Japan likely to delay introduction of equal pay for equal work

January 25, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's labor ministry is considering delaying the introduction of equal pay for equal work by one year to give companies enough time for preparations, informed sources said.

Under the ministry's plan, the introduction will be pushed back to fiscal 2020 for major companies and fiscal 2021 for small and midsize firms, the sources said.

The concept of equal pay for equal work bans unreasonable pay differences between regular workers and others, such as part timers and limited-term employees.

Ensuring equal pay for equal work is a key part of work-style reform legislation that the government plans to submit to parliament shortly.

The ministry also plans to delay the introduction of overtime restrictions on small and midsize companies by one year to fiscal 2020, the sources said.

The restrictions limit overtime work to less than 100 hours a month during busy periods for a total of 720 hours a year in order to eliminate deaths from overwork.

The ministry previously planned to submit the work-style reform legislation to parliament in autumn last year. But it changed the plan due to October's general election. Jiji Press