Japan’s Labor Policy Council announces policy to partially amend the Industrial Safety and Health Act

On January 27, 2025, Japan's Labor Policy Council reported to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (hereinafter “MHLW”) that the "Outline of the Bill to Partially Amend the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Working Environment Measurement Act" was appropriate. This outline, which was formulated based on the "Future Industrial Safety and Health Measures" proposed on January 17, 2025, consists of the following key items: safety and health measures for sole proprietors, the application of inspections in small workplaces to determine the level of psychological burden, measures to prevent health disorders caused by chemical substances, measures to prevent industrial accidents caused by machinery, measures to prevent industrial accidents among the elderly, and the implementation of personal exposure measurements by working environment measurement experts.

The MHLW plans to draft a bill based on this outline and submit it to the ordinary session of the Diet.

The key items proposed in the outline are as follows.