Tokyo governor calls for work-style reforms for Olympics

May 29, 2019

Tokyo--Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike Wednesday called for cooperation from businesses to promote work-style reforms in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion during the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Japanese capital.

"New work styles will not only reduce traffic jams but enhance productivity. The changes will become part of legacy" from the Tokyo Games, Koike said in an event in Tokyo to promote work-style reforms such as staggered work times and teleworking.

Koike asked businesses to take part in large-scale simulated tests to alleviate traffic jams that the metropolitan government and others plan to conduct between July and September this year. Specifically, she called for the introduction of teleworking and streamlined logistics.

During the 2020 Games, the level of congestion on expressways in the Tokyo metropolitan area is estimated to double, while the number of passengers on trains is expected to increase by some 10 pct.

The metropolitan government has asked business associations to cooperate in promoting work-style reforms during the 2020 Games. In addition, the metropolitan and central governments are considering a 1,000-yen daytime congestion surcharge for some sections of the metropolitan expressway network. Jiji Press