Japan keeps pressing to cut long working hours
Japan's labor ministry says long working hours remain a serious problem and cutting them is urgent. It has set up a ministry-wide Long Working Hours Reduction Promotion Headquarters led by the minister, and each prefectural labor bureau runs its own Work Style Reform Promotion Headquarters. Where illegal overtime or overwork-related deaths are found at several workplaces, the top executives of the company can be instructed and its name made public.
What does it mean?
Japan's government says too many people work too many hours and wants this fixed quickly. Labor offices are checking workplaces suspected of excessive overtime, and companies found with serious cases at several sites can have their top bosses told to act and their names published.
Who is affected?
Employees working long hours and employers, especially companies whose workplaces are suspected of excessive overtime.