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🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

Keeping Cool, Tokyo Style: Shorts, Sneakers, and No Ties for Government Workers

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Tokyo government encourages staff to wear shorts, T-shirts, and sneakers during summer to cope with heat and save energy.
  • The "Tokyo Cool Biz" campaign aims to reduce energy costs and help staff manage increasingly severe summer heat.
  • The initiative reflects a broader trend of casual office attire in Japan, though formal dress is still required for some occasions.

Tokyo government workers like Toru Suda are embracing a more casual dress code this summer, opting for polo shirts, shorts, and sneakers. This shift is part of the "Tokyo Cool Biz" campaign, an initiative designed to help staff cope with increasingly severe summer heat and reduce energy consumption. As Japan braces for another scorching summer, following the hottest on record last year, the campaign encourages employees to ditch jackets and ties.

Initially, some staff found the casual attire a little strange, but the sense of awkwardness has faded as more colleagues adopt the relaxed style. This practical change is particularly welcome during sweltering July mornings when temperatures in the capital climb significantly, accompanied by high humidity. The campaign builds on a nationwide initiative launched in 2005, marking a bold endorsement of casual office wear in a country traditionally known for its formal business attire.

At first it felt a little strange.

— Toru SudaA Tokyo Metropolitan Government worker describing his initial reaction to the 'Cool Biz' campaign.

While some customer-facing businesses maintain formal dress codes, a growing number of employers are granting employees more discretion. Retailers and apparel makers are responding by expanding business-casual lines and promoting lightweight, quick-drying clothing. For Metropolitan Government workers, the shift is seen as practical, with many adapting well and finding it difficult to return to formal wear. However, they acknowledge that formal occasions still necessitate traditional attire, requiring them to adjust their clothing based on the task and situation.

Honestly, I’ve gotten used to this and it’s hard to go back. That said, formal occasions still require formal attire, so I adjust my clothing according to the task and the situation.

— Noboru WatanabeNoboru Watanabe, who leads Tokyo’s team of climate change countermeasures, on adapting to the new dress code.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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