Tokyo court orders ramen shop operator to pay Myanmar worker over illegal deductions
TOKYO -- The Tokyo District Court ordered a ramen shop operator based in the Japanese capital on Sept. 11 to pay about 1 million yen (approx. $6,570)
A ramen shop operator in Tokyo was ordered to pay a Myanmar worker approximately $6,570 in September after she claimed the company illegally deducted her entire first paycheck. The 30-year-old woman, who worked under a Specified Skilled Worker visa, sought over $11,170 in unpaid wages and other compensation. The court found the company violated the Labor Standards Act by deducting initial expenses, including housing deposits and key money, from her wages.
She received only about $263 in her first three months and was pressured to leave the company housing. Judge Hidehito Hosokawa criticized the company's actions, noting the woman was placed in an "extreme situation." The woman, who arrived in Japan in late January 2025, received minimal pay and was ordered to pay about $390 for airfare, despite the company explaining the expense beforehand. The ruling ordered the company to pay $3,680 in unpaid wages and damages for emotional distress.
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