Hello everyone. In today's podcast, we're discussing a very interesting topic: Pangdonglai in China hiring "people who have completed their sentences," and in Japan, a former inmate running for the House of Councillors. These two cases highlight the question of how much society can embrace those who have made mistakes in the past and how it reintegrates them.

Yes, this is a topic worth digging into. Let's get started.

First, let's outline these two events. One is Pangdonglai's hiring of people who have completed sentences. The other is a former inmate running in Japan's House of Councillors election. At their core, both involve the same issue.

Exactly. One is a company proactively offering opportunities, and the other is a person with a criminal record stepping into politics. Both are attempts to readmit people who have made mistakes, granting them dignity and opportunity.

Let's start with Pangdonglai's case. What kind of response did this hiring policy generate?

On August 10, founder Yu Donglai announced on Weibo that the company would hire 20 people with minor to moderate criminal records in its first round, with plans to expand to those with more serious records in the future. This is extremely rare among Chinese companies.

Why did he make this decision?

Yu aims to challenge entrenched employment discrimination. Through training and support, he wants to help them regain confidence, grow into exemplary employees, and turn their experiences into assets for society.

What about the Japanese case?

In Japan, a candidate with prior incarceration ran in Tokyo's constituency, representing an opposition party, with policies focused on preventing recidivism and supporting social reintegration. The party is known for its inclusive politics, having elected candidates with severe disabilities in the 2019 House of Councillors election. Unfortunately, this candidate lost. Reasons cited include media coverage focusing on well-known candidates from other parties, and attention being drawn to provocative slogans used by other parties.

So even in Japan, challenges for people with a criminal past remain.

That's right. While Japan does have systems to support the employment of ex-offenders, the efforts are still modest, and only a small number of companies openly declare such support. Cases like Pangdonglai's, openly hiring ex-offenders and attracting media attention, are rare.

Will Pangdonglai's approach and the Japanese opposition party become powerful forces for social inclusion?

Pangdonglai's challenge comes from leadership intent and targets the very structure of discrimination. Japan's system, though slow, has built a stable support network that may ensure continuity. Still, both face challenges in transforming public awareness.

What effective practices are seen globally?

In the US, there is the "Ban the Box" movement, which removes the checkbox asking about criminal history from job applications. Nordic countries have institutionalized rehabilitation and reintegration programs, reportedly keeping recidivism low. Reforming systems and changing mindsets must go hand in hand to be effective.

What is needed for society to truly give people a second chance?

Both Pangdonglai's bold hiring policy and the Japanese ex-offender's bid for national office are tests of social inclusivity. A truly strong society doesn't reject vulnerability—it accepts it and turns it into strength.

So, today we've learned that true inclusivity is demonstrated through action. Every step taken by an individual can lead to significant change.

Exactly. That's all for today. Thank you for listening, and see you next time.