Over 30 per cent of job seekers in Japan suffer from gender discrimination: survey

TOKYO, Japan - A recent survey has shown that nearly 33 per cent of job seekers in Japan feel discriminated against because of their gender, local newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported.

The Japanese Trade Union Confederation, known as Rengo, conducted the online survey that covered 1,000 males and females aged between 15 and 29 who took employment exams within the past three years.

The nationwide survey showed that some 32.8 per cent of respondents, 30.1 per cent of males and 35.7 per cent of females, were troubled by sexism.

When asked about episodes of gender discrimination, with multiple answers allowed, 39.6 percent of the survey respondents said the work positions were prepared for either men or women, while 36.9 percent cited differing gender employment quotas.

In addition, 19.5 percent of job seekers said they heard inappropriate remarks during their interviews.

A 25-year-old woman quoted a company representative as saying, "You will quit quickly because you are a woman." - XINHUA