PUBLISHED ONJuly 18, 20261:00 PM
When Tokyo Metropolitan Government worker Toru Suda showed up for work in a polo shirt, shorts and sneakers on a sweltering July morning, he was not making a statement
As Japan braces for another scorching summer, the Tokyo government is encouraging its staff to ditch jackets and ties in favour of shorts, T-shirts and sneakers under the Tokyo Cool Biz campaign, aimed at helping staff cope with increasingly severe summer heat and reduce energy costs
“At first it felt a little strange,” said Suda, the 34-year-old public servant in his light blue polo shirt and knee-length navy shorts
But the sense of awkwardness gradually faded as more colleagues around him started dressing casually, he said at his office in central Tokyo on Tuesday, when temperatures in the capital climbed to around 35 deg C with average humidity of 72 per cent
Japan is bracing for another hot summer after enduring the hottest summer on record last year, when average nationwide temperatures were 2.36 deg C above average summer, and heatstroke sent more than 100,000 people to hospital
On Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Ministry of Environment jointly issued heatstroke alerts for the capital, the first this summer, urging people to limit outdoor activities and use air conditioning
Tokyo’s Cool Biz campaign, which builds on a nationwide initiative first launched in 2005, marks one of the boldest endorsements yet of casual office attire in a country where dark suits and white shirts have long been the norm for office workers, even during the hottest months
While some customer-facing businesses still expect formal dress, a growing number of employers are giving employees greater discretion for dressing down, particularly when they are not meeting clients
Retailers such as Aeon have responded by expanding business-casual lines, while apparel makers including Fast Retailing and Aoki are promoting lightweight, stretchable and quick-drying clothing aimed at office workers seeking to balance comfort with a professional look
For Metropolitan Government workers, the shift is practical rather than symbolic
“Honestly, I’ve gotten used to this and it’s hard to go back,” said Noboru Watanabe, who leads Tokyo’s team of climate change countermeasures.
“That said, formal occasions still require formal attire, so I adjust my clothing according to the task and the situation.”
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