Japanese companies are divided, according to a survey, over whether to keep remote working arrangements in place after the country downgraded COVID-19 to a lower-risk category of infectious diseases that includes seasonal flu on Monday.

Some major companies have been shifting back to working at the office in principle. Others are cautious about fully returning to an office-based work style.

A survey conducted by Teikoku Databank, a research company, in March showed about 40% of 11,428 responding companies across the country said they will return to pre-pandemic work styles once the status of COVID-19 is lowered.