stop welfare to all green card holders, that is what you are saying japan will do.

Can you imagine such a scenario and outcry but you think Japan will do it.

Do more research into what PR entails and speak to government officials.

Come back after that, ignore the media asi t was never on the TV news which would have caused a worldwide outcry.

@Gary Raynor: Mate, you or Ally Rustom don't mention a single item related to the lack of human rights in Japan. What human rights are you talking about? The right of free expression or assembly? The right of freedom of employment or religion?

Both of your sweeping blanket generalizations without any examples seems to be some sort of irrational knee jerk lash out.

If by "don't understand" they mean "can't fathom how ridiculous it is and why people put up with it", then yes.

dcog9065

@Gary Raynor: Mate, you or Ally Rustom don't mention a single item related to the lack of human rights in Japan. What human rights are you talking about? The right of free expression or assembly? The right of freedom of employment or religion?

Both of your sweeping blanket generalizations without any examples seems to be some sort of irrational knee jerk lash out.

Read this article by a professor at Doshisha Law School. He is more qualified than me to explain the limited human rights that non-Japanese have in Japan.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/08/06/issues/think-youve-got-rights-foreigner-japan-well-complicated/#.VmAOa03qHcs

There is nothing like justice for foreigners in Japan, where laws work for a certain group ( The Japanese )and not for others. This duality of the legal system and its application therefore, renders meaningless the word " JUSTICE ". The Japanese lady justice's eyes do see ( has no blind-fold) and her scales are severely skewed against foreigners .

We'll, it seems as if the only way to make it work is to become Japanese.....

I've been at my place 15 years, in "management" for 14 of them, and I'm still on a one-year renewable contract.

The new staff joined last year, couldn't use a computer or even turn up on time. Permanent from day 1.

Hmm, I wonder what the difference might be.

Hmm, I wonder what the difference might be.

You've had 13 years to look for a new job!