[Urgent Statement] Regarding the Danger for Home-Visit Professionals Who 'Enter Clients' Homes Alone' — Urgent Statement on Current Customer Harassment Guidelines Following the Murder on June 1, 2026

The Japan Association of Male Nurses (located in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kosuke Tsubota; hereinafter 'the Association') announces that it has issued an urgent statement to protect the lives and dignity of 'home-visit professionals' such as home-visit nurses, home-visit caregivers, and care managers, in response to the tragic murder of a care manager that occurred on June 1, 2026.

The Association has previously contributed to promoting support for purchasing crime prevention goods using the Comprehensive Fund for Medical and Long-Term Care and to building systems such as the mandatory implementation of customer harassment countermeasures. However, as this extremely violent incident demonstrates, the reality is that measures to ensure on-site safety are 'still far from sufficient.' The Association will continue to work tirelessly to create a safe environment for medical and welfare workers on the front lines.

[Statement Text] Urgent Statement Demanding 'Effective' Harassment Measures and Legal Revisions for Home-Visit Medical and Care Settings

■ Introduction

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 'Guidelines on Measures to be Taken in Employment Management Regarding Problems Arising from Customer Harassment in the Workplace,' formulated on February 26, 2026, is an important step toward protecting workers from the social problem of customer harassment, and its significance is highly valued.

However, it must be said that many of the measures outlined in the current guidelines are strongly designed with workers in 'spaces under the company's control,' such as offices and stores, and critically lack consideration for the unique and extreme environment in which 'home-visit professionals'—including home-visit nurses, home-visit caregivers, and care managers—must enter clients' territory (their homes) defenseless.

We point out the 'fatal disconnect' between the current guidelines and the reality of home-visit settings, and strongly demand effective 'visit-specific' measures and legal revisions.

■ 1. Four Disconnects Between Current Guidelines and Home-Visit Settings

'Theoretical' Multiple-Person Response

The guidelines recommend 'not having workers handle situations alone as much as possible.' However, for home-visit caregivers, nurses, and care managers, one-on-one service provision is the standard due to system and cost constraints. In the field, which is suffering from severe labor shortages, it is practically impossible for business offices to cover the cost of sending multiple staff members.

Systemic Barriers Preventing 'Leaving the Premises or Hanging Up'

The guidelines state that workers should 'request the customer to leave after a certain period of time.' However, the visit location is the client's home—a 'completely closed space.' In many cases, it is difficult for workers to escape on their own when faced with an enraged individual. Furthermore, leaving a care recipient or patient behind carries the serious risk of being accused of 'abandoning care/medical treatment' or 'abandonment.'

Communication Systems That Fail in 'Solo' Moments

The guidelines suggest that 'if on-site response is difficult, consult with the head office.' However, in the midst of being intimidated or restrained in a closed space, workers have no leeway to take out a smartphone to report or consult with their office.

■ 2. 'Visit-Specific' Additional Guidelines and Measures We Demand

To protect the lives and dignity of home-visit professionals, we strongly demand that the national government and relevant agencies add the following measures to the guidelines or enact them into law.

Establishment of Public and Legal Immunity for 'Immediate Withdrawal'

In cases of physical violence, sexual harassment, threats with a weapon, etc., the right for staff to immediately suspend services and withdraw to ensure their own safety, even during medical or care procedures, should be clearly stated. The government should guarantee immunity from any legal responsibility for abandonment of care in such situations.

Standardization and Official Recognition of 'Constant Wearing' of Voice Recorders and Wearable Cameras

To prevent closed spaces and secure objective evidence, the guidelines should position the wearing of audio/video recording devices by home-visit professionals as an 'industry standard rule,' and provide public backing to facilitate smooth consent from users.

Deployment of Emergency Alert (SOS) Systems and Financial Support

To respond to crises in closed spaces that could escalate into serious incidents, the mandatory deployment of security terminals for all staff that can send location information and audio to the office or police with a single touch should be required, with the government subsidizing the cost.

Clarification of 'Contract Termination (Refusal)' Criteria and Simplification of Procedures

Even in cases where service provision is mandatory under various industry laws, business offices should be granted strong authority to immediately terminate contracts with users or families who repeatedly engage in malicious harassment.

■ Conclusion

In an era where the shift toward home medical care and home care is being advocated, the current situation where home-visit professionals, who form the foundation of this shift, work alongside the fear of 'not knowing when they might become a victim' is directly linked to the collapse of Japan's medical and welfare systems. The government must not stop at the current guidelines created from the perspective of store-based businesses, but must sincerely confront the loneliness and fear of 'workers who enter clients' homes alone' and promptly update the guidelines to be truly effective in protecting them.

■ About the Japan Association of Male Nurses (New Members Wanted)

Established in September 2014. With the motto 'Nursing for Nurses,' the organization aims to improve the medical environment, including for patients, by solving challenges faced by the entire nursing profession. It operates in multiple areas, including hosting the Nursing DX Awards, customer harassment countermeasures, industrial nursing support, and home-visit nursing support. It is actively involved in improving the environment surrounding nurses, delivering over 50 lectures annually at prefectural nursing associations and academic conferences. The organization is open to all people involved in healthcare, including female nurses.
We are currently recruiting members, regardless of gender, who will work together to update the medical field. We offer various seminars, networking events, and other content useful for nurses.

▶︎ Details and membership application: https://gkb.jp/s/jmns/application

■ Information on 'Nursing Professional Liability Insurance'

You can subscribe to 'Nursing Professional Liability Insurance.'

・Covers personal liability and criminal defense costs.
・Offers one of the industry's lowest price ranges for 'membership fee + insurance premium' (available with free membership registration).

Please use it to protect yourself and your career from unexpected troubles.

▶︎ Details and application: https://nursemen.net/hoken/

■ Call for Tie-ups with Medical Institutions and Companies

The Association is always seeking partnerships with medical institutions and companies that agree with the philosophy of 'Nursing for Nurses.'

・For Medical Institutions and Hospitals
We support solving organizational issues such as nurse recruitment and retention support, industrial health support by experts familiar with the field (measures against power harassment, turnover prevention, mental health care), consulting for creating a comfortable work environment, and reskilling training for current nurses.

・For Companies
We can provide solutions from an on-site perspective, such as promoting nursing DX, developing and supervising products for healthcare workers, co-hosting seminars, and marketing support using the Association's network.