were set by the Ministry of Labor and issued after consultation with the Standing Committee on Safety and Health of the Central Labor Standards Council. Labor inspectors have the authority to suspend unsafe operations immediately, and the law provides that workers may voice concerns over occupational safety and remove themselves from unsafe working conditions without jeopardizing their continued employment. According to new reports from the Business & Human Rights Resource Center, approximately 197 allegations of human rights abuses have been revealed against renewable energy projects. In 2019, a London-based group that promotes human rights, documented 47 attacks, ranging from frivolous lawsuits to violence on individuals who raised concerns about human rights abuses in the industry. Foreign worker issues Passport confiscation It is common practice for Japanese companies to take the passport of foreign employees. It is illegal for companies to confiscate passports of Japanese citizens, but not of foreign workers. There are only government guidelines against confiscation. Companies fear that foreign employees could run away. According to activist lawyers, forcing people to work while taking their passports is akin to forced labor. They have implored the Japanese government to make it illegal in order to protect human rights. The specific number of cases is unclear, but many cases are underreported due to language barriers and threats of deportation. See also Ainu people Demographics of Japan Ethnic issues in Japan Flag of Japan Freedom of Information Rights in Japan Homelessness in Japan Homosexuality in Japan Human trafficking in Japan International child abduction in Japan LGBT rights in Japan North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens Prostitution in Japan Raelyn Campbell Ryukyuan People Ryukyu independence movement Women in Japan International: Human rights in Central Asia Human rights in Europe Human rights in the United States References This article incorporates text from the US State Department's 2003–2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. External links Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs page on Human Rights in Japan The Japan Children's Rights Network Equal Employment Opportunity Law Censorship in Japan AHRC articles, including urgent appeals, statements and open letters into Japanese. Other related human rights documents Japan Civil Liberties Union Subcommittee for the Rights of Foreigners Text of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination UN OHCHR Polite Japan's dark underbelly