Mie becomes first Japanese prefecture to pass customer harassment ordinance with penalties of up to ¥500,000
First seen · Oct 17, 4:04 AM (Seoul) · Last updated · Oct 17, 4:04 AM (Seoul)
The Mie Prefectural Assembly on Oct. 16 unanimously passed Japan’s first customer harassment (‘kasuhara’) ordinance with penalties. Violating a governor’s prohibition order could bring a fine of up to 500,000 yen, and the ordinance takes effect in April 2027.
What happened
The Mie Prefectural Assembly on Oct. 16 passed Japan’s first customer harassment ordinance with penalties by a vote of 45–0. It defines ‘specified kasuhara’ as acts such as repeatedly or at length demanding money, goods, apologies or meetings without just cause, or causing staff severe distress through shouting or false reports.
Why it's trending
After receiving a report from a business and an investigation by an expert panel, the governor can issue a prohibition order, and those who do not comply will be referred to investigative authorities. Violators could face fines of up to 500,000 yen. The ordinance drew attention because customer harassment ordinances in other municipalities have had no penalties.
Reactions
While there are hopes it will serve as a deterrent, concerns were also raised about how to draw the line between legitimate complaints and harassment. Regional papers in Ishikawa, Niigata, Aomori and elsewhere carried the story under headlines along the lines of ‘deterrent effect expected, worries over where to draw the line.’
What to watch
The ordinance takes effect on April 1, 2027. Attention is on what criteria will be used to issue prohibition orders in practice.