The Beginning of A Movement Demanding the Right to Sit
A few years ago, Kaede Motegi, who was a university student at the time, joined the Shutoken Seinen Union (Metropolitan Youth Union) and began negotiating with his employers to provide chairs for cashiers. He had been working as a cashier at a supermarket in Saitama for three years, and realized the toll that his 3-4 hour shifts were taking on his feet and back.
In December 2022, union members launched an online petition calling for the right to sit, under the slogan “#Can’t I Sit?”, and with overwhelming public support, they managed to collect 22,000 signatures. His employer agreed to introduce a trial program offering chairs, starting in September 2023. However, after opposition from 30% of the employees, the company decided not to adopt the trial as a permanent policy.
In May of 2024, the union members submitted a request to the labor ministry. Although regulations state that businesses must provide chairs to employees who may have a chance to sit while working, they do not specify the types of jobs these guidelines apply to.
Union members pushed for the ministry to clarify the specific jobs and situations that require seating for employees, and the ministry agreed to conduct interviews with retail industry groups to investigate working conditions. According to a review conducted by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, prolonged standing at work showed a significant increase in the risk for low back pain, cardiovascular problems, and pregnancy outcomes. They recommend that workers be allowed to walk around and easily shift from standing to sitting or leaning posture. The Association for peri-operative Registered Nurses, which represents operating room nurses, recommended “fatigue-reducing” techniques like using a sit-stand stool, as being on one’s feet for prolonged periods can negatively affect blood circulation, leading to chronic illness.
A Small Step in the Right Direction
In 2024, the human resource and staffing company MyNavi launched the “Suwatte Iissu Project” in hopes of spreading the idea of sitting down while working. Their survey found that 60% of part-time workers wish to sit down while working, although only 20% workplaces in the retail and service industries permit them to. 600 workers and employers responded to a series of questions varying from whether they were allowed to sit to the reasons for not being allowed to sit. 44.3% of employers stated that their workers “are not allowed to sit in principle” or “don’t sit down, even though there are no specific rules”.
The most common reason for not allowing workers to sit was “to prevent giving customers a bad impression”, and almost 20% of part-time workers responded that they had to quit working due to physical factors caused by their work standing up. Over 50% stated that their motivation would increase if they were allowed to sit down. Interestingly, over 70% of employers responded that they thought it was okay for the workers to sit down.
It is common for cashiers in countries like South Korea, Germany, and Brazil to work while sitting down. Which begs the question: why are workers still made to work for long hours standing in Japan?
Written by まりか