Tokyo urges men to wear shorts to work, but some women say it's 'leg hair harassment'

What the report says

BBC World News reports that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is encouraging office workers to adopt more relaxed summer clothing, including T-shirts, trainers and shorts, as Japan faces intense heat. The push is part of Governor Yuriko Koike’s “Tokyo Cool Biz” campaign, introduced in April as an expansion of a long-running effort to reduce heat-related discomfort and energy demand by loosening workplace dress norms.

The shorts recommendation has drawn divided reactions nearly four months into the campaign. Some workers and commentators welcome the added flexibility, while others say the change highlights unequal expectations for women, who may still be expected to wear tights when showing their legs. BBC also reports that some women have described discomfort at seeing male colleagues’ leg hair, a complaint circulating online under the term “sunehara,” or “leg hair harassment.” Tokyo environmental official Noboru Watanabe told the BBC the aim is to offer choices in severe heat rather than dictate clothing, provided attire is not offensive.

A June survey by Gorilla Clinic, cited by the BBC, found 53.5% of respondents opposed wearing shorts to work in summer, while 46.5% supported the recommendation. The clinic said concerns about body shape and body hair were the leading reasons for opposition, and its director said more men have sought hair removal as a matter of office etiquette.

The debate comes amid wider heat concerns in Japan. BBC notes that Cool Biz began nationally in 2005 under Koike when she was environment minister, and later expanded after the 2011 Tohoku disaster to support energy saving. Authorities are warning of dangerous summer conditions, with heatstroke deaths and hospitalisations already reported in July.