Overwork-Related Disorders in Japan: Recent Trends and Development of a National Policy to Promote Preventive Measures
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OVERWORK-RELATEDIndustrial Health 2017, 55 DISORDERS, 293–302 PREVENTION POLICY IN JAPAN Country Report293 Overwork-related disorders in Japan: recent trends and development of a national policy to promote preventive measures Takashi YAMAUCHI1*, Toru YOSHIKAWA1, Masahiro TAKAMOTO2, Takeshi SASAKI1, Shun MATSUMOTO1, Kotaro KAYASHIMA1, Tadashi TAKESHIMA3 and Masaya TAKAHASHI1 1Research Center for Overwork-Related Disorders, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan 2College of Education, Yokohama National University, Japan 3Kawasaki City Center for Mental Health and Welfare, Japan Received November 10, 2016 and accepted January 23, 2017 Published online in J-STAGE January 31, 2017 Abstract: Overwork-related disorders, such as cerebrovascular/cardiovascular diseases (CCVD) and mental disorders due to overwork, are a major occupational and public health issue worldwide, particularly in East Asian countries. This report discusses the recent trend of overwork-related dis- orders in Japan from the perspective of workers’ compensated occupational diseases, as well as the development of a national policy for preventive measures against overwork-related disorders in Japan. Recently, the number of claimed and compensated cases of occupational mental disorders has increased substantially, particularly among young workers, as compared to those of occupational CCVD. In response to these situations and action from society, the Japanese Government passed the “Act on Promotion of Preventive Measures against Karoshi and Other Overwork-Related Health Disorders” in June 2014 to develop a national initiative towards the prevention of overwork-related disorders. Changes in the trend of overwork-related disorders in Japan under a legal foundation and an initiative by the central government should be closely monitored so that other countries can benefit from the experiences. Key words: Cardiovascular diseases, Cerebrovascular diseases, Japan, Mental disorders, National strategies, Overwork, Work stress Introduction working hours among employed people in Japan was 1,938.6 h4). On the other hand, regardless of gender, the Overwork-related disorders, including karoshi (i.e., proportion of workers who were working 49 h or more per death by cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases week in Japan in 2014 (30.0% in men and 9.7% in women) (CCVD) due to overwork) and karojisatsu (i.e., suicide was higher than that in western developed countries5, 6), due to overwork), constitute a major occupational and suggesting that long working hours are more prevalent in public health issue worldwide1), particularly in East Asian Japan. In addition, whereas CCVD and mental disorders countries2), including Japan3). In 2015, the average annual attributed to heavy workloads or stressful work events are considered compensable occupational diseases by work- *To whom correspondence should be addressed. ers’ compensation insurance systems in Japan, Korea, and E-mail: [email protected] Taiwan, the number of compensated cases and these trends ©2017 National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health are different2). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd) License. 294 T YAMAUCHI et al. According to the National Police Agency of Japan7), 1,600 100% 1,600 100% 24,025 people died by suicide in Japan in 2015 and, of these 1,400 1,400 suicide completers, reasons for suicide could be deter- 80% 80% mined in 17,981 (74.8%). Among those, 2,159 (12.0%) 1,200 1,200 completed suicide due to “work-related issues,” including suicidal cases due to “exhaustion due to overwork” (i.e., 1,000 60% 1,000 60% karojisatsu). Recently, suicide rates due to work-related 800 800 issues, such as stress involved in long working hours and 40% 40% heavy workloads, have increased among people aged 20 to 600 600 29 yr8). Furthermore, as compared to occupational CCVD, of cases Number of cases Number 400 400 occupational mental disorders have been compensated 20% 20% 9) more frequently among young employees in Japan . 200 200 In the present paper, we aimed to discuss the recent trend of overwork-related disorders in Japan from the perspec- 0 0% 0 0% 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 tive of workers’ compensated occupational diseases (i.e., 198 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 201 201 201 198 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 201 201 201 CCVD and mental disorders) due to overwork, as well as Fiscal year Fiscal year the development of a national policy for the promotion of Compensation rate (%) Claimed cases Compensation rate (%) Claimed cases preventive measures against overwork-related disorders in Japan. Compensated cases Compensated cases Fig. 1-(a). Number of claimed and compensated cases of occu- Compensated Occupational CCVD and pational cardiovascular disease, FY1988–FY2015. Mental Disorders in Japan 1,600 100% 1,600 100% To our knowledge, the first reported case of overwork- 1,400 1,400 related disorders in Japan occurred in 1969, which was a 10, 11) 80% 80% case of death1,200 by stroke . In addition, the first case of 1,200 occupational mental disorders was compensated in 198412). Following1,00 changes0 in the awareness of overwork-related60% 1,000 60% disorders in800 society and decisions made in the suits, since 800 1988, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) 40% 40% of Japan has600 provided the annual number of cases of both 600 claimed of cases Number and compensated occupational CCVD and mental of cases Number 9, 40013) 400 disorders . 20% 20% Figure 1-(a)200 shows the trend of claimed and compen- 200 sated cases of occupational CCVD in Japan between fiscal years 1988 and0 20159, 13). In 2002, the number of compen0% - 0 0% 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 sated occupational CCVD cases increased sharply. Over 198 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 201 201 201 198 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 201 201 201 the last three fiscal years, nearlyFiscal 800 yea claimsr for compensa- Fiscal year tion of occupational CCVD have been made and, of these, Compensation rate (%) Claimed cases Compensation rate (%) Claimed cases about one third were compensated. The sharpCompensa increase teind the case numbers of compensated CCVD Compensated cases cases in 2002 may be due to the relaxation of the definition Fig. 1-(b). Number of claimed and compensated cases of occu- of heavy workloads in the amendment of certification cri- pational mental disorders, FY1988–FY2015. teria by the MHLW in December 20012, 3). Regarding this amendment, the expert committee on the criteria for com- hours for the compensation of occupational CCVD were pensation of occupational CCVD, which was organized by established in a more quantitative manner as follows: (1) the MHLW, published a report on the association between overtime working hours of more than 100 h per month for overwork and occupational CCVD in November 2001. the past month before the onset of CCVD, and (2) over- Based on this report, the standards of overtime working time working hours of more than 80 h per month for the Industrial Health 2017, 55, 293–302 OVERWORK-RELATED DISORDERS PREVENTION POLICY IN JAPAN 295 past 2 to 6 months before the onset of CCVD3). 1,600 100% Figure 1-(b) shows the trend of claimed and compen- 1,400 sated cases of occupational mental disorders in Japan 80% between fiscal years 1988 and 20159, 13). In 1999, the num- 1,200 ber of applications for compensation jumped sharply, pos- 1,000 60% sibly due to the establishment of the guideline for com- pensation of occupational mental disorders by the MHLW. 800 Since 1999, both the number of claimed and compensated 600 40% cases have increased substantially. Compensation rate (the of cases Number 400 number of compensated cases divided by the total number 20% of claims) has also increased from 9.0% in 1999 to 29.3% 200 in 2002, and has remained at about 30% in recent years. 0 0% As shown in Fig. 2, the proportion of suicidal cases 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 among those who had claimed compensation for occupa- 198 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 201 201 201 tional mental disorders was 60% in 1999. Since 1999, the Fiscal year proportion has substantially decreased due to the dramatic Proportion of suicide case (%) increase in the total number of claimed cases for compen- Claimed cases of mental disorders sation and, after 2007, it has remained at about 15%. Sim- Claimed cases of suicide ilarly, the proportion of suicidal cases among those who were determined to be compensated decreased after 1999, Fig. 2. Proportion of suicide cases among the claimed cases of occupational mental disorders claimed between fiscal years and it has remained at nearly 20% (Fig. 3). 1988 and 2015. In 2002, the MHLW launched the first comprehensive program for the prevention of health impairment due to 600 100% overwork12). It included the following three major focus areas: (1) reduction of overtime work to 45 h or less per 500 month, (2) introduction of medical examinations for all 80% workers, and (3) offer of consultation with and health guid- 400 3, 10) ance by a doctor for those who work long hours . In 60% addition, the MHLW have implemented some preventive 300 measures regarding mental health promotion in the work- 40% place and prevention of workplace bullying and power 200 Number of cases Number harassment14). 20% However, these programs and efforts by the Government 100 of Japan to prevent overwork-related disorders may not have been successful in reducing overwork-related disor- 0 0% ders.