Companies in Japan that dismiss or take disciplinary action against whistleblowers may soon be fined by up to 30 million under legislation passed in Parliament.
Japan's upper chamber, the House of Councillors, passed amendments on Wednesday to the country's whistleblower protection law, which will take effect within 18 months of promulgation.
Under the amendments, individuals who will discipline whistleblowers will be subject to a prison term of up to six months, or a fine of up to 300,000. Companies that take retaliatory action will also be fined by up to 30 million.
Retaliation covers any dismissal or disciplinary action taken within a year of whistleblowing reports, according to the law, as reported by The Japan Times.
The law also includes attempts to identify whistleblowers without any legitimate reasons, as well as requests for pledges not to be a whistleblower, but these will not carry any penalties.
What the legislation doesn't cover is personnel relocation, according to the report, as it can be difficult to prove the connection between whistleblowing and personnel transfers.
The amendments strengthen the country's current whistleblower protection law, which prohibits organisations from treating whistleblowers in a disadvantageous way.
The revised law now also covers freelancers and will prohibit employers from disadvantageously treating them, such as by suspending transactions.
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