July 14, 2026: Minutes of the 210th Working Conditions Subcommittee

At the 210th Working Conditions Subcommittee of the Labor Policy Council on July 14, 2026, the wage payment system into accounts held by fund transfer service providers and reports from the Labor Market Reform Subcommittee and other bodies were addressed.

The reports covered flexible and diverse work styles, minimum wages, annual paid leave, online clarification of working conditions, and electronic applications.

Regarding upper-limit regulations on overtime work, impacts on orders, sales, and personnel development emerged in transportation, construction, lodging, and food services, while concerns were expressed about logistics disruptions, rising construction costs, and reduced tourism reception capacity.

Regarding the discretionary work system, opinions were expressed about concerns over long working hours, health damage, and failure to ensure discretion or appropriate treatment, as well as views that the system could support compatibility with private life and improve operational efficiency.

For digital wage payments, a requirement to register a designated alternative account was considered in preparation for transfers of amounts exceeding the maximum balance and repayment in the event of failure. Third-party certification for personal information protection and a requirement enabling cash conversion of at least one yen in one-yen increments were also points of discussion.

For labor market reform, a direction was indicated to consider working-hours legislation, the discretionary work system, the variable working-hours system, consecutive-work regulations, work-interval requirements, the right to disconnect, side jobs and multiple jobs, and telework, with improved treatment, smooth labor mobility, and labor force participation by diverse personnel as the pillars.

It was reported that efforts would advance awareness-raising and institutional consideration regarding annual paid leave for shift workers, online clarification of working conditions, and electronic applications for notifications under the Labor Standards Act and related laws, along with the development of a new website.