Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition pushed a bill through the Lower House on Thursday that the government says will represent the biggest shake-up of Japan's labor laws in its postwar history, brushing off criticism from the opposition that it risks worsening the nation's entrenched problem of karōshi (death from overwork).
One of Abe's main priorities for this Diet session, the bill is a comprehensive legal package that the government claims will slash overwork, increase wages for nonregular workers and achieve a more flexible work style.
The legislation — backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito pair and conservative opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai — cleared the plenary session of the Lower House and will be sent to the Upper House for further deliberation.