Female cabin crew working for the Japanese airline Japan Airlines no longer have to wear high-heeled shoes while working. They can now also wear trousers. The adjustment for the nearly six thousand female employees of Japan Airlines applies from April.
The policy change follows the feminist campaign #KuToo, which received a lot of attention in Japan last year. The name #KuToo refers to the Japanese words for ‘shoe’ and ‘pain’ and the international # metoo movement.
The campaign called for no longer forcing female employees to wear high heels while working. An online petition received over 32,000 signatures.
Japanese actress and activist Yumi Ishikawa started the #KuToo campaign because she was forced by a funeral director to wear high heels while working. She calls the change of Japan Airlines policy “a big step”.
According to Ishikawa, women who work in hotels, department stores and banks, for example, must also wear high heels.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said earlier this month that he believes that women should not be subject to employer dress codes. However, another Japanese minister has said, according to local media, that the dress code is “necessary and appropriate”.
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