We need your support and cooperation. 

Stop Toei Animation from conducting the following:

• refusing to negotiate with our collective bargaining because a member of the LGBT community is using a preferred name instead of their assigned name is given at birth
• power harassment and unfair job role change 

Toei Animation masterpieces are crying and animators should not be deceived.

Toei Animation conducting power harassment and violating human rights against LGBT 

Toei Animation has produced many masterpieces such as "One Piece", "Pretty Cure", "Adventure of Dai", "Sailor Moon", "Dragon Ball", and "GeGeGe no Kitaro”; however, there are two big issues concerning Toei Animation that we would like to bring to your attention.  

(1) Harassing an employee, stripping him of his role, and continuing with harassment

(2) A union member leading the negotiations with Toei Animation uses a preferred name because they identify with a gender different from the assigned gender at birth. Toei Animation is claiming that "Isn't this a fake name?” “Tell us this union member's real name” and not cooperating with our negotiations.

"You need to deceive animators to get your work done  ” 

Mr. A, an employee of Toei Animation was working as an episode director, checking and adjusting animations that animators created. One day, a veteran animation supervisor suddenly became upset with the direction that Mr. A had given and unreasonably yelled at Mr. A. Ironically, Toei Animation did not reprimand the veteran supervisor but removed Mr. A from his role.  Mr. A upset that he was removed from his role, consulted with his boss. His boss simply advised him that “You need to deceive animators to get your work done” “Employees need to work hard like bees” without any further explanation. 

Toei Animation is still putting pressure on Mr. A and trying to silence him and implying that he might lose his job.

Toei Animation not even cooperating to negotiations

Mr. A realized that the company was not taking problems seriously, Mr. A  joined Precariat Union, a labor union that any individual can join, and requested Precariat Union to start negotiations. During negotiations, Toei Animation does not submit the required forms and documents necessary for negotiations. It is against the law for companies to refuse negotiations with a labor union and The Labor Relations Commission has stepped in to conduct further detailed research. 

One of our union member who is involved in the negotiations with Toei Animation uses a preferred name because they identify with a gender that differs from the one assigned at birth. Using a preferred name that you go by every day to others is completely different from a "pseudonym," which is fabricated on the spot to deceive people. Toei Animation is claiming that this is an act of deceivement however this union member is not using an alias fabricated on the spot to deceive others. Foreigners living in Japan using a different name,  using a  name that replaces the person's previous surname are not pseudonyms. Toei Animation is claiming that “isn’t this union member using a pseudonym” “they should reveal their real name” and “if they do not reveal their real name, the minimal trust necessary for negotiations is lost”. 

Toei Animation masterpieces are crying 

Toei Animation has many famous animation masterpieces. In their original animation lineup, the Pretty Cure series which was released in 2004 has always been sending messages that “people can be free regardless of their gender and to live to attain their dreams and hopes”. In 2018, they introduced a male character in the Pretty Cure team which many LGBT members not only in Japan but worldwide voiced posted messages of excitement that flew off the shelves. Here are some of their voices:

Pretty Cure saved my life
The creators gave a voice to the characters to say “have hope” but also showed us hope
If children can grow with these fantastic pieces of work from Toei Animation, I want to live for the future 

The union member leading the negotiations who is being accused by Toei Animation that their name was a pseudonym is a fan of Toei Animation and states that they have been given hope from various animations. 

In the past, Toei Animation depicted an evil organization that was defeated since they were corrupt. Toei Animation has consistently focused on the importance of friends but on the other hand, Toei Animation management is saying to their employees who help them create their animations to “work like bees” “you need to deceive coworkers to get your work done ” and harassing and violating human rights is a betrayal of the heartbeat that ticks in each animation and will hurt fans. 

Toei Animation management should cooperate with our negotiations and together find a solution. 

If you have any comments on this case, please contact:

Mr. Katsuhiro Takagi

President of Toei Animation Co.

https://corp.toei-anim.co.jp/en/contact.html

Nakano Central Park East 5F, 4-10-1 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-0001, Japan

Tel: 81-3-5318-0678

 

If you have any comments, please contact Mr. Yoshio Maekawa, Mayor of Nerima City.

Nerima City is the birthplace of Japanese animation and where Toei Animation's Oizumi Studio is located.

https://www.city.nerima.tokyo.jp/cgi-bin/formmail/formmail.cgi?d=kocho_answer

Public Relations Section, Public Information Division 6-12-1 Toyotamakita, Nerima-ku, Tokyo 176-8501

Public Relations Section, Public Relations and Public Relations Department TEL: 81-3-5984-4501 FAX: 81-3-3993-4106

For labor consultation, please contact 

Precariat Union

https://www.precariat-union.or.jp/

c/o Union Undo Center, Palace Lous 5F, 4-28-14 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0004, Japan

info@precariat-union.or.jp

TEL: 81-3-6273-0699 Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00