Japan blacklists companies violating labor laws

The Japanese government has for the first time announced a list of over 300 businesses nationwide that have broken labor laws. Officials want to protect employees from abuse and prevent "karoshi," or death by overwork.

The list includes major companies such as advertising agency Dentsu and electronics maker Panasonic, who are blamed for illegal overtime. A local unit of Japan Post, a subsidiary of Japan Post Holdings is accused of failing to report work-related injuries.

Companies that abuse workers have been called "black" by the local media. The problem intensified when a young worker at Dentsu committed suicide in 2015. The death was recognized as "karoshi," encouraging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to push for labor reforms.

The list, which now has 334 companies, will be updated monthly. The term "karoshi" was introduced in the 1970s and is still dominating the...

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