Rise of #KUTOO: Japanese women reject high-heels rule at work

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#KUTOO is a rising movement against gender discrimination at work in Japan. The founder of campaign, YUMI ISHIKAWA, says that Japanese women have been told how to live for too long and they should say no to the rules that are unfair. June-wei Sum has the story.

Standing tall but not in heels. In Japan, Yumi Ishikawa is spearheading a campaign against both written and unwritten rules that women should wear heels at work.

The campaign's name, KuToo, is a play on Japanese words for shoes - pain - and a pun on the #MeToo movement which is against sexual harassment and violence.

YUMI ISHIKAWA #KUTOO CAMPAIGN FOUNDER "Many people need to realize there is a fundamental sexual discrimination. We need to be angry about this. But we've been taught to live with it for many years. I think it is very important for us to be aware that we are not treated fairly, and we have to be angry about it."

Ishikawa's message quickly snowballed into an online petition which now has over 28-thousand signatures.

YUI MORI #KUTOO CAMPAIGN SUPPORTER "My feet starts hurting and it's painful to keep standing in heels. Sometimes my back even starts to hurt as well. Those are some of the downsides."

Campaigners brought the petition to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. But so far, the minister in charge has only said that high heels are quote, "occupationally necessary and appropriate".

YUMI ISHIKAWA #KUTOO CAMPAIGN FOUNDER "To be honest, I think the government could take more initiative to tackle this issue. I guess they are in a difficult position, so I hope we can continue working with them."

The ministry noted too that men are also often subjected to company rules - requiring them to wear ties and leather shoes.

With a gender pay gap of around 25 percent according to the OECD, and only 4 percent of managerial positions held by women, there's still a ways to go for women's workplace equality in Japan.

Starting from the ground up may not be a bad way to begin. June-wei Sum, CGTN.