Morrison Foerster Hosts JICN Seminar on Navigating Workplace Harassment Across Jurisdictions

Workplace harassment is one of the most pressing compliance challenges facing multinational companies operating in Japan. On June 4, 2026, Morrison Foerster welcomed members and guests of the Japan In-House Counsel Network (JICN), a professional network bringing together in-house counsel working in or with Japan, to our Tokyo office for an interactive seminar, “Workplace Harassment: Navigating Differences Between Japan and Western Business Cultures.”

The program featured Takahiro Nonaka, a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Tokyo Litigation Department, and Andrew Turnbull, a partner in the firm’s Global Employment + Labor Group and co-leader of the Anti-Bias Strategy + Defense Task Force, who joined remotely from Washington, D.C. Together, they provided a comparative overview of Japanese and U.S. workplace harassment frameworks and discussed practical approaches to managing harassment risks in multinational organizations.

The discussion focused on the evolving legal and compliance landscape surrounding workplace harassment, including power harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower protections, and customer harassment. Speakers examined how legal standards and cultural expectations differ across jurisdictions, while emphasizing the increasing convergence of global expectations regarding prevention, reporting, investigation, and organizational accountability.

Participants engaged in an interactive case study examining how implicit gender bias can manifest through unequal workplace expectations, including the repeated assignment of administrative and support tasks to female employees despite equivalent roles and responsibilities. The scenario further illustrated the challenges organizations may face in identifying and responding to subtle forms of bias and potential retaliation in the workplace.

Key takeaways included:

• Harassment should be viewed as a governance, compliance, and legal risk issue rather than solely an interpersonal or HR matter.
• Effective reporting mechanisms, prompt investigations, and robust anti-retaliation protections are critical components of a defensible compliance framework.
• Cultural differences may affect workplace interactions but do not excuse discriminatory or harassing conduct.
• Organizations should be attentive to power imbalances and recognize that employee silence does not necessarily indicate the absence of concerns.
• In-house counsel play a central role in helping organizations align local practices with global expectations and regulatory requirements.

The seminar was followed by a networking reception, providing an opportunity for attendees and Morrison Foerster attorneys to continue the discussion in an informal setting.