“Preventive measures for death from overwork and other issues” that companies will be required to take from now on

◆Definition of “death from overwork and other issues”

Death from overwork and other issues is defined as “death caused by a cerebrovascular disease or heart failure due to work overload; suicide due to a mental disorder caused by a strong psychological burden from work; and these cerebrovascular, heart, and mental diseases themselves.” (According to documents from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.)

◆Approval of the “Law for the Propulsion of Measures to Prevent Death from Overwork and Other Issues”!

From the total number of cases of cerebrovascular and heart disease recognized as having their origin in the workplace, 160 cases ended in dead in 2002, and they have kept shifting always above 100 ever since.
In addition, from the total number of cases of mental disorders recognized as having their origin in the workplace, the number of yearly cases ending in suicide (including failed attempts) surpassed 60 after 2006, becoming as high as 93 in 2012.
These kinds of deaths caused by overwork and related issues are not of concern to the affected people themselves only, but they are also a great loss to their families and to Japanese society. The “Law for the Propulsion of Measures to Prevent Death from Overwork and Other Issues” was approved on June of last year upon understanding that this has become a social problem.

◆The value of a set of general principles and the points of the proposed outline

Since the new law above prescribes that, in order to effectively promote measures to prevent death from overwork and other issues, a list of general principles must be put together, a “(Proposed) Outline of General Principles Regarding Measures to Prevent Death from Overwork and Other Issues” was released to the public on April 6th.
The role of the government when dealing with these measures focuses mainly on the points below.
・Understanding actual working conditions and environment and conducting research studies regarding the relationship between these, death from overwork, and disease, among others.
・Educating companies and employees.
・Providing consulting services and others.

◆Future initiatives required for companies

Companies will be required to cooperate with governmental initiatives and to take measures mainly like the ones described below.
・Measures to cut down long working hours.
・Implementation of seminars aimed at business operators and laborers so that they can obtain the necessary knowledge to prevent overwork.
・Promoting the acquisition of yearly paid vacations.
・Spreading information and education in order to prevent and solve power harassment issues in the workplace.
The general principles are expected to be put together by the summer, and companies will most likely be required to take specific measures according with these principles.