When I first joined my company, things went well. I enjoyed my work, my projects were progressing, and I felt optimistic about building my career in Japan.
Things began to change when a new project manager joined the team. At first, he seemed reasonable, but before long I began hearing complaints from my colleagues. Female employees were expected to greet him every morning, while male employees were not held to the same expectation. Staff were made to carry out humiliating tasks, and there never seemed to be any clear standard for what counted as “satisfactory” work. Instead, it felt like the decision was based on his personal opinion or mood. That uncertainty created an atmosphere where people felt they could be punished or removed from projects without warning.
Eventually, I became one of his targets.
As my own project began winding down, another employee – not my manager and not someone responsible for supervising my work – started watching my every move. Although he had no technical expertise in my field, he regularly criticized my work based purely on appearances and repeatedly inserted himself into my day-to-day tasks. It felt as though he had been assigned to monitor me on management’s behalf.
When I finally asked him to focus on his own job instead of harassing me, the situation only escalated. He was moved to the desk next to mine so he could watch me more closely. I asked to change seats, but my request was refused.
The constant scrutiny and pressure eventually became overwhelming. In December, I had no choice but to take mental health leave.
When my doctor cleared me to return at the end of January, I expected to resume my duties. Instead, the company instructed me to remain at home on what they called “medical standby.” Because they had no work to assign me, I was told not to report to the office and to stay at home until further notice.
Weeks turned into months.
From late January until May, I remained at home waiting for work that never came. I wasn’t given any assignments or meaningful work, yet I was still evaluated on my performance. Those evaluations resulted in a reduction to my salary. It was an impossible situation – I was being judged for work I was never given the opportunity to do.
In Japan, there is a term for employees who are pushed to the sidelines and left without meaningful work: “window sitting,” or 窓際族 (madogiwazoku). Traditionally, it refers to workers who are moved to the “window seat” and quietly excluded from important work while they wait out the remainder of their careers. In my case, I wasn’t even given a desk. I was told to stay home while I waited for work that never came.
Being told to stay home with no work might sound like a welcome break, but it wasn’t. Every day I wondered whether I would ever be assigned another project or whether the company was simply waiting for me to resign. I couldn’t demonstrate my abilities, couldn’t contribute to the team, and couldn’t even defend my performance because there was no work to perform. Being excluded from meaningful work and left in limbo can be just as damaging as more obvious forms of workplace harassment.
With the support of the General Union, I challenged both the harassment I experienced and the company’s treatment of me. Through discussions with the company, I was eventually assigned to a new project and allowed to work remotely rather than returning to the office where the harassment had taken place.
While this was an important step forward, the case is far from over. I am still working under reduced conditions, and the union continues to press the company to restore my original salary and the working conditions I was hired under. For now, I have meaningful work again, but we’re continuing to fight to ensure my employment remains secure and that the company fully addresses the harm that has been done.
Many people think power harassment only involves shouting, insults, or public humiliation. My experience taught me that it can also take quieter forms: isolating a worker, denying them meaningful work, monitoring them excessively, and creating conditions designed to push them toward the exit. No worker should have to face that alone.
General Union’s View
Power harassment is not limited to yelling or intimidation. Excluding workers from meaningful work, placing them on indefinite standby, or setting them up to fail through unfair evaluations can be equally damaging. When these tactics are used to pressure someone into resigning or accepting worse conditions, workers do not have to face them alone. If you believe you are being sidelined or subjected to similar treatment, contact the General Union. We are here to help.
Part 2 – Psychological Aggression through Micromanagement