Japan is taking significant steps to protect workers from customer harassment, known locally as "kasuhara" (カスハラ), as the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) moves forward with mandatory corporate guidelines. These developments come alongside important labor rights precedents that have implications for all workers in Japan, including foreign residents. According to NHK, the MHLW's advisory council has presented draft guidelines that include specific examples of customer harassment that companies will be required to address. This marks a crucial shift in Japanese labor law, as businesses will soon face legal obligations to protect employees from abusive customer behavior. The guidelines are being developed in response to growing concerns about the toll that customer harassment takes on workers' mental and physical health. Customer harassment in Japan encompasses a range of problematic behaviors, from excessive complaints and unreasonable demands to verbal abuse and threatening behavior. The retail, hospitality, and service industries have been particularly affected, with workers often feeling pressured by traditional Japanese customer service culture to endure mistreatment. For foreign workers in these sectors, understanding these new protections is especially important, as language barriers and unfamiliarity with Japanese workplace norms can make them more vulnerable to harassment. The draft guidelines presented to the advisory council include concrete examples of what constitutes unacceptable customer behavior. While companies have previously been encouraged to address customer harassment voluntarily, the new regulations will make it a legal requirement for employers to implement protective measures. This could include establishing clear policies, training staff on how to respond to harassment, creating reporting systems, and taking action when incidents occur. For expats working in Japan, these changes represent an important evolution in workplace rights. Many foreign workers, particularly those in customer-facing roles, have reported feeling uncertain about how to handle aggressive or unreasonable customers while maintaining the high service standards expected in Japan. The new guidelines should provide clearer frameworks for when and how workers can refuse unreasonable demands or seek management intervention. In a related development highlighting the importance of employer responsibility, a second-instance court case regarding a COVID-19 workplace death reached a settlement, according to NHK. The case involved an employee at a Chinese restaurant in Tokyo's Shinjuku ward who died after contracting COVID-19. The family had argued that inadequate infection control measures at the workplace contributed to the death. While specific settlement terms were not disclosed, the case underscores employers' legal obligations to maintain safe working conditions and protect employee health. This COVID-19 case carries particular relevance for foreign workers, who may be less familiar with their rights regarding workplace safety in Japan. The settlement establishes an important precedent that employers can be held accountable when inadequate safety measures contribute to employee illness or death. This applies not only to infectious disease control but to all aspects of workplace safety. For expats navigating the Japanese workplace, these developments signal a shifting landscape in labor protections. While Japan's work culture has traditionally emphasized endurance and service above individual worker wellbeing, legal frameworks are increasingly recognizing the need to protect employees from both customer abuse and employer negligence. Foreign residents should familiarize themselves with their rights under these evolving regulations. If you work in a customer-facing role, ask your employer about their policies on handling customer harassment once the new guidelines take effect. Document any incidents of abuse, and don't hesitate to report problems to management or, if necessary, to local labor standards offices (労働基準監督署), where English support may be available in major cities. As Japan continues to rely on foreign workers across various sectors, ensuring these workers understand and can access their legal protections becomes increasingly important. These new guidelines and legal precedents represent positive steps toward creating safer, more respectful workplaces for all employees in Japan.