Protect workers from extreme heat or face fines, Japan tells firms

Tougher rules being enforced in Japan will see employers get fined if they fail to take adequate precautions to protect workers from extreme temperatures.

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TOKYO -

The revised legislation, which came into effect on June 1, is a rare global example of a national-level policy on heat safety for employees, and comes after 30 workplace deaths and roughly 1,200 injuries in 2024 associated with high temperatures, according to Health Ministry data. Most of those affected worked in construction or manufacturing.

Japan's government moved to strengthen protections following last summer's searing heat — which included the highest July temperatures on record — the ministry said in a statement. Businesses face potential penalties, including fines of 500,000 yen (S$4,500), if provisions are not sufficient.

Heatstroke is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by dangerously high body temperatures that can result in severe organ damage if not treated quickly.

There were almost half a million heat-related deaths annually between 2000 and 2019, according to a report in 2024 by the World Health Organisation.