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Glen Wood is a 49-year-old Canadian single father who had been working as an equity sales manager at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. (MUMSS). He filed a claim against the Japan-based brokerage, asserting that he had been the victim of "paternity harassment" initiated in 2015. He asked the Tokyo District Court to order the firm to reverse its decision to put him on unpaid leave (then fired him) and recognize his rights as a father.

The case has drawn considerable attention, both internationally and in Japan. It shines a harsh spotlight on one of the long-standing traditions of Japanese corporate society: harassment of employees, particularly those who become parents.

Glen Wood’s lawsuit states that when he first asked his company for paternity leave in 2015, he was rejected on the grounds that “there was no such precedent.”

After his son was born in October of that year, the firm was forced to accept Wood’s legal right to parental leave (after they forced a DNA test), but they then refused to return him to his job. He was then fired by the firm.

Message from Glen:

“Thank you to all of you for your support. The videos about this case went viral and were viewed over a million times (please watch and sign our petition if you haven’t already — www.change.org/patahara So many of you, both Japanese citizens and foreigners living in Japan, left hundreds of messages telling stories of abuse you yourselves have suffered. The pervasiveness of this problem in corporate Japan highlights more than ever the importance of my particular case.

The videos generated so much attention that the court decided to cancel the court date at the last minute. For the hearing in July, the court had planned to allow all of MUFJ’s witnesses to testify, while blocking all of mine. The tremendous publicity that this trial received forced the court to reconsider and allow one of my witnesses to testify. It’s a small victory, but it does show what can happen when we are successful in getting get the word out.

The hearing date was rescheduled for Wednesday, October 9th The court will receive open testimony from both sides. The extensive coverage of this case in the media and online shows confirms that this case is no longer merely about myself; it is now about thousands of employees who are quietly suffering and continue to be mistreated. By joining us at Tokyo District Court on October 9th, you send a strong message that harassment is never an acceptable form of management, and announce that the age of abuse is at an end.

Join us and dash the hopes of the opposite side, which believes that the whole affair will just blow over and they can go back to business and abuse as usual.

Let’s show large corporations that abusing their employees is never okay. Mothers need to be protected; Fatherhood needs to be promoted. No more paternity, maternity, power and sexual harassment. Let’s make this a landmark case that will protect thousands of workers, both Japanese and foreigners living in Japan.

I hope to see you on October 9th.“