Japan mulling abolishing remaining labor provisions on women

The Japanese labor ministry is contemplating the elimination of all remaining provisions in the country's labor standard law that limit women's employment in specific roles, according to a source familiar with the matter. This potential change stems from ongoing enhancements in workplace safety and health conditions. Discussions to review these provisions are anticipated to commence imminently, the source disclosed.

Should the proposal be enacted, the provisions, which have been in effect for approximately eight decades, would be entirely rescinded. However, provisions pertaining to maternity protection will persist. Upon the enactment of the Labor Standards Act in 1947, regulations barring women from night shift labor and underground tunnels were instituted.

Although the prohibition on night shift work for women was lifted in 1999 as gender equality gained traction, the restriction on underground tunnel employment has endured. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been conducting assessments since 2024, following the International Labor Organization's decision to disallow women's employment in underground mines.

The limitations on women's participation in underground tunnel work in Japan have been progressively relaxed. In 1985, legislation was amended to permit female medical professionals to enter tunnels. In 2006, women were granted permission to serve as engineers in management and supervisory capacities. Nevertheless, women continue to be largely barred from operating heavy machinery in mining operations, except via remote control.