Latest news with #Furukawa
Japan Today
7 days ago
- Health
- Japan Today
New rules force companies in Japan to address heatstroke crisis
Companies in Japan are now required to take steps to protect their employees against heatstroke, with the government imposing new rules in response to the steadily increasing number of deaths in recent years attributed to the worsening summer heat. Under a revised ordinance that took effect on June 1, businesses will be penalized if they fail to act after investigations found many deaths resulted from delayed detection of symptoms and inadequate responses. Companies are required to take measures for staff working for 60 consecutive minutes or for four hours per day in temperatures exceeding 31 C, or at 28 C or above on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature -- a global heat index calculated based on multiple factors including humidity. Under the rules, companies must designate a person at each workplace to be responsible for reporting possible heatstroke cases among staff. Business operators must also set up procedures to prevent the worsening of symptoms, such as having an employee immediately stop working, cooling the person down and ensuring medical support is provided. Employers are required to inform their workforce of the arrangements. In the event of a breach, penalties include up to six months of imprisonment or a fine of up to 500,000 yen, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. The number of deaths caused by heatstroke at workplaces hit 31 in 2024, exceeding 30 for the third straight year, as Japan logged its equal-hottest summer since comparable data became available in 1898. The number of workplace deaths and injuries related to heatstroke in 2024 was a record-high 1,257, the ministry said. An analysis of 103 heatstroke deaths between 2020 and 2023 found 70 percent of victims were working outdoors, while 78 cases saw delayed detection of symptoms contributing to the death. In 41 deaths, it was found there was an inadequate response to the worker's symptoms. Taku Furukawa, a lawyer with expertise in workplace heatstroke compensation cases, stressed companies need to seriously consider the risk posed by the physical intensity of tasks being performed, in addition to monitoring the temperature and time spent working, saying prevention is key. "It is often too late when heatstroke is detected. The new regulation lacks the perspective of taking steps to prevent heatstroke, such as reducing exposure to heat at workplaces and shortening or adjusting working hours," Furukawa said. © KYODO
The Mainichi
7 days ago
- Health
- The Mainichi
New rules force companies in Japan to address heatstroke crisis
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Companies in Japan are now required to take steps to protect their employees against heatstroke, with the government imposing new rules in response to the steadily increasing number of deaths in recent years attributed to the worsening summer heat. Under a revised ordinance that took effect on June 1, businesses will be penalized if they fail to act after investigations found many deaths resulted from delayed detection of symptoms and inadequate responses. Companies are required to take measures for staff working for 60 consecutive minutes or for four hours per day in temperatures exceeding 31 C, or at 28 C or above on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature -- a global heat index calculated based on multiple factors including humidity. Under the rules, companies must designate a person at each workplace to be responsible for reporting possible heatstroke cases among staff. Business operators must also set up procedures to prevent the worsening of symptoms, such as having an employee immediately stop working, cooling the person down and ensuring medical support is provided. Employers are required to inform their workforce of the arrangements. In the event of a breach, penalties include up to six months of imprisonment or a fine of up to 500,000 yen ($3,400), the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. The number of deaths caused by heatstroke at workplaces hit 31 in 2024, exceeding 30 for the third straight year, as Japan logged its equal-hottest summer since comparable data became available in 1898. The number of workplace deaths and injuries related to heatstroke in 2024 was a record-high 1,257, the ministry said. An analysis of 103 heatstroke deaths between 2020 and 2023 found 70 percent of victims were working outdoors, while 78 cases saw delayed detection of symptoms contributing to the death. In 41 deaths, it was found there was an inadequate response to the worker's symptoms. Taku Furukawa, a lawyer with expertise in workplace heatstroke compensation cases, stressed companies need to seriously consider the risk posed by the physical intensity of tasks being performed, in addition to monitoring the temperature and time spent working, saying prevention is key. "It is often too late when heatstroke is detected. The new regulation lacks the perspective of taking steps to prevent heatstroke, such as reducing exposure to heat at workplaces and shortening or adjusting working hours," Furukawa said.
Kyodo News
13-07-2025
- Health
- Kyodo News
New rules force companies in Japan to address heatstroke crisis
TOKYO - Companies in Japan are now required to take steps to protect their employees against heatstroke, with the government imposing new rules in response to the steadily increasing number of deaths in recent years attributed to the worsening summer heat. Under a revised ordinance that took effect on June 1, businesses will be penalized if they fail to act after investigations found many deaths resulted from delayed detection of symptoms and inadequate responses. Companies are required to take measures for staff working for 60 consecutive minutes or for four hours per day in temperatures exceeding 31 C, or at 28 C or above on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature -- a global heat index calculated based on multiple factors including humidity. Under the rules, companies must designate a person at each workplace to be responsible for reporting possible heatstroke cases among staff. Business operators must also set up procedures to prevent the worsening of symptoms, such as having an employee immediately stop working, cooling the person down and ensuring medical support is provided. Employers are required to inform their workforce of the arrangements. In the event of a breach, penalties include up to six months of imprisonment or a fine of up to 500,000 yen ($3,400), the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. The number of deaths caused by heatstroke at workplaces hit 31 in 2024, exceeding 30 for the third straight year, as Japan logged its equal-hottest summer since comparable data became available in 1898. The number of workplace deaths and injuries related to heatstroke in 2024 was a record-high 1,257, the ministry said. An analysis of 103 heatstroke deaths between 2020 and 2023 found 70 percent of victims were working outdoors, while 78 cases saw delayed detection of symptoms contributing to the death. In 41 deaths, it was found there was an inadequate response to the worker's symptoms. Taku Furukawa, a lawyer with expertise in workplace heatstroke compensation cases, stressed companies need to seriously consider the risk posed by the physical intensity of tasks being performed, in addition to monitoring the temperature and time spent working, saying prevention is key. "It is often too late when heatstroke is detected. The new regulation lacks the perspective of taking steps to prevent heatstroke, such as reducing exposure to heat at workplaces and shortening or adjusting working hours," Furukawa said.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nintendo Exploring Ways To Reduce High Cost Of Games
In a recent investor meeting, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa spoke of ways to deal with the rising cost of games on the Nintendo Switch 2. During the call, Furukawa spoke on a variety of concerns that have arisen alongside the success of the Nintendo Switch 2. One issue in particular was the 'higher game development cost, which in turn could result in higher software prices and ultimately a decrease in the gaming population.' On this, the Nintendo president said, 'Our development teams are devising various ways to maintain our traditional approach to creating games amidst the increasing scale and length of development.' Furukawa added, 'We also believe it is possible to develop game software with shorter development periods that still offer consumers a sense of novelty. We see this as one potential solution to the concern about rising development costs and software prices, and we will explore it from various angles within the company.' Furukawa also highlighted the importance of 'making necessary investments for more efficient development,' however, did not specify what that would entail. As integrating AI into the development process has been a controversial issue, Nintendo has sent out some conflicting messages with Furukawa stating it could be used in 'creative ways,' while Shigeru Miyamoto has said Nintendo would go in, 'a different direction.' Crunch is another potential concern of 'efficient development,' however, Nintendo has had a fairly decent track record in avoiding crunch during its development periods. While Nintendo looks to explore ways of reducing the cost of its games, it also seems somewhat commited to keeping prices where they are, as during the meeting the topic of the Switch 2 costing more than previous consoles came up, to which Fukuwara responded, 'We believe the pricing of Nintendo Switch 2 is appropriate for the gaming experience it offers. Nintendo has dropped the prices of its consoles in the past; however, with the Nintendo Switch 2 sales seemingly set to cross 5.4 million when official figures are released, it seems unlikely that Nintendo will find itself in a position where such a move is necessary.
Hypebeast
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Nintendo Expands Beyond the Console, Confirms More Film & TV Adaptations in the Works
Summary Building on the monumental success ofThe Super Mario the highly anticipated upcomingThe Legend of Zeldafilm,Nintendohas officially confirmed that it is actively working on'various other projects'in the visual media announcement, made by Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, signals a significant expansion of the company's strategy to leverage its vast intellectual property beyond traditional video game platforms President Furukawa revealed at anAGM Q&Athat Nintendo is taking a deeply 'proactive approach' to these adaptations, rather than simply licensing its IPs to external film production companies. The company is 'deeply involved in production and makes investments as needed,' a strategy designed to maintain a strong commitment to the quality and authenticity of the final product. This hands-on method mirrors the successful collaboration seen with Illumination for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed over $1.3 billion USD worldwide. This push into more film and TV content aligns with Nintendo's overarching strategy to 'expand the number of people who have access to Nintendo IP' and continuously invigorate its core integrated hardware-software business. While specific titles beyondThe Super Mario Bros. Movie 2(set for April 2026) and the live-actionThe Legend of Zelda(May 2027) remain under wraps, speculation is rife regarding which beloved franchises, fromMetroidtoKirbyorDonkey Kong, might be next to receive the big-screen treatment. This aggressive expansion into visual media underscores Nintendo's ambition to transform into a broader entertainment powerhouse. Take a look at President Furukawa's full response below when asked about the future of the company, 'We releasedThe Super Mario Bros. Moviein theaters in April 2023, and are pleased to say that it has been received positively by many people around the world. Looking ahead, we plan to release a new animated film based on the world ofSuper Mario April 2026, and a live-action movie ofThe Legend of Zeldain May 2027. Under our strategy of 'expanding the number of people who have access to Nintendo IP' to continuously invigorate our core integrated hardware-software business, we have been working on initiatives beyond our dedicated video game platforms for several years. Visual content is one such area. And rather than simply licensing our IP to film production companies, we are taking a proactive approach where Nintendo itself is deeply involved in production and makes investments as needed. This approach allows us to maintain a strong commitment to the quality of the final product. Although we cannot discuss our plans beyondThe Legend of Zeldamovie at this time, we are working on various other projects.'
