Is Japan backpedaling on its work-style reforms?”

The labor ministry in Japan has decided to stop urging companies to limit employees' overtime to 45 hours per month, despite implementing measures to ensure workers' health. This change, announced earlier this month in response to business lobby requests for more flexibility, has sparked concerns about whether Japan is reverting to its past practices of long working hours.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, known for her dedication to work, has pushed for "work more reform," advocating for a balance between physical and mental well-being and employee choice in overtime. However, the move has been criticized by labor unions and a group of lawyers representing karoshi (death from overwork) victims, who view it as a disregard for their efforts to combat overwork-related illnesses and fatalities.

Japan has long grappled with high working hours, but implemented reforms such as the 2018 work-style reform act, which initially capped overtime at 45 hours per month and 360 hours per year, contingent upon a labor-management agreement. Despite this, recent surveys indicate a decline in overtime hours, with only 7.3% of full-time employees working overtime exceeding 45 hours in 2025, down from 13.6% in 2016.

Despite the policy shift, the labor ministry insists that they will continue to monitor companies using the special clause for overtime, ensuring they adhere to health-ensuring measures.