Labor groups oppose the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's review of overtime guidance, saying it could lead to increased working hours

There has been opposition from labor groups and other organizations to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's decision to cancel guidance in September that had uniformly required companies to limit overtime to 45 hours per month. There is a sense of caution that overtime work of over 45 hours, which is an ``exception among exceptions'' (according to an expert), will become widespread.

At a regular press conference on the 20th, Tomoko Yoshino, president of the Central Federation of Labor Unions, pointed out that ``this could encourage overtime work.'' Regarding working hour regulations, he said, ``Once they are loosened, they can be loosened over a wide range of areas.'' ``Considering the protection of workers' lives and health, they should be strict, and the Labor Standards Inspection Office should also strengthen guidance.''

He said that the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's policy of focusing on companies' measures to ensure health is ``appreciative,'' but added, ``We need to do a good job of improving the workplace environment.I think it will be necessary in the future for labor and management to discuss and demand higher standards.''

On the 20th, the National Liaison Conference of Karoshi Lawyers issued a strong protest and an urgent statement calling for a retraction. Representative organizer Hiroshi Kawato, a lawyer, criticized the work style reform promoted by the government, saying it would lead to a "head-on denial" of the work style reforms promoted by the government.