Death by overwork: Japan’s 100-hour overtime cap sparks anger

Workaholic Japan has unveiled its first-ever plan to limit overtime, but critics want to give it the boot, saying an “outrageous” 100-hour-a-month cap will do nothing to tackle karoshi, or death from overwork.

Tokyo’s bid to ease a national health crisis comes after the top executive at advertising giant Dentsu quit late last year in response to the suicide of a young employee who regularly logged more than 100 hours of overtime a month.

The death of Matsuri Takahashi generated nationwide headlines, prompting the government to come up with a solution to punishing work hours blamed for hundreds of deaths due to strokes, heart attacks and suicides every year.

A panel headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has since come up with a plan calling for a maximum of 100 overtime hours a month. The conservative leader called it a “historic step for changing the way people work in Japan” but critics think the plan should be given its marching orders.

The Labour Lawyers’ Association of Japan has slammed the proposed cap as “extremely inappropriate” and “impossible to support”.

“It’s tantamount to endorsing a limit that could cause overwork deaths,” said Association head Ichiro Natsume. Others who have lost loved ones to karoshi agree.

“We cannot accept this – it’s outrageous,” said Emiko Teranishi, who heads a group for relatives of karoshi victims.