Tokyo is throwing out its strict office dress code and asking workers to wear shorts amid the war in Iran energy crisis |
Tokyo is throwing out its strict office dress code and asking workers to wear shorts amid the war in Iran energy crisis
As the summer rolls in, many dreams of jet-setting vacations are being dashed as fuel prices spike during the ongoing war in Iran. But it’s not the only way people are pivoting—workers in Japan are even being asked to ditch the slacks and opt for bare-legged attire at the office.
The Tokyo metropolitan government recently began encouraging workplaces to wear shorts this summer as temperatures rise and energy costs continue to climb. The initiative is a remodel of Japan’s Cool Biz campaign launched by the country’s environment ministry in 2005, which called on civil servants to forgo ties and jackets, but didn’t permit shorts as an exception. Now, professionals are allowed to bare their legs at the office, and are also advised to stay cool and conserve energy in three target areas: work arrangements, daily habits, and clothing attire.
The city’s government employees have already started wearing T-shirts and shorts to beat the heat, according to The Japan News, with temperatures in Tokyo hovering in the mid-70s this week. Workers are also encouraged to take early-morning shifts and even work remotely, if permitted. And to bolster its safety system, Japan implemented a special heat stroke warning system just last month; the nation has been on high alert after a record of more than 100,000 citizens were sent to hospitals during Japan’s scorching summer months between May and September 2025.
Historically, Tokyo has shunned the notion of showing up to work in shorts. But it........