Gender disparity runs deep in
The comments made by a rising marketing strategist that only surfaced at a seminar outside the company suggest how gender bias and other discrimination are still widespread and tolerated in the Japanese corporate world.
The revelation of the Yoshinoya case came only days after the
Ito was asking participants in the lecture to devise a marketing strategy that would “get country girls hooked on (Yoshinoya) like drug addicts while they are still naive virgins,” according to a participant who complained about the remark on social media. Ito continued, saying “they won’t eat (gyudon) once they start getting treated to expensive meals by men.”
The participant who posted the message expressed disappointment and anger over the content of the lecture, which was part of an expensive course at a prestigious university.
Ito’s comments quickly sparked outrage on Twitter and other social media, where people said the remarks insulted women as well as people from the countryside, prompting the company to apologize and dismiss Ito.
Yoshinoya, in a statement Monday, apologized for “causing trouble and unpleasant feelings.” It said “the choice of words and expression used during the lecture were extremely inappropriate and could not be tolerated.”
On Tuesday, Yoshinoya said its board had decided to fire Ito as of Monday, adding that the company will organize a compliance session for executives.
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