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Tokyo Metropolitan Government workers are trading ties and button-ups for T-shirts and shorts under a new relaxed dress code policy aimed at combating stifling temperatures — but the shift has birthed the term “leg hair harassment,” a phrase coined to highlight what some say are double standards around workplace appearance.
The change is part of the “Tokyo Cool Biz” campaign, which aims to save energy by reducing the need for air conditioning and includes a rule allowing the city’s government workers to wear shorts to the office.
According to BBC and New York Times reports, some say the policy — even though it applies to men and women — is unfair because women face more cultural pressure than men to cover up and are expected to spend money on hair removal.
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In response, according to both news outlets, Japanese media devised the term “leg hair harassment,” or “sunehara,” to describe the feeling of being forced to see a male co-worker’s legs.
Ruai Sajiki, 23, an employee for the Tokyo government, told the New York Times earlier this month that seeing bare legs in a professional environment could be unsettling for women. But said she told her male supervisor it was okay after he asked whether she minded if he wore shorts to work.
Government officials in casual dress code, including shorts, tee shirts and sneakers, work in the office of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, as part of the capital’s “Cool Biz” initiative, in Tokyo on July 14, 2026.
Philip FONG / AFP via Getty Images
“I’ve seen my own father’s legs, so I’m personally comfortable with it. It can’t be helped that there are many opinions, and some women who feel resistance,” she told the U.S. outlet.
Atsuko Tamada, a French literature professor at Chubu University in Japan, also spoke to the New York Times and argued that if men are being encouraged to dress down and bare their legs, they should also be expected to shave them.
Despite its mixed reviews, the policy marks a bold endorsement of casual office attire in a country where dark suits and white shirts have long been the norm for office workers, even during the hottest months.
While the rule change applies to government workers, private businesses have also begun to adopt it.
Retailers such as Aeon have responded by expanding business-casual lines, while apparel makers, including Fast Retailing and Aoki, are promoting lightweight, stretchable and quick-drying clothing aimed at office workers seeking to balance comfort with a professional look.
The “Cool Biz” campaign also encourages people to create advancements in heat countermeasure goods and has run contests to encourage the ideation of such products.
In May, it awarded 12 contestants for their contributions, including heat-checker apps that map shaded areas on walking routes in the city.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
