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As Japanese companies look for ways to cope with rising temperatures, many are rethinking workplace attire. West Japan Railway Company (JR West) will introduce light blue polo shirts for station staff and train crew on a trial basis starting in September.
It will be the first time among Japan’s six passenger railway companies that customer-facing employees will be allowed to wear polo shirts as part of their work attire.
Made of 100% polyester, the shirts retain the design of the company’s previous short-sleeved shirts while improving breathability and sweat absorption. Employees will wear them tucked into their trousers.
Other railway operators are also moving toward more casual uniforms. Eizan Railway in Kyoto introduced polo shirts on a trial basis this month for train operators and station staff.
A company official said, “We hope to improve work efficiency by creating a more comfortable working environment.”
Odakyu Railway introduced polo shirts made by Uniqlo as uniforms in August last year. This year, the company expanded the policy to part-time employees, allowing them to wear the shirts from June 1 through the end of October.
Hotels Rethink Summer Workwear
The RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka Vignette Collection introduced summer uniforms for doormen as part of a broader redesign of staff attire.
Worn from June through October, the uniforms combine short sleeves with a vest, while the trousers are made with materials that offer UV protection, quick-drying properties and a cooling effect.
A hotel spokesperson said, “The uniforms are designed to help staff work comfortably while maintaining the formal appearance expected of hotel employees.”
Cleanliness Over Formality
A June survey by Onward Holdings of men and women in their 20s to 60s nationwide asked what makes work clothes look “appropriate” on extremely hot days. The most common response was “a sense of cleanliness,” cited by 62.3% of respondents, while “formality” ranked lowest at 16.7%.
Even companies without specific heat-related dress rules are taking a more flexible approach. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. has introduced a “dress code free” policy that allows employees to choose their clothing based on the time, place, and occasion.
Financial services group Resona Group also allows employees to work without ties or jackets, or to wear polo shirts, while taking workplace situations and customer interactions into consideration.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Authors: Keiko Tamura, Kohei Inoue, The Sankei Shimbun
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