Japan’s top business lobby urges 4-day work week as anti-infection step

TOKYO – Japan’s most powerful business lobby called member companies on Thursday to present a four-day work week and look for flexible ways to hold upcoming shareholder meetings as part of guidelines on how to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, compiled the guidelines as the government decided the same day to lift a state of emergency for 39 of the country’s 47 prefectures, a move that will restart economic activity. However, major trading regions like Tokyo and Osaka will remain in a state of emergency.

The federation recommended introducing a four-day work week and promoting telework, as well as flexible business hours and work shifts as ways to alleviate congestion on public transportation.

The business lobby also urged companies to consider ways of holding shareholder meetings without them meeting, for example, allowing them to exercise voting rights beforehand. Many Japanese companies hold shareholders’ meetings in late June.

Companies were also advised to suspend nonessential business travel and conduct meetings and interviews or seminars with online job applicants.

“While companies should promote measures to prevent the spread of infection, they are also expected to strengthen efforts to contribute to public life through business operations,” the federation said in a statement.

Major companies, including Nissan Motor Co. and Toshiba Corp., have suspended or curtailed operations, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declaring a month-long state of emergency in early April until May 6 for seven affected urban areas. by the virus.

The prime minister expanded the state of emergency to the entire country on April 16 and extended it until May 31. But Abe said Thursday that Japan will lift the state of emergency in 39 prefectures where the spread of the new coronavirus was kept under control.