## (1) Working Conditions

## Measures for Security and Improvement of Working Conditions

## Overview Security and Improvement of Working Conditions

Approximately 52.09 million people are working at some 4.27 million offices in Japan (source: 2009 "Economic Census for Business Frame", Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications). In order to provide working environment in which workers can work without worries, it is crucial to secure the working conditions stipulated in the Labour Standards Act etc. and take measures to improve working conditions.

As means to achieve this goal, Labour Bureau is established in every prefecture, and Labour Standards Inspection Offices nationwide. On-site inspections are conducted in accordance with labour standards related laws to ensure that employers abide by the statutory working hours, safety and health standards and the minimum wages as well as to secure and improve working conditions.

There are two types of inspections: regular inspection and inspection based on reports filed by workers. The former includes monthly planned inspection and so-called accident site investigation carried out when a serious industrial accident occurs or a workplace disaster such as fire and explosion takes place. Accident site investigation aims to investigate the cause of the accident and prevent recurrence of similar accidents. Inspection based on reports from workers is conducted when a report is filed by workers, etc.

When labour standards inspectors find serious or gross violation case of labour standards related laws on inspection site, they investigate the case, as special judicial police officers, in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure to probe criminal liability, and send the case to the public prosecutor's office.

Detailed Data 1 Changes in Number of Inspections

Year	Number of offices where on-site inspection was conducted	Inspection rate	Violation rate
Regular inspection	Other inspection	Total
(case)	(case)	(case)	(%)	(%)
1965	191,053	46,717	237,770	10.9	54.4
1970	233,946	54,198	288,144	10.8	70.4
1975	165,483	40,576	206,059	7.1	65.7
1980	167,850	37,060	204,910	6.4	64.2
1985	173,438	32,777	206,215	5.9	58.9
1990	156,401	22,728	179,129	4.8	57.7
1991	138,286	20,376	158,662	3.6	56.9
1992	154,109	22,298	176,407	4.1	58.6
1993	164,405	25,283	189,688	4.4	56.3
1994	162,366	26,476	188,842	4.3	56.7
1995	175,875	27,036	202,911	4.7	58.8
1996	164,611	26,281	190,892	4.4	54.0
1997	145,041	27,138	172,179	3.8	55.7
1998	153,563	32,534	186,097	4.1	54.6
1999	146,160	34,097	180,257	4.0	59.7
2000	147,773	37,091	184,864	4.1	58.8
2001	134,623	39,068	173,691	3.8	63.4
2002	131,878	41,236	173,114	3.8	62.7
2003	121,031	43,474	164,505	3.6	65.6
2004	122,793	42,835	165,628	3.6	67.1
2005	122,734	41,407	164,141	3.7	66.3
2006	118,872	42,186	161,058	3.6	67.4
2007	126,499	42,234	168,733	4.1	67.9
2008	115,993	43,097	159,090	3.9	68.5
2009	100,535	46,325	146,860	3.6	65.0
2010	128,959	45,574	174,533	4.3	66.7
2011	132,829	42,703	175,532	4.1	67.4

Source: Labour Standards Bureau, MHLW

(Note) 1. “Violate rate” indicates the percentage of offices which committed violations among offices where regular inspections were conducted.

2. Years indicate calendar years except for 1965, for which the year indicates a fiscal year.