News Japan proposes 13-day work limit to combat overwork

To address Japan's serious overwork problem, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare proposes new regulations limiting continuous work periods to 13 days or less. This change aims to protect workers' health by replacing the current system, which allows for up to 48 consecutive work days. The ministry plans to outline these proposed revisions to the Labor Standards Law in a report from an expert panel by March 2025.

Following further discussions with labour and management representatives, the new regulations are expected to be implemented as early as 2026. Japanese law mandates a minimum of four days off per four-week period. However, a loophole in the system allows for 48 consecutive days of work if the initial and final four days of these periods are designated as holidays. Additionally, labour-management agreements can enable companies to require employees to work on their designated days off, potentially leading to unlimited work hours.

Continuous work of two weeks or longer is considered to be a contributing factor to psychological stress in mental disorders eligible for workers' compensation. The landmark labor regulation reform of 2018 set limits on overtime, capping it at 720 hours per year and less than 100 hours per month. However, the issue of consecutive workdays remains unaddressed.

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