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23 April, 2007
In Japan, “karoshi,” or death from overwork, is not a new phenomenon. But now it has become a topic inside the Japanese parliamentary system, as lawmakers of the Diet begin considering revisions to the Labor Standards Act, which regulates work time and salary.
At the centre of the political debate is the issue of excessive overtime, as well as the question if overtime pay should be raised from the current 1.25 times regular pay for work performed over and above eight hours a day, or 40 hours per week. According to the Japan Times, the government drafted a bill to raise overtime pay, but also included a white-collar exclusion rule to overtime pay. Supervisory and management ranks are already excluded from overtime pay.
The issue is expected to be hotly contested in political debates this year, and into the future. Employers are seeking workplace flexibility by giving workers a choice in the hours they work, figuring this will bring greater efficiency. But the unions counter that the white-collar exclusion rule will lead to heavier work loads and continuation of conditions that bring on “karoshi.”
In 2003, the Japanese government began collecting figures on “karoshi,” using application and awards of workers’ compensation to family members. In 2003, the number of applications was 213, of which 158 cases were recognised as death due to overwork. In 2005, the number of applications rose to 336, but the government only recognised 157 of those as being the result of “karoshi.”