Recording with the original English audio, recorded on November 1, 2023.
Recording with Chinese simultaneous interpretation, recorded on November 1, 2023.
Using Law to Combat Sexual Harassment in Japan
USALI gender equality webinar series
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
8:00 am – 9:30 am (Eastern)
Via Zoom only
Download study packet here
About the event:
Since 2017, Japanese women have come forward one after another to publicly share their experiences with sexual harassment. Their bravery has made a difference: In 2020, Japan passed a law requiring large companies to take steps to prevent workplace harassment. Last summer, the penal code was revised to raise the age of consent to 16 and make it somewhat easier to prosecute accused rapists. Kazuko Ito, founder and vice president of Human Rights Now and a lawyer, will talk about the recent efforts to combat sexual harassment in the larger context of the women’s rights struggle in Japan. Questions to explore include the effectiveness of the recent legislative changes and what more needs to happen.
About the speaker:
Kazuko Ito is founder and vice president of Human Rights Now, president of Human Rights Now New York, and an attorney at law. She serves as chair of the Gender Equality Committee of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, and is a board member of the Gender Law Society and International Human Rights Law Society in Japan. Ms. Ito has written numerous books and articles on human rights issues, including “Wrongful Convictions and Criminal Justice Reform in Japan” in the University of Cincinnati Law Review and a chapter in the book “The Global Me Too Movement: How Social Media Propelled a Historic Movement and How the Law Responded” (2020). She has an LL.B from Waseda University and is currently a doctoral researcher there. Ms. Ito was a visiting scholar at NYU School of Law in 2005.