Japan prefecture allows staff to wear last-name-only badges to avoid customer harassment

 

he Shiga Prefectural Government in west Japan now allows employees to wear name badges showing just their last names to prevent customer harassment by visitors.

According to the prefecture's personnel division, about 4,200 employees belonging to the governor's department now can choose between traditional badges showing full names and new last-name-only ones. The initiative came due to concerns over potential violations of privacy if the workers' full names are exposed to the public via social media as customer harassment, characterized by unreasonable demands or intimidating behavior by those receiving services, has become a social issue in Japan.

The existing badges showed the employee's first and last names in kanji, but the staff can now present their names on the badges using just hiragana, which allows more anonymity.

Shiga Gov. Taizo Mikazuki said at a regular press conference on Sept. 3, "We have decided to be more flexible since we want to avoid a situation where the staff's personal information is identified from their names and causes them trouble."

source : https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240904/p2a/00m/0na/014000c

Comprehension

What change has the Shiga Prefectural Government made to employee name badges?
How many employees are affected by this initiative?
What is the purpose of allowing employees to use last-name-only badges?
What concern prompted this change in badge design?
What format were the traditional badges in before the change?
How does using hiragana on badges provide more anonymity?
Who announced the decision to make name badges more flexible?
When did Gov. Taizo Mikazuki address this initiative in a press conference?

Discussion

Do you think using last names on badges is a good way to protect employees? Why or why not?
How important is privacy for employees working in public-facing roles?
Should more workplaces adopt this approach to prevent customer harassment?
How might this policy impact customer interactions with staff?
Have you ever felt uncomfortable sharing personal information at work? Why?
What other steps can companies take to prevent employee harassment?
How does social media contribute to issues like customer harassment?
Should employees have the right to refuse displaying their names altogether?
How can workplaces balance customer needs and employee safety?
What cultural factors might influence how personal information is shared at work?

Vocabulary

Badge – A small sign worn to show someone's name, job, or affiliation.
Harassment – Behavior that annoys, intimidates, or threatens someone.
Anonymity – The state of keeping one's identity unknown.
Kanji – A system of Japanese writing using Chinese characters.
Hiragana – A basic Japanese script used for phonetic representation.
Flexible – Able to adapt to new situations or changes.
Initiative – A new plan or action to address a problem or situation.
Privacy – The right to keep personal information confidential.