Workplace stress at record high Compensation paid to 205 employees for emotio

The number of people who received workers accident compensation due to emotional disorders in fiscal 2006 marked a record high of 205, up 61 percent from the previous year, a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has found.

Of them, 65 killed themselves and one attempted suicide. The figure of 66 for suicides and attempted suicides also marked a record high, up 57 percent from fiscal 2005.

The number of those deemed eligible for the compensation for suffering from mental or cardiovascular diseases caused by long work hours hit a record as well.

The survey shows how exhausted workers are, both mentally and physically. A ministry official said, "In many cases, workers are required to complete an excessive amount of tasks without sufficient support from their colleagues."

According to the ministry, the number of those recognized as eligible to receive workers compensation because of emotional disorders, such as depression, saw an increase by 78 from fiscal 2005 and was almost double the figure for fiscal 2002. Of them, 38 were in the manufacturing industry, 27 in medical and welfare businesses, 20 in the transport industry and another 20 were from distribution businesses.

The largest age group, accounting for 40 percent, was those in their 30s, which numbered 83, while those in their 20s numbered 38. The two age groups accounted for about 60 percent of those suffering from emotional disorders, indicating how the younger generations have trouble dealing with work-related stress and human relationships at workplaces.

Those recognized as suffering from stroke or heart attack because of work was 355, an increase of 25 from the previous year.

Of them, 323 were deemed as having developed the diseases due to overwork. Monthly overtime work hours on average totaled more than 80 hours and less than 100 hours for 116 people, while 26 worked more than 160 extra hours per month.

"Each person is assigned to do too much work, and there has been very little improvement in eliminating the custom of working long hours. Workers literally don't have any mental elbowroom," said lawyer Hiroshi Kawahito, secretary general of the National Defense Counsel for Victims of Karoshi (death from overwork).

He added, "Firms should improve work conditions by increasing the number of employees, and the government must strengthen its monitoring of labor conditions."