Whistleblowing in Japan

Olympus whistleblower wins Supreme Court- a first for Japan Japan's Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a whistleblower for the first time in a case that highlights the harsh treatment outspoken employees have endured in a nation that fervently values fidelity and conformity. The case was initiated by Masaharu Hamada who argued he had been demoted at Olympus and ignored by colleagues after raising the issue of supplier complaints. This judgment comes just two months after Olympus reached a reported £10 million provisional settlement with former CEO, Michael Woodford, who was sacked after blowing the whistle on a £1.1 billion fraud at the electronics firm. The Washington Post, 30 June 2012