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TOKYO — Japan’s health minister said in response to a petition seeking a ban on requiring women to wear high heels at work that such dress code expectations are “necessary and appropriate” in the workplace.

Health Minister Takumi Nemoto responded on Wednesday to an online campaign gaining attention in Japan under the hashtag #KuToo, a play on the Japanese words for shoe, “kutsu,” and pain, “kutsuu.”

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The petition, which has collected 21,000 online signatures and is still growing, was submitted on Monday to the health ministry by Yumi Ishikawa, a 32-year-old funeral parlor worker.

She said on Twitter in January she was required to wear 5-7 centimeter (2-3 inch) heels at work, causing her feet to hurt.

It seems like men don't really understand that wearing high heels can be painful and lead to injuries Yumi Ishikawa, funeral parlor worker

Many Japanese companies may not explicitly require female employees to wear high heels but many women do so because of tradition and social expectations.

“I think it’s within the range of what’s commonly accepted as necessary and appropriate in the workplace,” Nemoto said in response to a question from an opposition lawmaker in a parliamentary committee.