A female ex-Konami employee by the name of Yoko Sekiguchi is apparently suing the publisher for ¥33 million ($344,000) in damages for what she describes as sexual discrimination. In her words, she says that she went on maternity leave last October and was absent through April, but when she came back to work, Konami demoted her and docked her pay by ¥200,000 ($2,000) per month (original story can be seen here).
Sekiguchi commented on the issue:
"This is discrimination aimed at female employees who chose to take maternity leave," she said. "...I decided to take legal action because fellow female employees are experiencing the same type of treatment."
Miss Sekiguchi seems to have apparently forgotten that this is Japan, where women have been considered inferior for hundreds of years. Oh well, good for her for sticking up for herself, if it's the real deal. Would it change your opinion of Konami if this claim was proved true?
[Gamasutra Via Kotaku]
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
15 comments | showing # 1 to 15
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
3:40 PM on 06.18.2009
| 
@Shin Oni
Hell yeah! Just give him some crayons and some shrooms and they would have a best seller on their hands.
@Clayton S Chan
It's not a censor I think the guy just drew Phoenix in the corner.
... glad to see this case going forward though... it takes balls (even if she is a she!) to do this type of thing in a relatively close knit industry - but it may make for positive changes for other employees in the industry.
But yeah, Colette, about women being inferior for hundreds of years in Japan-
isn't that true of almost any culture?
P.S. Your name reminds me of toothpaste.
(trolling)
You're allowed 6 weeks by law. Many employers offer 6 months leave with reduced pay.
Being that this is Japan, they probably have their own standards for maternity leave.
I don't see that as a sexist thing. Konami felt that her position was one that needed someone there while she was on maternity leave and replaced her. They kept her in the company and put her in a new position, though at reduced pay.
I think I'd hold off judgment about how kosher this is in Japan until we all know more about how Japanese companies treat maternity leave. For all we know, this could be a lot more common than we realize.
At any rate, Japan needs to get with the times and offer competitive terms to other countries.
Not just Japan, either. *sadface*