'Customer harassment' faced by 35% of local government officials

A shocking new report highlights that 35% of local government officials in Japan have faced workplace harassment through unreasonable demands or unpleasant behavior, significantly higher than the 10.8% rate among private-sector employees. The disparity likely stems from administrative services requiring equitable and equal service delivery. The survey also reveals that nearly 72% of harassment cases originate from frustration among local residents or contractors, while a similar number involve officials during customer service interactions. Additionally, power harassment was observed in 15.7% of cases, with individuals in their 40s experiencing the highest rate at 19.3%.