Presentation Information
[SY-111-02]LGBTQ+and Mental Health in the Japanese Workplace
*Kazuyoshi Yamamoto (Yamamoto Clinic EAP Institute of Stress Reserch(Japan))
Keywords:
Trasgender,Gender incongruence,Gender transition,Workplace
Among the 738 patients who visited Yamamoto Clinic seeking gender transition, 500 were from Okinawa Prefecture. Based on birth statistics, it is estimated that 1 in 400 females and 1 in 2600 males have gender incongruence. Additionally, among the 738 people, 59 (8.0%) had comorbidities such as depression, schizophrenia, and other mental disorders. According to ReBit's 2025 survey, 27.3% of LGBTQ+ individuals experienced difficulties or harassment during the hiring process, while the figure was 74.0% for transgender individuals. Among LGBTQ+, transgender individuals are more likely to be visible due to their gender transition. This can lead to conflicts with cisgender staff regarding issues such as clothing and restroom usage, making them vulnerable to bullying and harassment, and they are also more likely to experience mental health crises. In a well-known court case, the right of a transgender woman to use the restroom that corresponds to her identified gender was finally recognized by the Supreme Court after a long battle.In Japan, the SOGI Understanding Promotion Act was finally enacted and promulgated in June 2023 after seven years controversy. Although it was insufficient and did not meet the expectations of many stakeholders due to the lack of provisions prohibiting discrimination, it stipulates that as part of their role, employers must take necessary measures such as providing information in the workplace, conducting training, and establishing consultation systems regarding the work environment, and commit to efforts to enhance workers' understanding. In order to protect and promote the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace, it seems important to continuously utilize the SOGI understanding promotion Act and to raise the momentum for its revision. In this symposium, I would like to discuss in detail measures to protect the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly those with gender incongruence, in the workplace.