In Japan, there have been multiple lawsuits related to the last-minute cancellations by companies of spot work assignments that had been confirmed through a matching process. Courts have ruled that employment contracts were established at the time of matching, and therefore, employers are obliged to pay wages to the workers who were affected by those cancellations. This marks a significant legal precedent regarding the responsibility of employers to honor employment agreements made through app-based matching services.

One notable case involved a 21-year-old university student from Kawasaki who sought unpaid wages from a restaurant owner after a job was abruptly canceled the day before the job was to start. The court found in favor of the student, ordering the restaurant owner to pay approximately 3,000 yen in unpaid wages, which highlighted the vulnerabilities of workers in the gig economy and the necessity for legal protections surrounding last-minute cancellations.

The implications of these lawsuits extend beyond individual cases, as they set a precedent that could influence labor laws and regulations in Japan surrounding flexible work arrangements. With the rise of gig and spot work facilitated through mobile applications, the need for clear regulations and protections for workers is increasingly critical to ensure fair treatment and compensation in the evolving labor market.