Chiba Bar Association Offers Free Whistleblowing Consultation Session

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Chairman Kazuto Iwahashi (left) and others explain the whistleblowing system in Chuo Ward, Chiba City

The Chiba Bar Association is set to hold a free telephone consultation session on whistleblowing. The event aims to provide support and guidance to individuals who have reported or are considering reporting wrongdoing.

Chairman Kazuto Iwahashi of the whistleblowing support committee emphasized the importance of understanding the law to protect those who have the courage to make a report. “We want people to understand how the law works, so that we can protect those who have the courage to make a report.”

Committee vice-chairman Ishikawa Koichiro highlighted the purpose of the consultation meeting, stating, “The purpose of the consultation meeting is to prevent whistleblowers from being put in a situation where they would end their own life.”

The Whistleblower Protection Act prohibits whistleblowers from being treated unfavorably. However, in cases where an external report is made without “reasonableness” to back up the facts, it may not be recognized as a whistleblower.

The Prefectural Bar Association established the Whistleblower Support Committee in August 2018. The committee accepts phone consultations on the third Thursday of every month. However, the number of consultations has been low, with only 12 consultations received in fiscal 2023.

The committee believes there are many cases where whistleblowers are treated unfavorably and wants to “dig up the damage.” The consultation group will provide consultation for people who are considering whistleblowing, as well as those who have suffered disadvantage after reporting.

The session will run from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the 26th. Two lawyers will be assigned to each person seeking advice. Chairman Iwahashi encourages individuals to reach out, saying, “Please don’t worry alone. We will accept anonymous calls.” The phone number for the session is 043 (222) 7016.