Men with qualms about attempting the no-necktie look at work this summer should take a leaf out of former Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata's book.
Famous for his short-sleeved suits, dubbed the "sho-ene" (energy-saving) look, Hata stresses the merits of wearing the garment without a necktie during the typically humid summers.
"The heat I feel when wearing the suit is completely different" from that in a normal suit, Hata, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, said in a recent interview. "My motivation to work is also different."