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Chapter 12 - Twenty Questions about Employment Testing Bias and Unfairness in Japan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 November 2025

Winfred Arthur, Jr.
Affiliation:
Texas A & M University
Dennis Doverspike
Affiliation:
George Mason University
Benjamin D. Schulte
Affiliation:
Texas A & M University
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Summary

This chapter examines employment testing bias and fairness in Japan. Japan’s hiring practices are shaped by its historical ethnic homogeneity, employer discretion, and a legal framework emphasizing procedural fairness over outcome equity. Anti-discrimination laws protect women, older workers, and people with disabilities, but issues concerning nationality, race, and minority groups such as the Ainu and Dowa have historically received less attention. Regulatory bodies, including the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, issue guidelines to ensure fair hiring practices, but these lack effective enforcement. Legal remedies for discriminatory hiring are rare due to the high burden of proof and limited application of disparate impact doctrine. Traditional aptitude and psychological tests remain central in employment selection, with the increasing emergence of artificial intelligence-based hiring practices raising new fairness concerns. In response, some employers are adopting blind procedures, including anonymized resumes. As globalization and labor shortages intensify, Japan’s employment practices face increasing pressure to evolve toward greater inclusion and equity.

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