Rising temperatures shorten trousers in Tokyo offices

On a hot and humid day, Noboru Watanabe, an employee at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, overcame his embarrassment and went to work wearing shorts, an unusual step in Japan where formal attire remains the preferred workwear.

Some institutions have begun to relax strict dress codes, especially for men, while companies are reducing air conditioning use due to rising energy costs amid the war in the Middle East.

At least five men in Watanabe's office replaced their formal suits with shorts on Tuesday, as Tokyo's temperature reached 34 degrees Celsius.

Watanabe told AFP that initially he felt showing his legs in the office was "embarrassing."

He added, "But once you wear shorts, you realize how comfortable they are."

Watanabe still wears more elegant clothes when necessary, but admitted that they "make me hot."

The relaxation of clothing restrictions in Tokyo workplaces comes as part of an initiative by Governor Yuriko Koike.

This initiative is part of a new version of the "Cool Biz" campaign that Koike launched in 2005 while serving as Environment Minister, aiming to save energy and encourage government employees to forgo ties and jackets in summer.

Koike told reporters in April, "We encourage wearing lighter, more comfortable clothes, especially polo shirts, short-sleeved cotton shirts, sneakers, and also shorts," if professional responsibilities allow.

Debate -

The move has been appreciated by other Tokyo employees, including Takayuki Deguchi (30), who works at a marketing company that always requires its employees to wear formal suits.

He told AFP, "I think being able to wear shorts, which helps regulate body temperature when it's this hot, is a very flexible approach."

But the campaign has also sparked debate on social media about whether shorts are appropriate attire for work.

Sachie Koike (52), an employee in the real estate sector, said she has no problem with men forgoing ties or jackets in summer, but wearing shorts goes beyond reasonable limits from her perspective.

She added, "I associate it with a day off. I simply don't think hairy legs give an elegant impression" in the workplace.

The country last year experienced its hottest summer since records began in 1898, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius or higher have become common, prompting the agency in April to unveil an official name for these extreme weather conditions: "Kushoku" (meaning "severely hot" days).

Scientists confirm that climate change caused by human activity and burning fossil fuels is making extreme weather phenomena more frequent, longer, and more intense.