Japan Looks to Limit Continuous Work

TOKYO, Nov 13 (News On Japan) - Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's advisory panel has outlined a proposal for amending the law to prohibit working more than 14 consecutive days. Under the current system, workers can technically work up to 48 days in a row through a system known as 'four-day-off-per-four-weeks,' while labor agreements also allow for holiday work, meaning there are no effective restrictions on consecutive workdays.

During Tuesday's expert panel meeting, the Ministry's panel presented a draft proposal for amending the Labor Standards Act, aiming to prevent overwork by limiting consecutive working days to 14. This proposal seeks to protect workers' health by addressing long work periods, such as the “two-week continuous work” standard used to recognize work-related accidents.

Additionally, the panel proposed a revision regarding overtime for workers with side jobs, suggesting that combined overtime for both primary and secondary jobs may no longer be necessary, promoting side job opportunities.

The Ministry plans to compile the panel’s report within the current fiscal year and move forward with discussions toward legal revisions.

Source: TBS

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