When I got back to New York City, I wrote a letter to the president of Yamada's US branch, Stacy Akiyama, explaining what happened. I saw it as a clear case of sexual harassment.
Of course, Stacy came back saying that he didn't. In fact, he had a younger guy (who was also involved in the beer-pouring incident) write a formal letter of apology to the company but let Miyazaki off scot-free.That's how it's done a lot of times, I guess—they try to minimize accountability of the important people.
Ultimately, I settled for a shopping spree at Kenneth Cole. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but the 22-year old me was satisfied with some new leather boots and the corduroy skirt I always wanted, as a replacement for the outfit that was ruined by the beer. Besides, was I really going to take legal action against the company? No...that would be so un-Japanese of me, and besides, with all the top management denying that it ever really happened, the chances of winning were slim.
I quit a few months later and went to grad school to study women's human rights instead.
And now, five years later, Miyazaki and Stacy are both in jail.
The end.
(Read Miyazaki Rising: A Story of Power, Prison, and Sexual Harassment Part 4)
Nice Christmas tale ! :p
When I was working in Japan, I saw so often japanese men behaving in such shameful manners, but only over 40 years old men. Maybe it's an old generation thing and young men are becoming more respectful to women. Am I wrong?
Posted by: Pixoshiru | December 15, 2007 at 02:17 AM