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Hot Pants: Tokyo Government Workers Swap Suits for Shorts
The campaign promotes early shifts, working from home and lighter clothing as Tokyo faces higher energy costs and extreme summer heat.
On April 23, the Tokyo metropolitan government began encouraging staff to wear shorts to work, aiming to reduce reliance on air conditioning amid growing concerns over high energy costs linked to the Middle East War.
This initiative upgrades the original "Cool Biz" energy-saving effort started by Japan in 2005, responding to extreme summer heat and rising costs that prompted the city to escalate action.
Officials recommend "attire that prioritises comfort, including polo shirts, T-shirts and sneakers and-- depending on job responsibilities-- shorts," citing a severe outlook for electricity supply and demand.
The Japan Meteorological Agency designated temperatures of 40C and above as "cruelly hot" or "kokusho" days as heatstroke warning systems began, reflecting extreme weather becoming common in recent years.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who launched the original Cool Biz program two decades ago, now champions the new "Tokyo Cool Biz" to implement smart energy use and comfortable clothing throughout the city.
In the face of rising energy costs, the Japanese capital is loosening its dress code to limit the use of air conditioning in offices The city of Tokyo, the world capital of the