Japan Reforms Work Style Regulations

A country known worldwide for its pressurised work environment and unspoken requirement for long hours, Japan has passed a work reform bill aimed at changing that reputation.

The bill, enacted by the Diet on 29 June 2018, takes aim at Japan's "work styles" with regulations limiting overtime hours and raising the income of temporary and part-time workers. It sees eight labour-related laws revised despite some resistance in the Diet; opposition parties maintain the bill could lead to more suffering in some employee populations, including instances of "karoshi", or death by overwork. "Karoshi" involves employees committing suicide or suffering from heart failure and stroke because of long work hours.