Japanese lose taste for Valentine's ‘obligation chocs’ under Covid

Growing numbers of women ditch giri choco custom of forced giving' of gifts to senior male colleagues

Shifting gender politics and the coronavirus have combined to spell the possible end of the Japanese Valentine's Day custom of women giving chocolates to male colleagues.

Traditionally, women are expected to buy gift-wrapped chocolates for the men in their working lives - usually senior colleagues and others who have helped them during the course of the year - as part of a tradition called giri choco, literally obligation chocolates.