Japan Introduces Revised Telework Guidelines: What's New?

In Japan, where the population is rapidly aging, promoting employment stability and opportunities for elderly employees has become a critical policy focus.

Japan's public pension system requires mandatory enrollment for all residents aged 20 to under 60, including foreign nationals, with contributions split equally between employers and employees. While supplementary corporate pension plans are voluntary, employers must navigate strict legal requirements when establishing or amending them. Understanding the interplay between statutory obligations, voluntary pension options, and the tax treatment of contributions and benefits is essential for compliant workforc

Previously, Japanese labor laws and regulations required employers to pay wages to their workers only in cash or by transfer into the workers' bank accounts or other similar accounts at financial...

In response to increasing media reports of "karoshi" (employee death due to overwork), Japan has made some major changes to its Labor Standards Act of 1947. Under a recent amendment...

Some foreign companies think that Japanese labor law is not applicable to a labor contract as long as the contract specifies that the applicable law is the law of another country besides Japan.

For a long time, issues have surrounded freelancers or persons who do various kinds of work but are not covered by employment contracts.

The Guidelines build on existing working time regulations by strengthening definitions and clarifying what is required.

Labour and Employment Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Japan, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

In this APAC regional quarterly update, we analyze measures to expand worker protections across various countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Discussion concerning the so called "social clause"1 took place under the GATT/WTO,2 and was finally settled in 1996 by the WTO Singapore Ministerial Declaration paragraph 4...

The International Court of Justice has issued a landmark advisory opinion confirming that the right to strike is protected under ILO Convention No. 87, a treaty Australia ratified in 1973. While this opinion doesn't immediately change Australian domestic law, it creates a significant new reference point that unions may leverage in litigation, enterprise bargaining, and industrial relations reform discussions. Australian employers face potential challenges to existing Fair Work Act restrictions on protected

The European Union has introduced a groundbreaking directive aimed at transforming the gig economy by establishing new protections for platform workers.

On 21 March 2025, the New Federal Law for the Protection of Personal Data in Possession of Private Parties came into effect, superseding and repealing the prior data protection law.

On 12 May 2026, the EU Talent Pool Regulation was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Hong Kong's Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) recently published Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI by Employees.

Highlights in this month's edition include new developments in AI governance in both Australia and Malaysia, Singapore's new Workplace Fairness Act taking further shape...

Employers in Germany can face heavy fines for breaches of the data protection rules in relation to video surveillance of employees. This article gives guidance on how to avoid the pitfalls.

Japan's public pension system requires mandatory enrollment for all residents aged 20 to under 60, including foreign nationals, with contributions split equally between employers and employees. While supplementary corporate pension plans are voluntary, employers must navigate strict legal requirements when establishing or amending them. Understanding the interplay between statutory obligations, voluntary pension options, and the tax treatment of contributions and benefits is essential for compliant workforc

This report concerns the use of artificial intelligence through the life cycle of employment: from recruitment, through management of work processes, to dismissal decisions.

When workplace investigations arise, the choice of investigator can determine whether the process builds trust or creates further complications. Understanding the essential qualities that make an investigator effective—from independence and legal expertise to empathy and credibility—is crucial for employers navigating sensitive workplace matters.