2025 saw the third-hottest July on record, following the previous two record-breaking years.In Japan, one city in Gunma Prefecture reached an all-time high of 41.8\u00baC \u2013 with country-wide high temperatures expected to persist into October.Japanese policy-makers and employers are taking measures to combat heat risks to protect workers’ health while sustaining business operations.<\/p>\n
As extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe worldwide, companies face growing pressure to safeguard workers\u2019 health and safety while maintaining productivity.<\/p>\n
The World Bank estimates<\/a> that extreme heat could decrease annual GDP in heat-affected cities by 2.5% by 2050.<\/p>\n Heat a major challenge in workplaces<\/p>\n Extreme heat poses major challenges in workplaces. In industries that involve outdoor labour, including agriculture and construction, protecting worker health is key to maintaining both individual wellbeing and productivity.<\/p>\n Workplace heatstroke casualties reached a record 1,257 in Japan last year<\/a>, with fatalities exceeding 30 for the third consecutive year. Many cases were linked to missed warning signs and delayed responses.<\/p>\n In response, Japan amended the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health<\/a> on 1 June, 2025. The revision mandates heatstroke prevention measures when employees work for extended periods in environments above 31\u00b0C or with a wet bulb globe temperature of 28\u00b0C or higher. Noncompliance may result in penalties for employers.<\/p>\n Improving work environments and leveraging tech to combat heat<\/p>\n More than 300 Japanese companies introduced heat countermeasures<\/a> during the summer of 2025, according to CrossWork, a recruitment platform for non-office industries.<\/p>\n These include providing free beverages and cooling jackets, as well as offering financial support during extreme heat. Backed by government and local subsidies<\/a>, these efforts help safeguard worker health while sustaining productivity.<\/p>\n Wearable monitoring devices are also becoming more common for outdoor and high-temperature factory workers. Such tools track body temperature and heart rate in real time and issue alerts when heat risks rise, helping prevent heatstroke and include:<\/p>\n Wristband devices: Products including Biodata Bank\u2019s Canaria Plus<\/a>, Ubitec\u2019s Work Mate<\/a> and Mitsufuji\u2019s hamon band S<\/a> track vital signs, detect early symptoms and include fall detection and emergency call functions.Helmet and clothing devices: Starlite\u2019s Me-mamo<\/a> and Mitsufuji\u2019s hamon<\/a> offer options tailored to different work environments.Facial analysis: Cosmetics manufacturer POLA Chemical Industries developed Kaokara<\/a>, a tablet using AI to assess heatstroke risk by analyzing facial expressions, perspiration and flushing.<\/p>\n Some organizations are improving the work environment through larger building-based measures. Major Japanese construction firm Obayashi Corporation, for example, has launched the \u201cRyojin\u201d project<\/a>, which uses ductwork intended for completed buildings to install temporary cooling system during construction. <\/p>\n It has also introduced cooling mist systems and \u201cShirokuma House<\/a> (polar bear house)\u201d container-type cooling rooms set at -5\u2103 to help workers lower body temperature quickly on-site.<\/p>\n Introducing flexible work arrangements<\/p>\n More companies now recommend remote work on days exceeding 35\u00b0C. In Tokyo metropolitan areas, where average daily commutes exceed 90 minutes<\/a>, extreme heat significantly raises the risk of heatstroke during travel. <\/p>\n To address this, some IT companies, advertising agencies and foreign firms encourage work from home<\/a> if forecasts at 6pm on the previous day predict 35\u00b0C or higher. <\/p>\n While limited to roles suitable for remote work, one IT company reported no productivity loss during five days of heat-related remote work in July 2025. Leaders emphasized that protecting employees\u2019 health ultimately boosts productivity, while workers praised being able to work with fewer heat-related concerns.<\/p>\n Discover<\/p>\n How is the World Economic Forum promoting equity in the workplace? <\/p>\n Show more<\/p>\n The Future of Jobs Report<\/a> 2023 found that 75% of companies surveyed expect to adopt AI, big data and cloud technologies in the next five years. <\/p>\n The Centre for the New Economy and Society<\/a> provides a platform for leaders to share insights on the adoption and efficacy of new technologies, and the readiness of the workforce to use them. Our work includes developing insights and dialogue on growth, jobs, skills, equity and risks.<\/p>\n Learn more about our impact: <\/p>\n Gender parity: Since 2006, we have annually measured the state and evolution of gender parity<\/a> in 101 economies, supporting decision-makers to identify the most effective policies to close gender gaps. In Chile<\/a>, we helped establish gender parity accelerators and benefitted 728,000 women \u2013 reducing the gender gap by 37% in the participating companies.Reskilling Revolution: With our partners, we are helping the global workforce future-proof their careers, working with over 350 organizations to provide 1 billion people<\/a> with better education, skills and economic opportunities by 2030.Disability inclusion: Working with the Valuable500, we are collaborating with the largest global network of CEOs committed to closing the disability inclusion gap<\/a>. Members are making progress by increasing the adoption of digital accessibility best practices and including disability in diversity, equity and inclusion strategies.Racial justice: We are collaborating with a global coalition of 55 organizations<\/a> in 13 industries who are committed to building equitable and just workplaces for professionals from under-represented racial and ethnic identities.<\/p>\n Want to know more about our centre\u2019s impact or get involved? Contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n Building a healthy workplace under extreme heat<\/p>\n With climate change advancing, extreme summer heat is becoming a persistent risk rather than a temporary anomaly. <\/p>\n