Tokyo, March 23 (Jiji Press)–J. Front Retailing Co. <3086>, which operates the Daimaru and Matsuzakaya department stores, said it has introduced a leave system aimed at supporting employees with gender identity disorder.
   

The move is part of the company’s efforts to create a work environment friendly to diverse human resources, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, people.
   

J. Front Retailing revised its work regulations this month to allow employees to take leave to receive treatment related to gender transition, such as hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery, the company said Monday.
   

Under the new leave system, employees willing to receive such treatment can take their paid holidays that were left unused over the past two years. They can take successive days off or take leave periodically.
   

J. Front Retailing also introduced a rule on same-sex partnership, under which the company recognizes, after going through certain procedures, the same-sex partner of an employee as being equivalent to someone in a marital relationship and allows such employee to use marriage leave and other systems applied to married couples.