TV Asahi Told to Correct Illegal Overtime Work 3 Times

May 21, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese labor authorities told TV Asahi Corp. to take corrective measures over illegal overtime work at least three times between 2014 and 2017, it was learned Monday.

At the broadcaster, a 50-year-old man who worked as producer died of heart failure in 2015. Tokyo's Mita labor standard inspection office has recognized overwork as the cause of his death.

According TV Asahi, the office conducted an on-site inspection in 2014, following the man's claim for workers' compensation after he developed heart disease.

The company had concluded a labor-management agreement to limit overtime to up to 80 hours per month. With some workers exceeding the limit, however, the company was told to take corrective measures in May 2014.

In July 2016, the Mita office concluded that at least one employee worked more than 100 hours overtime per month in three of the six months surveyed.

In January 2017, a worker dispatched from an outside company was confirmed to have worked more than 17 hours a day, exceeding the work hour limit under a labor-management agreement at the worker's company.

In both cases, TV Asahi was told to take corrective steps.

TV Asahi is strengthening measures to ensure labor-management agreements on overtime are fully observed, secure the health of employees and check the work hours of employees in managerial posts, an official said. Jiji Press