More than 100 prefectural and municipal assemblies across Japan are backing a bill now in the Diet that is aimed at preventing "karoshi" (death from overwork) and suicide caused by overwork.

The bill stipulates that the country as a whole is responsible for such deaths, and the assemblies are urging its passage during this legislative session as "people shouldn't be dying because of their work."

Karoshi is defined as death caused by health problems linked to excessive physical or mental burdens from work.