CPEJ Newsletter March, 2018

working hours and the need for increased
productivity, given the intensifying competition in
all industries.
Reforming work styles may necessitate a seriesof reviews of the human resources system, theworkplace environment including IT, corporate
culture, business practices, and many other

Newsletter

factors. Among these, there are quite a few that

Committee on Certification of Professional

are related to ergonomics. This topic is the special

Ergonomists

feature of newsletter No. 53, with contributions by

March, 2018

experts in this field and by individuals who have

CPEJ Newsletter Editorial board

actually embraced new working styles.

Background and trend of work style reform in

At the CPEJ, a general meeting and a lectureJapan

were held in April 2017, a seminar was held in
October, and a CPE salon was held in February,

Eriko Wanibe (Editor of CPEJ Newsletter)discussions were held on a wide range of themes
related to ergonomics. At the six JES local branch

The special topic in this edition is the trend of

meetings during the fall season, these activities

work style reform in Japan. In this section, theand the certification program for professional

background is described for better understanding

ergonomists were explained.

in the topic.

In September, Dr. Kazuo Aoki (CPE Chair for

Population in Japan

2008–2012, JES President for 2012–2016) wasJapan is known as the one of the nations whose

selected for the IEA Fellow Award 1). Furthermore,

population is rapidly aging. The ratio of the people

eight new certified professional ergonomists, 38

over 65 years old was 26.6% in 2015 andassociate

forecasted to be 38.4% in 2065 in Japan.

ergonomics

professionals,

and

two

ergonomics assistants were accredited.

In thelong run, the labor population in in 2065 isNewsletter numbers 51 to 54 were publishedestimated to be 40% less in comparison to thewith No. 53 being a special issue on “Work Style

number in 2016 unless effective countermeasures

Reform”. This CPEJ Newsletter is translated into

are taken. One of the countermeasure is toEnglish and published with a focus on theencourage female population to join work force.

featured articles.

Unhappy workers

1)

When thinking of the society today, not only

http://www.iea.cc/president_newsletter.php?id=24

maintaining number of the labor population, we
also should secure our workforce productive at

Special Issue: Work Style Reform

workplaces and healthy and happy as human

These days, opportunities to see and hear the

beings. However, it is recognized that Japaneseterm “work style reform” are increasing. In

working culture needs drastic changes as cases ofaddition to the government-led system and law“Karoshi (overwork death)” in many industries

amendments, there is a growing momentum tohave been reported so often and poverty of non-review work styles due to the emergence of longregular workers became a social issue. These are
1

CPEJ Newsletter March, 2018

only examples and there can be more to fix forSpecial Issue: Work Style Reform

workers happier.

Work Style Reform and Men’s Work-Life

Year of 2017

Balance－ Role Augmentation

In 2017, the government announced some work

Physical Healthstyle reform related regulations. Major ones are toprevent

overwork deathandimprovework

andMentaland－Nozomi Sato (Kindai University)

contract for the non-regular workers. It was notmandatory

force

by

the

regulations,but

In this paper, among the many issues that cancompanies were encouraged to allow employees toemerge with the promotion of work style reform,

tele-work, to stop over hours and to try leaving

we discuss matters related to the co-existence ofoffice earlier on 4 th Fridays of the months (called

work with childcare and housework among men,

“Premium Friday”). However, some negative

and their physical and mental health. New role

impacts were witnessed and the outcomes of these

expectations have led to an increased physical andactivities did not satisfy many people.

mental burden on men as well as women.

At work places

According to the Action Plan for the Realization

Due to the economic recovery, shortage of laborof Work Style Reform 1) approved by the Council forhas been reported lately in many industries

the Realization of Work Style Reform at the Prime

especially, service sectors. Many companies make

Minister’s official residence in March 2017, one ofefforts to lure the employees, they appeal how

the building blocks of work style reform is a better

attractive their work conditions are. It makes

work-life balance based on the modification of long

many companies to put more efforts in work styleworking hours. With the existing strengthening ofreform activities today. It has been learnt that

employment support for women, including thereform activities require revisions of HR rules,

Law to Promote Women in the Workplace, and theworking culture, work process, IT systems and so

Revised Child Care Leave and Family Care Leave

on. They are still in the phase of try-and-error due

Law, in addition to the development of laws toto complexity and uniqueness in each work place

reduce the child and family care burden as their

which make them difficult to reach the optimal

foundations, it can be assumed that thesemeasures in short term.

initiatives will encourage men to participate more

What ergonomist can do?

in housework, child and family care. Back in 2010,

Ergonomics is the science of work. There are

the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare started

some issues which can be solved by the in-house

the Ikumen Project to promote the participation ofor industry work rule revisions and new IT

men in child rearing by taking child care leave 2).

technologies implementation separately or in

The website3) provides a wealth of information

combination. Is there anything we can provide

including accounts of men’s experiences who havefrom outside? We started the discussion among

embraced active participation in child rearing andsome members what ergonomist can do and sendhousework (hereafter referred to as ikumen).

messages from now. Our discussion continues!

These accounts include examples of support
initiatives by municipalities, and present therelated policy documents. Furthermore, in March
2017, a collection of case studies of initiatives forthe promotion of work-life balance for corporate
2

CPEJ Newsletter March, 2018men 4) was released by the Cabinet Office. Almost

ideal life style and social conditions on the ground,

all of the companies listed have introduced their

where there is a rapid rise in the expectations

own experiences of ikumen and ikuboss (bosses

from men to fulfill additional roles at home,

who make efforts to improve work duties that help

childcare and housework, as ikumen . For example,

actualize work-life balance and provide support tobased on the results of an interview survey

ikumen). According to this, nation-led public

targeting male workers, Taga 7) states that whileawarenesspromoted

participation in child care is emphasized as one of

expeditiously to achieve work-life balance for boththe conflicts that men have between work andmen and women.

home, long working hours prevent them from

campaigns

are

being

To strike a balance between work, childcare,participating in child care. Married men are still

and housework, different duties are required in

expected to play the traditional role of breadeach domain, hence one has to perform multiple

winners,roles. In research that investigates multiple roles,

contribute to child care and housework, leading to

the conditions and experiences of one person haveproblems with meeting the demands of life 8).

been found to influence the roles of others, which

Furthermore,is defined as spillover 5). In cases where this has

postpartum depression, Takehara and Suto9) state

positive effects it is termed positive spillover, andthat fathers whose partners are pregnant or havein cases where this has negative effects it isjust given birth to a child are expected to work tospillover 6).

In majority of the

support the family even in highly demanding

abovementioned experiences of ikumen , entailingworkplace environments. Furthermore, due to thethe co-existence of child care and work, both havenuclearization of families, most receive little

a mutually positive influence on each other. Whensupport from their parent’s home for housework,

framed from the perspective of spillover, itor for taking care of the household after childbirth.

corresponds to a two-way positive spillover from

Hence all these responsibilities fall upon thework to child care (home) and from child careparents(home) to work. This positive spillover for bothaugmentation has led to an increase in stress.

men and women, due the rapid increase of ikumen,This shift in the expectations from men to combine

is considered an ideal life style model in the area

full-time wage earning over long hours with aof work style reform, and informs the expectations

share of child care and housework has additionalof the work-life balance of the future.

implications for their physical and mental health.

termed negative

and

in

in

additionathemselves,arediscussion

and

this

expected

on

kind

to

father’sofrole

The direction of work style reform should

The nation has emphasized the importance ofcontribute to a fulfilling family and professional

speedy deliberations and execution of plans for thelife for each individual, and lead to an enrichedpromotion of work style reforms 1). Considering thelife throughout the life span. However, if we are to

enduring situation of sudden deaths due tochange our perspective on the current state of

painful overwork caused by long working hours, it

work-life balance among men, the modification ofis crucial to implement an immediate correction oflong working hours is the most important problem

long working hours. However, an increasing

facing work style reform. It is not progressing that

number of men who are riding the wave of reform,

much, as there are many men who are physicallyand are working too much to achieve the ideal

and mentally exhausted and are unable to achieve

image of ikumen sought at work and at home, are

any work-life balance due to the gap between an

becoming physically and mentally exhausted. It is3

CPEJ Newsletter March, 2018like putting the cart before the horse. To ensure

Positive and Negative Spillovers in Middle-Aged

that such adverse side effects are avoided as far

Japanese, Essays and studies: Science reports ofas possible, it is important to advance work reformTokyo Woman's Christian University, 60, 169-191,

within a framework that promotes the health of2009

working people.

7) Futoshi Taga. A Father’s Dilemma between

This paper has been assigned limited space and,Work or Parenting: The Life-History Approach,moreover, is restricted to a limited discussion. It

Japanese Journal of International Society foris important to examine the issue discussed in this

Gender Studies, 5, 35-61, 2007

paper in a context that covers all the issues8) Futoshi Taga. The Age of Boys' Problems?:

pertinent to work style reform.

Conflicting Politics of Gender and Education,

References

Gakubunsha, 2016

1) Prime Minister’s Official Residence Council for9)

the Realization of Work Style Reform. Action Plan

Depression, The Journal of Child Health, 71, 343-

for349，2012

theRealization

of

Work

Style

ReformKenji

Takehara,

Maiko

Suto.

Paternal

Retrieved October 10, 2017, available from

Author Self-Introduction

http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/hatarakikata/pdf/

Nozomi Sato: Associate Professor, Faculty of

honbun_h290328.pdf

Applied Sociology, Kindai University. Doctor of2) Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Medicine (Ph.D.). Majored in Ergonomics when

Sending Men Who Enjoy Childcare into Society!

enrolled in Kwansei Gakuin University andStarting a New Project Document released by the

University of Occupational and Environmental

Ministry

Health, Japan. Studied Gerontology during myofHealth,LabourandWelfare.

Retrieved October 10, 2017, available fromtenure as Visiting Researcher at the University of

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou/2r98520000007

Hawaii Center on Aging. Research areas of

25v.html

interest include health and safety issues of3) Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

working people.

Ikumen Project site. Retrieved October 10, 2017,
available fromSpecial Issue: Work Style Reform

Short-term Work Experience

https://ikumen-project.mhlw.go.jp/
4) Cabinet Office. Case Study Series on Initiatives

Aya Nishihara (Secretariat of theto Promote Work-Life Balance at the Workplace

Japan Ergonomics Society)for Men’s Work-Style Reform and Awareness
Reform. Retrieved October 15, 2017, available

Since 2009, I have been working at the Japanfrom

Ergonomics Society and am in charge of the

http://wwwa.cao.go.jp/wlb/research/wlb_h2903/ch

Secretariat of the organization. When I heard

apter4-1.pdf

about the theme of work style reform and talked5) Kyoko Shimada, Akito Shimazu. Positive

to the Editor-in-Chief of Matsumoto I really

Spillover of Work-Life Balance and Mental Health,wanted to read other people’s experiences. In

Japanese Journal of Occupational Mental Health,addition, I was given the opportunity to write.

20, 271-275, 2012
6)

HarukoHayashi,

I had taken a year and a half of childcare leave
Mayumi

Karasawa.

and returned to work last year. With no day care

Psychological Aspects of Work-Family Balance:

center being identified still where I could place my
4

CPEJ Newsletter March, 2018

child, and my physical condition not being at its

in a way that makes it easy to choose one’s work

best due to the changes in the rhythm of daily life,

style

I was worried that even though I had resumed

irrespective of whether it is for childcare, nursing

work, everything would turn out to be half-care, or recuperation.

accordingtoindividual

circumstances,finished. However, I was encouraged by former

The content of my work includes responding tochair Dr. Yoshitake’s advice, “Why don’t you giveinquiries and communicating extensively with theit a try and start by doing what you can?”, and I

secretary in charge of examinations to ensure that

resumed work with an irregular working format.

the test is conducted in a safe and successful

At first, I started working once a week, andmanner. I do not have many opportunities to gocontinued with a trial and error approach,out of the office as my duties consist of desk work,sometimes gradually increasing my working

so I look forward to listening to talks by experts

hours and at other times reducing them. Now I

during events such as the annual organization

work almost every weekday for one hour in a

lecturesshort-duration

first

Ergonomics is a practical field of study that is also

embarked on the short-duration work format, it

related to everyday life and I always listen, with awas difficult to determine the appropriate hours

great deal of interest, to the kinds of projectsof work. My feeling of accomplishment was

experts are working on.

lowered when my working hours were not

Author Self-Introduction

sufficient. I seemed to get flustered and felt

Aya Nishihara: Graduated from the Faculty ofrestless, and could not invest an alpha plus effort

Fine Arts, Department of Photography, Nihon

into my work. Moreover, at present the secretariat

University. Working for the Japan Ergonomics

office is being operated by two people includingSocietymyself, and I was concerned that an excessive

Formerly, a cameraman.

burden was being placed upon the other staff

My hobbies are watchingmember. However, from this fall, the day carebaseball.

work

format.

When

I

or

CPE

since

seminars

heldin

April.

2009.

center where I used to send my child relocated,
and what used to be a one-hour commute by train
to the day care center became a 10-minute trip bybicycle. Finally, as the number of working days
and hours increased, I began to feel calmer.
When I returned to work, I had no spare time togather information about examples of a short-

Report from Professional Ergonomist

duration work style. I needed access to a good

Creating

advisor and role model. I did not understand aConcealed in Action

single thing, even about my salary calculation. I

New

Value

from

the

Context

Ryota Kubo (Ogis Research Institute)found out about the Social Insurance Waiver
Program from social insurance workers andWhen a product or a service is developed, what

employees, and it was extremely useful for

do users or customers seek? We work to help

extending my temporary absence from work, as it

create the value being sought using on-site

did not burden either the employee or the

behavioral

employer. I would like the system to be organized

scenarios in the lives of users and customers.
5

observation,

involvingactual-use

CPEJ Newsletter March, 2018

One can obtain many essential insights by

I believe that fixed frameworks can be removed

actually going on-site, but in order to interpretand can lead to the creation and innovation ofwhat happens on-site and create value, I believe it

collective values that honor diversity, while

is important to not only observe a particularachieving common objectives.

behavior and discover the issue but also accept the

Author Self-Introduction

reason for the actions and the experiences, andRyotainterpret such events in the context of a person’sObservation Reframing Headquarters, Energy

cultural background.

Development

Prior to practicing behavioral observation inearnest,I

wasexploring

why

Kubo:

Ogis-RICo.

Department,Ltd.,

Behavioral

Solution

ProposalTeam. The author has worked in developing and“equipment

improvingequipment

design

in

Japan

and

operating in Vietnam is less productive thanoverseas, starting at “People and Sites,” thenestimated at the time of designing.” During thejoiningearly stages of the initiative, the issue seemed to

Research Institute in 2015, and then joining Ogis

be that “as it is made with the physique ofCo., Ltd. in the Behavioral Observation Reframe

Japanese as the standard, the operators have

Headquarters Energy Development Department,

been operating it in unreasonably uncomfortable

Solution Proposal Team (currently here). The

postures.” However, during the process of working

authorand eating together for many days, I noticed thatobservation for product development and problem

theysolving.

had

been

askingmequestions,

yet

the

has

Osaka

Gas

engagedActionmainlyObservationinbehavioral

confirming their ability to use the equipment a
number of times. At that time, the assumption
could be made that it was not “as it is made withthe physique of Japanese as the standard, theoperators have been operating it in unreasonably
uncomfortable postures,” but “confirmation was
being done so many times as they did not want to
fail,

as

they

were

serious,a＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

national

characteristic”.

Contact informatione-mail：cpenewsletter@ergonomics.jp

Of course, as they had an ergonomic background,from an operational approach, it was noticed that

CPEJ Newsletter editorial board“the specifications of the equipment do not match

Japan Ergonomics Society

the physique of Vietnamese people,” but accepting

2-10-16, Akasaka, Minato-ku

their background might lead to new realizations

Tokyo, 107-0052, JAPANand effective solutions.

【Editorial board】

By understanding the facts that are actually

Keita Matsumoto (Editor-in-Chief), Kazuo Aoki,

occurring on-site and accepting and interpreting

Emiko Kido, Susumu Saito, Shinichi Fukuzumi,

events in light of culturally diverse backgrounds,

Yushi Fujita, Ryoji Yoshitake, Eriko Wanibe

https://www.ergonomics.jp/cpe/en
https://www.ergonomics.jp/product/newsletter.html
6