Japan's labor ministry has launched discussions on expanding workers' accident compensation insurance with aim of covering a wider variety of freelancers.
Freelancers are in principle not subject to compensation through the public insurance for injuries while working because they are not employees. But a special measure allows some of them to join it by paying premiums on their own. Those people include delivery staff using bicycles and computer software engineers.
More than 750,000 freelancers had subscribed to this measure as of the end of March 2022. The ministry estimates there are about 4.62 million freelancers in Japan.
On Wednesday, a committee for the labor ministry held the first discussion on expanding the job categories covered by the special measure.
One opinion from the members stressed the importance of grasping accident cases in broad areas of work, while giving freelancers sufficient education for safety. Another called for introducing counters to explain the measure in order to expand job categories eligible for the scheme.
Legislation was enacted in April on the work environment for freelancers. An additional resolution linked to it calls for expanding the insurance system to cover all freelancers who want to join it.
The labor ministry plans to compile opinions of the committee and revise necessary ordinances before the law takes effect in autumn next year.
Freelancers are in principle not subject to compensation through the public insurance for injuries while working because they are not employees. But a special measure allows some of them to join it by paying premiums on their own. Those people include delivery staff using bicycles and computer software engineers.
More than 750,000 freelancers had subscribed to this measure as of the end of March 2022. The ministry estimates there are about 4.62 million freelancers in Japan.
On Wednesday, a committee for the labor ministry held the first discussion on expanding the job categories covered by the special measure.
One opinion from the members stressed the importance of grasping accident cases in broad areas of work, while giving freelancers sufficient education for safety. Another called for introducing counters to explain the measure in order to expand job categories eligible for the scheme.
Legislation was enacted in April on the work environment for freelancers. An additional resolution linked to it calls for expanding the insurance system to cover all freelancers who want to join it.
The labor ministry plans to compile opinions of the committee and revise necessary ordinances before the law takes effect in autumn next year.
Similar Readings (5 items)
Japan stepping up efforts to attract caregivers from abroad
Non-regular workers in Japan go on strike demanding better pay
Govt. to raise mandatory ratio of disabled employees to 2.7% in private sector
Japan to add new levy to auto insurance for the victims of traffic accident
One in three workers in Japan has taken side job
Summary
Japan's Labor Ministry is discussing expanding accident compensation insurance to cover more freelancers, currently not included due to self-employment status. As of March 2022, over 750,000 freelancers had subscribed to the special measure, with an estimated 4.62 million in Japan. The committee
Statistics
217
Words1
Read CountDetails
ID: 7c8de03b-d30b-443e-a201-14061e7180d2
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231004_25/
Date: Oct. 4, 2023
Created: 2023/10/05 09:33
Updated: 2025/12/08 22:54
Last Read: 2023/10/05 09:35