Japanese automaker Toyota’s President Akio Toyoda recently apologised to the family of an employee who committed suicide due to work pressure
Recently, a lawsuit was filed against Toyota in Japan for the suicide of its employees due to overworking. After settling the lawsuit, the company’s President Akio Toyoda apologised to the family of the deceased.
The company had to face a lawsuit claiming 123 million Yen, about Rs 8 crore in damages, but the settlement amount has not been revealed yet by the company as per the reports.
In addition to the apology, the Japanese automaker also promised an investigation in the case to prevent any such event in the future. In their statement, the company said, “We are now trying to create a more transparent workplace environment that makes it easier for people to speak up, as well as a management that’s free of power harassment so that each and every employee can work without fear.”
The series of events started last year in September Nagoya High Court in Japan when they concluded that the employee’s death was caused by overworking, noting that he had undergone extreme stress at work before committing suicide in 2010. Initially, the company denied the charges made by the employee’s family.
This isn’t the first time a work-related suicide has made headlines at Toyota. The corporation admitted in 2019 that a 28-year-old engineer’s suicide in 2017 was triggered by his boss’s persistent mockery. Because of the country’s workaholic culture, deaths from overwork and on-the-job stress, including suicides, are a widespread concern in Japan.
