A historic ruling by a local court in Japan has labeled the usage of the casual honorific-suffix 'chan' as a form of sexual harassment in the workplace. The judgement was based on a case where a male supervisor persistently called a female employee by her first name, followed by the suffix 'chan', despite her discomfort and pleas to use more respectful language. The court's decision marks a significant step towards addressing the issues of casual sexism and insensitive language in Japanese workplaces.

The issue has stirred a significant debate in Japanese society considering 'chan' is a familiar and affectionate suffix often used among family and friends. However, its use in a professional setting, particularly by senior male staff toward a junior female staff, has been criticized as belittling and inappropriate. The societal value of respect in language choice, particularly in hierarchical environments like the workplace, is a key issue here.

In the United States or the European Union, such behavior might be classed as a form of sexual harassment or misconduct. Respecting one's preferred title or pronouns is considered important, and repeatedly choosing to ignore it is frowned upon and might result in disciplinary actions or lawsuits.