Watan-A Japanese telecommunications company took a peculiar initiative by subjecting its employees to an experience simulating menstrual pain to understand the monthly struggles faced by women. According to the British newspaper “The Independent,” the pain was generated through a device called Perionoid, which sends electrical signals through platforms placed in the lower abdominal area to induce the cramping sensation women feel during menstruation.<\/p>\n
The newspaper highlighted reactions to this experiment, with Masaya Shibasaki, a 26-year-old employee at Exeo, exclaiming, “This is painful, oh my God!” Another employee, laughing nervously while holding his stomach, said, “I can’t stand up straight.”<\/p>\n
The development of the device involved collaboration between researchers at Nara Women’s University and the startup company Osaka Heat Cool.<\/p>\n
After the experiment, Shibasaki stated, “I couldn’t move; it was so painful that I couldn’t stand.” He added, “Now I understand that women have to work while battling this pain every month. It’s truly astonishing how women can do that, and I truly respect them.”<\/p>\n
Exeo stated that it aims to create an environment where the male workforce, which exceeds 90%, can be more supportive of their female counterparts, especially when it comes to taking menstrual leave. Makie Ogura, the PR officer at Exeo, said, “We hope that those who experienced (menstrual) pain today return to their workplaces, talk about what they felt, and spread their understanding.”<\/p>\n
Companies in Japan are legally required to allow women to take menstrual leave. However, there is no requirement for it to be paid, and studies have shown that about half of female workers never take it. According to a survey conducted by the consulting firm Deloitte Tohmatsu in Tokyo, around 44% of women in Japan do not take any leave during their menstrual period, even when experiencing severe pain.<\/p>\n
At least 5,000 people participated in the survey conducted in 10 countries from October 2022 to January 2023. According to the results, 35% of Japanese respondents who suffer from health problems related to menopause stated that they “continue to work without leave regardless of pain or symptoms.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Watan-A Japanese telecommunications company took a peculiar initiative by subjecting its employees to an experience simulating menstrual pain to understand the monthly struggles faced by women. According to the British newspaper “The Independent,” the pain was generated through a device called Perionoid, which sends electrical signals through platforms placed in the lower abdominal area to …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[2514,2515],"class_list":["post-7736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-a-japanese-company","tag-menstrual-pain"],"yoast_head":"\n