<div dir="ltr">J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>The 'JIN' J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends<br>in Japan.<br>Issue No. 475 Wednesday July 23, 2008, Tokyo<br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
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More about PBXL: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2" target="_blank">http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Worked to death<br><br>In November last year, the Nagoya District Court recognized the <br>
death of Toyota employee Kenichi Uchino in 2002 as 'karoshi' – <br>death caused by overwork. Last month, the Aichi Prefecture Labor<br>
Bureau ruled that the death of another 45-year-old Toyota <br>employee back in 2006 was also caused by overworking and, just <br>last week, a court in Saitama declared a similar verdict in the <br>case of a 32-year-old Skylark restaurant manager who collapsed <br>
and later died of a brain hemorrhage. In the case of the <br>latter, the Mainichi Shimbun reports that the manager, Takayuki <br>Maezawa, as well as working long periods of overtime, was also <br>forced to bear the additional stress of high responsibility <br>
without being given a permanent position at the company. This <br>makes the court decision a precedent as it is the first time <br>that a non-permanent employee's death has been officially <br>recognized as a result of overworking.<br>
<br>Karoshi, as well as work stress-related suicide, is a major <br>problem in Japan which, according to the International Labor <br>Organization (ILO) has the highest number of employees (28.1%) <br>working more than 50 hours in a week. In cases that have come <br>
to court the most common causes of death have been <br>cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic heart diseases. In 2005 <br>there were almost 1,000 claims of karoshi and, suicides as a <br>result of overwork (karojisastu) have also risen according to <br>
the Japanese 'Journal of Occupational Heatlh.' <br><br>However, the reports of an increase in reported cases do not <br>necessarily mean that the problem is getting worse, in fact, <br>they could be interpreted as having quite the opposite meaning. <br>
In a paper for the journal 'Industrial Health' Japanese analysts<br>report that since a policy review by the Ministry of Health, <br>Labor and Welfare in 2005, 'the standards of overtime working <br>hours for the judgement of recognizing karoshi have been set <br>
clearly in a more quantitative manner (100 overtime hours or <br>more for the past one month or 80 overtime hours or more per <br>month for the past 2 to 6 months before the onset of diseases).'<br>This means it is now easier to prove the case for exploitation. <br>
In the same year, the ministry amended the Industrial Safety and<br>Health Law to enforce employers to find medical guidance for <br>employees exceeding 100 overtime hours per month as well as <br>forcing them to make similar provision for employees who <br>
experience overtime work-related health problems. Such changes <br>have made it easier for courts to rule against corporations and <br>have gone some way to empowering victims against exploitative <br>employers.<br><br>[Continued below...]<br>
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<br>CORPORATE SPONSORS WELCOME<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>[...Article continues]<br><br>Crucially, the awarding of damages in favor of the victim's <br>families, such as in the cases of the ex-Toyota employees, is <br>
having an effect in terms of raising not only public awareness <br>but also corporate self-consciousness. Additionally, the <br>Japanese media is reporting with increasing frequency on cases <br>of karoshi. Misako Hida, a Japanese journalist who focuses on <br>
labor issues was recently awarded a prize by the ILO for her <br>piece entitled 'The Land of Karoshi' – an article that tells <br>the tragic tale of a 23-year-old employee of Nikon who killed <br>himself in 1999 after working up to 250 hours in a month. Nikon <br>
was forced to pay compensation to the family in 2005. The <br>following year the Nikon CSR report stated in its section on <br>employment: 'Recently, specific measures have been implemented <br>with the focus on prevention of health impairment due to <br>
overwork.' At Toyota, the system of 'voluntary' overtime is also<br>facing some long awaited reform. In May, in the wake of the <br>court's decision against it, the company made a statement saying<br>it would expand the range of pay for overtime work.<br>
<br>These are only small steps and it is use true that the <br>hardworking corporate culture of Japan is unlikely to change <br>overnight, however, the legal process of holding giants like <br>Nikon and Toyota to account, as well as decent media coverage, <br>
does appear to be yielding some reforms. On the other hand, any <br>optimism must remain cautious as Japan's labor shortage and <br>shrinking population could potentially act as a counter balance <br>to such improvements. The smaller the workforce, the harder it <br>
has to work.<br><br>Editor-in-Chief<br>Peter Harris<br><br>++FEEDBACK<br><br>Want to comment? It is now even easier to voice your opinion<br>than ever before! Simply post a comment below the article<br>online at <a href="http://www.japaninc.com/jin474" target="_blank">www.japaninc.com/jin475</a>.<br>
<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>J@pan Inc - Managing Editor/Entrepreneur<br><br>J@pan Inc magazine, the publication for foreign entrepreneurs<br>and businesspeople in Japan is seeking a Managing Editor with<br>
strong entrepreneurial instincts. Not your run-of-the-mill<br>editing position, we require someone with strong editorial and<br>management experience to both manage an editorial and production<br>team to turn out Japan's largest English-language business<br>
monthly. The successful candidate would also be expected to<br>shape the magazine to become a proactive player in the foreign<br>business community. Think content involving the world's largest<br>companies and business development involving some of Japan's<br>
most enterprising businesses -- an unlikely combination but an<br>exciting opportunity to make your mark in Japan.<br><br>Remuneration will be industry competitive and prospects<br>excellent.<br><br>To apply, please send your resume, covering letter and<br>
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info@paccess.NET (English, Japanese, or Spanish OK).<br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>++EVENTS<br><br>---------- Metropolis and eigoTown.com Party --------------<br><br>July 26, 2008 - Hundreds of party people out for a good time<br>
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<br>**J@pan Inc is pleased to announce the opening of nominations<br>
for the International Business Awards Japan 2008**<br><br>Is your CEO or company worthy of recognition? The J@pan Inc<br>International Business Awards 2008 gives you the opportunity<br>to nominate business people and corporations you feel deserve<br>
to win an award<br><br>HAVE YOUR SAY, GO TO <a href="http://www.japaninc.com/" target="_blank">http://www.japaninc.com/</a><br><br>CORPORATE SPONSORS WELCOME<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>++END<br>
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