The General Union remains concerned about COVID-19 safety measures and transparency at Gaba Corporation. The union has been raising these issues since February 2020.

The company has taken some measures to improve safety, but has refused to allow teleworking, or even for instructors to only teach online lessons in the Learning Studio and not teach face-to-face lessons.

Japan continues to experience high numbers of COVID-19 cases. As of July 1st, it has an official death toll of 14,735. 11,276 of these were in 2021, which is only half over. The spread of the more infectious variants is a concern, especially as Gaba allows clients to drink in lessons, which involves removing their mask while sitting right next to the instructor.

Even apart from that, all face to face lessons at Gaba – which are the majority of Gaba lessons – ignore the “Three Cs” of the government. For over a year the government has been asking people to avoid close, confined conversations, and Gaba has been ignoring this advice. Every Gaba face-to-face lesson breaks these three rules.

On July 2nd 2021 the General Union sent correspondence to Gaba. That covered concerns regarding prompt notification of people who were at GABA and later test positive to covid-19. As well as eating and drinking polices and air-conditioning servicing.

The three questions which make up the correspondence can be viewed here.