The president of Komatsu Ltd. said Thursday the construction machinery maker is considering shifting to a four-day workweek at its headquarters in Tokyo to cope with anticipated power shortages this summer in the region.
"We will increase the number of days off to reduce the use of electricity during peak hours at our headquarters office" President Kunio Noji said at a press conference in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture.
To counter electricity shortages in Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s service area due to the nuclear crisis at its Fukushima No. 1 power plant, Komatsu has been promoting energy-saving steps at its factories in the area and in the quake-hit region served by Tohoku Electric Power Co.
These measures are aimed at cutting the factories' power use by more than 30 percent during peak hours and include the introduction of an in-house diesel power generation system.
"We are considering how we can modify our working style to cut (power use) by 30 percent at our headquarters as well, such as by closing floors by rotation," Noji said.
Instead, the company is considering lengthening its works day to secure enough working hours over a week.
