As temperatures rise this summer, Japanese men are baring more leg at work than ever before.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is pushing company employees to ditch their usual suit and tie for more casual attire featuring t-shirts, trainers – and shorts. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike introduced “Tokyo Cool Biz” in April, hoping to expand on her signature cool down initiative which has now become a widely recognised annual summer tradition.
Almost four months in, the newly allowed shorts in the office policy is getting mixed reviews.
Some commentators enjoy the relaxed rules, helping them work more comfortably. Others say the policy is unfair to women since they are still expected to wear tights when showing a part of their legs, while men can now opt for shorts.
And a few women describe the experience of “leg hair harassment” or a term coined online “sunehara”, referring to the discomfort of being forced to see their colleague’s leg hair.
“We want to give people more options in the severe heat, not tell them what to wear. There should be no issue as long as the work attire is not offensive to anyone,” Tokyo Metropolitan Government environmental official Noboru Watanabe told the BBC.
In recent years more Japanese workers, notably those working at startups and tech companies, have started wearing casual wear. But this year, the Tokyo government recommendation has made it more socially acceptable. Still, some men have been feeling self-conscious about their leg hair.
Dr Akifumi Funatsu, director of Gorilla Clinic, says he has noticed more clients coming to the clinic not just for cosmetic reasons, but as a matter of “social etiquette when wearing shorts.”
He thinks women believe that “men should have less leg hair”, which has prompted them to seek laser hair removal so as not to offend those around them.
