Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday reaffirmed his vow to end the entrenched corporate culture of overwork but stopped short of setting a timeline for legislation or promising to require a rest period between shifts.
"It is a matter of fact that we seek to rectify the tendency toward overwork," Abe told the Upper House Budget Committee. "Doing so will help enrich the way workers lead their lives and ensure that the tragedy of karoshi (death from overwork) will not be repeated.
"Such a reform will also boost productivity," he added. "This is the direction we will be taking."