[Japan] Rare settlement reached over outing of ex-employee

A man in his twenties has reached a rare out-of-court settlement with his former employer after a superior outed him, revealing his sexual orientation or gender identity without his consent, people close to the case revealed over the weekend.

The company - in Tokyo's Toshima Ward - promised to apologise to the worker and pay him settlement money for the mental distress they caused. There is hope that the settlement represents a step towards eliminating discrimination for LGBT people.

Experts on issues affecting the LGBT community have said that an out-of-court settlement for damage caused by outing is highly unusual. This is because legal disputes on such matters are uncommon in Japan, where a deeper understanding of issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people has yet to take effect.

The central government designated outing as an abuse of power in guidelines of a law enacted in June requiring companies to take measures against abuses of power, including outing and insulting people of sexual and gender minorities. However, experts argue that such efforts are limited in scope and are calling for the state to take more explicit action. Kyodo News has further details of the story.

A man in his twenties has reached a rare out-of-court settlement with his former employer after a superior outed him, revealing his sexual orientation or gender identity without his consent, people close to the case revealed over the weekend.

The company - in Tokyo's Toshima Ward - promised to apologise to the worker and pay him settlement money for the mental distress they caused. There is hope that the settlement represents a step towards eliminating discrimination for LGBT people.

Experts on issues affecting the LGBT community have said that an out-of-court settlement for damage caused by outing is highly unusual. This is because legal disputes on such matters are uncommon in Japan, where a deeper understanding of issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people has yet to take effect.

The central government designated outing as an abuse of power in guidelines of a law enacted in June requiring companies to take measures against abuses of power, including outing and insulting people of sexual and gender minorities. However, experts argue that such efforts are limited in scope and are calling for the state to take more explicit action. Kyodo News has further details of the story.