Tokyo Officials Embrace Shorts in Office to Save Energy Amid Heatwave

As an extreme heatwave grips Tokyo, officials are being urged to ditch their formal suits in favour of shorts to help conserve energy. Noboru Watanabe, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government official, recently overcame his embarrassment and arrived at the office in shorts, a rare sight in a country where full business attire is the strict norm. The move is part of a broader push to reduce air conditioning usage amid high electricity costs and strained energy supplies, a situation exacerbated by global instability.

The initiative is a revamped version of the ‘Cool Biz’ campaign, originally launched in 2005 by current Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike during her tenure as environment minister. The updated policy officially encourages staff to wear polo shirts, sneakers, and even shorts depending on their duties. ‘We are encouraging cool attire that prioritises comfort,’ Governor Koike stated.

While the policy applies to government employees, it has stirred envy among private sector workers still bound by strict suit-and-tie dress codes. Takayuki Deguchi, a 30-year-old marketing employee, called the approach logical for managing body temperature in extreme heat. However, the shift has not been universally welcomed. Sachie Koike, a 52-year-old real estate agent, voiced a common criticism, stating that while she accepts men removing their jackets, wearing shorts crosses a line of decency. ‘I associate shorts with holidays and weekends. I just think hairy men’s legs look untidy and inappropriate in the workplace,’ she said.