With more people teleworking in Japan amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, some are demanding action to ensure employees can refuse phone calls and emails on their days off to clarify the blurred boundaries between personal and professional life.
The debate about the "right to disconnect," which has caught on as law in some European countries, has arisen with fresh force as more people work from home under Japan's emergency declaration and feel their bosses are not allowing them to switch off when out of sight.
While Japan currently has no similar legislation, a report compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare at the end of last year urges labor and management to create rules for each company, and it is likely measures will be taken in the future.