Death by overwork: Japan's Parliament tightens limits on overtime hours

Until now, employers could effectively ask employees to work without limit if workers' unions and management agreed to it, which they often did without much scrutiny

Japan’s Parliament tightened limits on overtime hours, responding to concerns about karoshi, or death by overwork, and seeking to improve productivity in a country where long hours are often more a custom than business necessity.

The legislation, a priority of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, won final approval Friday in Parliament. It limits overtime work to less than 100 hours a month and less than 720 hours a year, and it sets penalties for companies that violate the limits.

Until now, employers could effectively ask employees to work without limit if workers’ unions and management agreed to it, which they often