Photo/Illutration The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is considering changes to the current system that permits a maximum of 48 consecutive days of work under certain conditions. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

To combat one of the worst global instances of overwork, the labor ministry is set to introduce new regulations that will ban continuous work periods of 14 days or more.

The move is aimed at safeguarding the health of workers by revising the current system that allows for up to 48 consecutive days of work.

The proposed revisions to the Labor Standards Law will be outlined in a report from an expert panel convened by the ministry, due by March.

The ministry aims to enact the new regulations as early as 2026, following further discussions involving representatives from both labor and management.

Under the current law, employers are required to grant employees at least four days off every four weeks. 

However, the system allows for 48 consecutive days of work if the first four days in the initial four weeks of this stretch and the last four days of the following four-week period are designated as holidays. 

Furthermore, companies can require employees to work on their days off depending on labor-management agreements, effectively allowing for continual and unlimited work.

Continuous work of two weeks or longer is considered to be a contributing factor to psychological stress in mental disorders eligible for workers' compensation.

The landmark labor regulation reform of 2018 set limits on overtime, capping it at 720 hours per year and less than 100 hours per month. However, the issue of consecutive workdays remains unaddressed.

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