You're kidding? - What the...?
Are they together?
She surely knows her way around.
Nowadays, society is filled with harassment.
There are sexual, power, moral, and many other types of harassment.
Even though people in Japan are aware of this problem,
nothing has changed and harassment still occurs.
The age discrimination of women is ridiculed.
Older female workers are not valued.
Only the young and beautiful are praised.
Age harassment.
In short, A-hara.
This is a story about
a woman fighting against age harassment.
Age Harassment Episode 4
Original air date: July 30, 2015
If this rumour spreads, I don't want to see Director Gondo's face.
If we keep getting negative points, they'll make me retire.
I think it'd be better to explain the Hiramoto situation before it spreads big time.
Asano Makoto (49)
General Affairs Deputy Division Chief
Today's the first day for the Section Chief of the First Textiles division.
Takayama Tetsutaro (52)
General Affairs Division Chief
Yes.
Sada Koichi (36)
General Affairs Deputy Section Chief
And the implementation of the new phone system.
Osawa Yuriko (41)
General Affairs Section Chief
What's with the new telephones?
Have you heard they are changing phones?
Not at all.
Ikura Masao (54)
Nakazato Keiko (47)
General Affairs Manager
General Affairs Clerk
Why so suddenly?
These new phones will greatly impact how do we do things,
so please properly explain the situation to the staff.
I'm counting on you...
This is another brainchild coming from Director Gondo.
Yes.
General Affairs, please gather.
I have two issues to discuss.
As you all know, Hiramoto-kun is on a leave of absence for one week.
First Textiles Section Chief Yamakawa went overboard with the senpai-kouhai relationship with Hiramoto.
This issue was discovered by Yoshii-san and Chief Hoshina.
There are suspicious photos going around which were taken during the discovery of this matter.
Incidentally, Nakazato-san and I were present there at that time.
Except for this, these two are not involved in any way.
One more thing.
Starting today, General Affairs receives new phones.
It is an internal phone.
If it rings,
you answer with "General Affairs Emergency."
Huh? So it's called "General Affairs Emergency" now?
If a person from the company has a problem and doesn't know where to get help,
they can turn to us using this internal phone line.
Until now General Affairs has done various odd jobs.
So naming it "Emergency" increases our workload?
- Hey, hey, Ikawa. - Yes.
Don't say it like it's a curse.
This is Director Gondo's great idea to get the employees to acknowledge the steady job of General Affairs.
Right!
And the Chief still cares about the points.
General Affairs Emergency will solve every single problem that is brought to us.
This the pride of the people of General Affairs.
- Right, Ikura? - Yes.
That's a good point!
"Pride" describes it perfectly, and only you could think of it.
Right.
Right? And now, now...
Everyone is a member of the Emergency section, so let's decide who takes the lead first.
I've done numerous things connected with leadership and this...
- I can do it too. - Me too.
- I am temporary worker... - Sorry-chan, sorry-chan!
You can't decide for those who aren't here.
Yoshii-san, if you could.
What?
Yes...
General Affairs Emergency.
Water on the floor?
Please wipe it with a paper towel.
- If you excuse me. - Hey, hey...
You can't answer it like that.
"If that is the case, please clean it off using paper towels."
- Your way will not show Director Gondo's true feelings. - Sorry.
I'm counting on you.
General Affairs Emergency.
Help with the First Textiles' Chief appointment?
Please come to the General Affairs offices.
- Hey, hey! - Then, I...
On behalf of our Chief's- - Hello, sorry.
Because you are busy with the appointment, we will prepare the documents and seals.
This was General Affairs Emergency.
Good job!
I did it!
So, so, so...
Our newly appointed Section Chief Oda Midori-san was working in the First Textiles since day one, and for a long time abroad.
She came back from Singapore.
I'm Oda.
There is one thing that I will always ask from you, that is to work to earn your salary.
You are obligated to work equal to the pay you receive.
It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, a Clerk or a Career.
I'm telling you this because it's about making a profit for the company.
Kikuchi Akemi (40)
First Textiles Staff
Ichikawa Ruriko (35)
First Textiles Staff
To put it another way, no matter if it is a black cat or a white cat,
a good cat is the one that catches the mouse.
Looking forward to be working with you.
Looking forward to working with you.
- Division Chief, I'm looking forward to be working with you. - Likewise.
Wait a moment! I'm surprised!
I thought you were a Section Chief of Second Textiles, what happened?
And when I heard you've been placed somewhere else...
This is our new employee, Yoshii.
Things have changed since you last worked here, so please read this.
- As the General Affairs Section Chief... - Even the company makes us do useless things.
Such as making a person like you the owner of the General Affairs stamp shop.
Signatures in Japan are in form of stamps. For more info, Google: "hanko"
I won't read it all, just email me the important points.
We cannot do that.
Should you come to our offices, we will-
Isn't this something "General Affairs Emergency" should do?
I'm working here to make a profit for the company.
For the company's profit and for my own salary.
I'll come and greet you later.
General Affairs is working so that the whole company can make a profit, so
there are some things you need to do for yourself.
Please.
What happened?
The new section chief of First Textiles is unpleasant.
Though I get what she's saying.
No matter if it's a black cat or a white cat, she will evaluate the one who catches mice.
You could feel this is a trading company.
Meanwhile, you are sticking "General Affairs Emergency is now in effect" posters on the wall?
General Affairs Emergency? What a lame name.
- What is this "Emergency"? - Dunno.
There are plans to rapidly expand ASEAN's section.
So about this plant...
In every company there are two types of employees.
The ones who were standing over there are the general staff, the Clerks. They help in the office.
The busy ones going down the hall are the Career ones.
Both types have assigned colour name-tags.
Careers are blue, clerks are orange. Temporary workers have no colour.
The First Textiles Chief greeted us today with "no matter if you are Career or Clerk, do your job".
That's something a man wouldn't say.
Our Careers and Clerks don't get along.
Careers work overtime hours, go on business trips and get relocated. They can easily get paid leave also.
A Career's job is harder as they get older.
They serve highly responsible positions and can be transferred.
Although if you convert the hourly wages, Clerks earn more.
- Huuuh. - What "huuuuh"?
We Clerks from General Affairs are angry.
Right. You're from the Careers and you do the same job as us, yet your salary is higher.
Isn't it great?
It resulted in the delay of delivery time.
If you excuse me...
Here's the new employees' rules document and the compliance-
Wait a second.
Someone make 10 copies of this.
- About this... - Just leave it somewhere.
If you excuse me.
I'll make a copy.
You're busy, it's okay.
Kikuchi-san.
I'm a Clerk, so if you excuse me.
If you excuse me.
Wait a second. Go back and do your job.
We will do this during our working hours.
Right.
Even so, "We're Clerks, so we'll leaving" is not the proper way to say it.
Why is that?
We didn't want to work overtime, be relocated or do business trips, that's why we're Clerks.
Until we told you that, you made us work 10-15 minutes longer.
So if you spent 10-15 minutes on blabbing, does it count as working?
General Affairs Emergency, make the emergency copies.
Yes.
Ten copies, right?
Clerks like you bother me the most.
I've seen a lot of Clerks and it is a section of people with great knowledge.
They have a totally different job from the Careers, and they are professionals at it.
That's what I meant when I asked you to earn your salary.
From now on, I will not count blabbing around the lockers as working time.
Thanks for your work, go home.
General Affairs Emergency, are the copies done?
Not yet.
One-two!
Okay! OK!
I guess putting the potted plants upright after the storm is also a job of General Affairs Emergency.
General Affairs Emergency was pushed onto us by Director Gondo.
Teito Trading Managing Director
Gondo Susumu (63)
- Thanks for your work. - Director Gondo...
We're doing our best following your creation of General Affairs Emergency.
- Emergency...? - Yes.
Ah, right. Do your best.
He doesn't remember at all.
Yeah, he doesn't.
So the new First Textiles Chief took on the Clerks?
- Our Clerks don't work at all, and they don't come to the meetings too. - Sorry for the wait.
Our Careers come to the meetings.
- Sorry for suddenly calling you. - Not a problem.
Ikawa-kun, if you were to marry,
would you prefer a Clerk or a Career?
You're able to talk about various things with Careers,
and they become a positive stimulus of sorts,
but the Clerks are popular among men.
- Riiiiiiight. - Excuse me.
Clerks are stylish; they use their money to look good.
Careers consider being stylish a low priority.
Going against Yoshii-san is a moral harassment.
But I'm just joking, you know?
You know, a lot of men prefer marrying a clerk.
It seems people aiming for marriage won't think of marrying a Career at first.
But if a marriage between company employees doesn't work out, what would you do?
Maybe change from Career to Clerk?
Changing occupations is difficult.
But Clerks finish their job quickly, so they have time for yoga classes.
And cooking or tea making.
They find consolation in having themselves in tow.
That's a harassment too?
- Thanks for waiting! - Here, here!
Cheers!
But you know, older Clerks are sad.
Even Chief Hoshina doesn't flirt with them.
Yoshii-kun, I'll just bluntly ask you,
what is your connection to this playboy Hoshina-kun?
Yoshii-san's pretty and young.
- Something must've happened? - Sexual harassment!
Sexual harassment.
There's nothing between us.
He's capable at his job, and he's popular,
though I can't accept such a young section chief.
- He's Sada's peer.
You know what? This guy right here, he kept saying he's single for the longest time.
- And then, suddenly, a young and pretty... - Clerk?
Yup, a clerk.
She became a full-time housewife.
That's the best way of living for men, right?
But women are like "I'm just playing around"
"I despise such men, I want to make it even"
they say stuff like that.
And then things go deeper and deeper.
Contracting a licence with Conchiglione would determine the future of the company,
but I'm thinking of withdrawing the offer as soon as possible.
Hoshina Akihiko (36)
Second Textiles Section Chief
When I was a section chief, hardly ever did we have to make such decisions.
And when I think about how suddenly this great deal appeared, and how quickly contact was made with the person in charge at Adriano...
We'll pay a great deal of money because of this deal, right?
Exactly.
I predict this sum, Chief.
Licence ~26.86 million USD
Initial payment ~6.84 million USD
It's far more than I researched...
Yasuda Shoichi (50)
Textile Business Division Chief
Are you sure, Hoshina-kun?
Yes. I don't think it wouldn't be a huge mistake.
If we don't reveal this soon, it'd turn into an even greater loss.
- There's no way to overturn it? - No.
Withdrawing wouldn't be a defeat. It would be an escape.
You're having a hard time now...
I've fought these battles too, working with clients from all over the world.
Wanna go back?
Yeah.
That wasn't the right way to do it.
That will only get you complaints from clients.
Let's go for a sweet white wine tonight.
With ham and melon, right?
Looks delicious!
Can I have a take out from what's left from that table?
Yes.
This will be enough for three days.
Good job!
I asked for you to be the leader of this project.
Huh?
You've been here for eleven years. You're experienced. You'll be in the center of the company.
It's important that this big job be entrusted to a young Career from our division.
What's wrong?
I want to change from the Career path to the Clerk one.
I got married last fall and we want a baby soon.
I want to be able to do my job as a wife too.
Careers are super busy and their responsibility is bigger.
I get behind with household chores.
So Clerks can be behind with the company's duties?
- Is that what you mean? - Not at all.
Being a clerk does not mean abandoning one or the other,
it's being able to do one's job in both fields.
In the end, you don't fail at all.
It's about a high salary right?
Understood. Go and help the Clerks.
If you cry over something like this,
you can't be a leader no matter what. Get out of my sight.
When you become a Clerk, you can do whatever you like until you get old.
You'll think what to prepare for dinner during that time, huh?
I will not forgive that woman.
Chief Takayama.
- I'm back. - Oda-kun! Oda-kun.
- Nothing has changed here. - Not at all!
Ikura-san, how's your health? Take care of yourself.
Sada-kun! You're getting closer to the Chief's desk, that's nice.
So, so, so...
I came to properly hand it to you.
Thank you.
Please, sit here.
Is this the famous First Textiles Section Chief?
- She's super cool. - How old is she?
42. And single.
- Excuse me. - Ice coffee.
Thanks. Huh?
Aren't you from the Careers?
Chief, you're making a Career bring the tea?
Seriously...
Water in a paper cup would be enough.
You need to use her knowledge properly!
Somehow, when I look at her Yoshii-san seems awful.
- Our Chief too. - I was thinking the same.
- She doesn't age. - Agreed.
What is your main duty here?
Everything connected to General Affairs
She does her best all the time.
It's good, but be efficient.
- Yes? - People who have a problem with the company
can do their best but they don't bring results.
Since I came back to Japan, all I see are slackers.
Slackers?
And not only Clerks, but Careers as well.
I briefly saw some guys over 50 that do not work at all! They are just slacking off for high pay.
It's a power harassment towards these men.
This.
Everything that's said can be turned into harassment.
Scolding useless men or lazy women is not a harassment.
It's a just a warning for the lazy ones.
Exactly!
It's been a long time since you were in Japan so you may not know,
the times where you could say whatever you want in the company are long gone.
- That's why your way of talking from your time in Japan is now a crime. - Stupid.
Harassment, or tone, is not done for the sole purpose of doing.
If the other side feels good about us, they're okay with that.
If not, they make a fuss. Aren't there such cases?
- Right? Chief. - Yeah...
No, not really.
If they keep using the same flimsy excuse, what do you do?
General Affairs Emergency.
Oda-kun! Welcome back!
The prodigal daughter is back.
And did you put on some weight?
- Just joooooking! - Asano!
Huh? You've lost quite a lot of hair, Asano-san!
How about you worry more about that than my weight?
In front of the Chief too...
It seems Asano-san is the type that can't handle being harassed.
I'll be careful from now on. Just jooooking!
Cool!
Brilliant!
Is that so...
You've reached the General Affairs Emergency, but we deal with the Compliance Committee as well. We'll get back to you with our Section Chief.
Chief Oda's power and moral harassment towards Clerks is beyond everything!
We couldn't comply with this, and that's why we're here.
She's a person who wouldn't acknowledge anyone but those who bring results.
Society is comprised of various people, right?
Each person has different strengths and she doesn't understand that.
I totally understand what you're saying.
We cannot deal with this until we hear from Chief Oda, so please be patient.
If you don't mind the perspective from a new employee,
there are different people in a society, whose strength creates various things.
In the case of a company, I understand Chief Oda's point of view.
Says the Career.
Come to the First Textiles.
We'll do your carefree General Affairs job.
You've come to complain to General Affairs, it's not carefree.
Yoshii-san.
We'll deal with this right away,
please do your job as usual.
We have one more request.
We wish we had a supervisor with a family like you, Osawa-san.
Why?
It's hard to talk about marriage with a Chief who's yet to marry,
as well as talk about kids with a Chief without one.
Isn't such thinking a harassment?
If you please.
Excuse us.
General Affairs can't get involved in conflicts.
These are expenses. Deal with it.
Yes.
Only the nicest places.
I'd love to go to this sushi place, "Ginza Juubei"
Twenty thousand for one person... And I've never been there.
We're the Clerks, so we get only the rolling one.
General Affairs?
The shredder stopped working,
We have documents that need to be urgently destroyed,
Around ten boxes. Deal with it as General Affairs Emergency
Excuse us.
- You're late. Be quicker! - Sorry.
Okay.
General Affairs Emergency usually answers phone calls only.
- We'll make an exception today. - Right.
General Affairs Emergency-san.
General Affairs neglects paper documents in these paperless times.
People specializing in such tasks should take responsibility.
Is this the foreign way of asking us to do something?
Sorry. Sorry. Right.
These two princesses, these gossip girls do not work for their salaries.
Get these too, okay?
Saying "get this" though...
Sorry. General Affairs-san, please kindly do this.
- What is this? - No clue.
- Such a... - I get it.
I have a meeting now, so
General Affairs Emergency, thank you Emergency.
- Yoshii-san, hold this properly. - Yes.
- Thanks for your work. - Thanks.
Whose is it?
My laptop should be on the top of the desk, bring it here.
It isn't there?
What happened? Chief!
It's nowhere to be found.
I thought maybe General Affairs took it with the boxes, so I called them
It wasn't there.
Where it can be? It's not a needle in a haystack.
Nevermind. I secured it,
and even after charging the password would be hard to break.
I'm going to the meeting. Call General Affairs and tell them to come at 4 pm.
Okay.
You are slow in processing the documents, and you should be coming to me, not the other way around.
Why should I come here specifically?
It's not that easy to give you a new laptop.
There are some necessities to do before retrieving the information.
Such a troublesome thing...
What was it? "Whatever General Affairs"? "Quick General Affairs"?
"General Affairs Emergency".
This. Why don't you do it?
The company pays for it. And it's your fault the information is lost, Chief.
When given to a professional, there is a risk of breaking the password.
Your carelessness became troublesome,
so please deal with the problem yourself.
Chief... I saw it.
I saw the employees who switched the laptops.
You're kidding...
There's no doubt.
The two Clerks who came with a complaint before noon.
Are you sure? Did you see it for yourself?
I'll meet them in secret and convince to give back the laptop.
Reporting a theft would be awful.
Even if you saw it clearly, we have no proof.
I'll go with Abe-san.
Abe-san?
These two don't have the nicest opinion about me,
so maybe Abe-san will get them to speak.
We'll talk to them.
We'll say it straight out: it's about the Section Chief's computer.
I saw how you two switched the computers.
It was when we came to get the boxes of documents to be destroyed.
No one else saw it.
Sorry, what are you talking about?
We're giving the Chief a new computer, but why don't you give the old one back?
Still, what are you talking about?
We'll say we took it with the boxes for shredding.
We'll make it so that General Affairs was at fault.
We don't get what you mean.
We won't say it to anyone; it'll be just me, the temporary worker, and her.
We'll deal with this without anyone noticing.
So there are great Careers too, huh.
But we have no idea what you're referring to.
Sorry.
We don't earn our salary, we're too noisy, you know.
It would be better to solve this quickly and make it our fault.
Chief Oda will soon go to the police.
If I am asked by the police,
I will say I saw the switch.
Right... So tell the police whatever you like.
Then we will tell about looking down on us and harassment.
That's why switching the laptops is a crime.
We don't know what you're saying, but if it's like that,
we'll claim it was a self-defense against the Chief's power harassment.
Even a temporary worker such as myself understands how irritating your boss can be.
I'll put it bluntly, but if we report it and you are caught, you'll be forced to resign.
Wouldn't it make it your loss?
So they claim self-defense...
Abe-san tried different approaches, but with no luck. Sorry.
Like expected, reporting a crime will be awful.
Please wait a second.
Yoshii-san, it's Kikuchi-san from the First Textiles.
We can give it back.
Thank you very much!
We have one condition though.
Do not make it look like it's your fault.
We'll proudly say we switched the laptops.
People will know we were driven to something like this because of power and moral harassment.
It will destroy the Clerks reputation, but they'll understand.
Wait a second,
Chief Oda will have to do dogeza to apologize for this!
dogeza - kneeling directly on the ground and bowing to prostrate oneself as touching one's head to the floor
And then we'll give the computer back.
Such a cruel thing!
This is something one should do not because they're forced to.
The chief's moral and power harassment is cruel!
If you don't accept it, go to police, do what you want.
I'm on the Career path, just like Chief Oda.
I'll do the dogeza.
Then you'll give it back, right?
Please stop!
Why do you go so far as to do the dogeza for such a cruel boss?
As a General Affairs Career, I'm working to earn my salary.
I'll do it. It's not in my job description, but at least they get to ridicule me.
Unless a Career is the one apologizing, there's no meaning to it.
It's okay. It's about my duties.
Enough!
Giving it back, it's like earning our salaries, right?
Thank you.
Our Section Chief will deal with this properly, please talk to her.
- Hello... Chief? - Yes.
Please.
Don't worry.
We'll make sure no one finds out.
Have you found my comp-
Huh? Why are you here?
Is this your doing?
Let's explain this in the conference room...
That's not necessary.
Why did you hide my computer?
I have the backup of the data, so it's not that.
If the clients' photos,
my work documents, and emails
were to be seen by other people, I'd feel uncomfortable.
I don't get people like you, slacking off during working hours.
I'd never think you would do something like this,
but if you by any chance cracked the password, you wouldn't have understood a thing.
swine = pig
People who do not earn their salaries is like casting pearls before swine.
Idiot... I'll fight you tooth and nail
You are the swine, Chief.
She snapped again.
You do not realize the value of your subordinates!
It's the same as if you cast pearls before swine.
Do you know who are you talking to?
A swine.
She said...
I am angry at you two.
You want to get married so you become Clerks
And then you don't marry,
but go for workouts and food, and not earn your salary!
Society is comprised of different people.
A society pursuing only success is wrong.
That's why I liked your principles about success.
This is a company!
So there's nothing to complain about.
A complaint was made about a supervisor who is unable to administrate their subordinates.
If you think of yourself as the best, your subordinates won't be of any merit to you!
Did you forget who are you talking to?
A swine.
There are hundreds of people as capable as you are.
You keep thinking you're the best, it's "under-harassment"!
Under...?
shitabara = lower belly
Harassment towards people under you.
Who would follow such a boss?
Besides, there are other violent supervisors in this company.
I'd like to say it too...
We will give the Chief a new one, there's no need to give it back.
We'll have a pro to retrieve the photos, you can even throw it away.
And I'm impressed again by this little girl telling me off!
Give me the computer back.
If you don't, it's a theft. A crime.
Kikuchi-san, do you have any conditions?
Doge-
No.
Dogeza? What an easy condition.
I can do it many times.
I'm good at this. I'll do it right away.
I'll say it, because Kikuchi-san's afraid to.
Meaningful dogeza is not an easy thing to do.
You'll take every First Textiles' female employee to the sushi restaurant you go to.
This is the "condition which is hard to ask for".
Spontaneous treat, I'd say.
Sure, bring everyone, and then please teach me how to manage your workers.
If you fail to do that, you'll pay yourselves, right?
Please put your shoes on.
- Thanks - No problem.
You... You're something.
You aimed for First Textiles? I'll get you there.
By all means. When she is done working for us, please take her.
This is a one-in-a-million chance.
No, thank you. Until I learn all what I have to learn, I'll stay with General Affairs.
Right.
About the Conchiglione's licence,
Hoshina and Yamakawa were fighting over this company in EP3.
I understand that the official withdrawal means you have another proposal?
In order to cooperate with a brand even more popular than theirs, we had to withdraw the licence.
Hoshina-kun started working to make a deal with a brand from Geneva.
During the next board meeting I'll have to report I knew about this waste of time.
You meant well and it didn't work out,
So you're just saying you'll do your best with Geneva?
As the person in charge, I'm responsible for the caused damage.
I will definitely turn the loss into a gain.
A good boxer takes no damage when being punched by the opponent.
He doesn't win too.
That's what a gym owner I once knew told me.
- Win. By all means! - I will.
- Going through withdrawal? - Yes.
Bummer. Wasn't there another way?
Shut up, woman!
- Hello. - Hoshina-kun?
Chief Yasuda called and told me about the withdrawal.
I'm glad you decided that so fast.
How about we go drinking tonight?
I can be home late.
I'll pass today. I will go home immediately.
Like I expected, I'm exhausted.
I'm not in the mood for meetings.
Sorry.
Right. Bye.
In the great city of Tokyo there are a lot of people who are doing their best.
They all cling to their hometowns in their hearts.
What are you doing?
I'm exhausted after today.
I was admiring the nightview.
Right.
There are walls which young people should not break, right?
I broke one of them today...
I'm tired from the remorse and embarassment.
You got in a fight with the First Textiles Chief, right?
I blurted out some things to the Chief...
I said to her: "Shut up, woman!"
I called her a swine.
A swine?
- I guess I lost. -Sorry.
That's not something to apologize for.
We all do our best.
But you said you're not in the mood...
People's thoughts one by one came to light, so...
- Let's go. - Huh?
Get in.