After Komeito lobbying, gov’t rolls out healthcare guidelines for women workers

March 3 , 2026

Earlier in January, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issued guidelines to companies and medical institutions on the annual health examinations that firms provide for women in their workforce. The guidelines come after Komeito lobbying for corporate health screening programs to address female physiological in addition to businesses finally coming to recognize the value of women on overall productivity.

Healthcare providers contracted by companies to operate the checkups are therefore being instructed to screen women workers on menopausal disorders, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome and related issues. If an employee reports that she is suffering from such a disorder, then the physician in charge will recommend a gynecologist or other specialist. As to businesses themselves, the ministry calls for establishing an inhouse counseling service in which women reporting a disorder will be able to use menstrual leave or remote work at the advice of a physician. Companies will then be provided with medical data from their contracted healthcare providers to aggregate that data—with the consent of the screened worker whose identity remains protected—to improve the workplace environment.

Komeito has been a consistent advocate and agent of women’s health. Among its more recent initiatives was in 2023 as part of the party’s priority policy agenda aiming to address disorders specific to women in order to make their work environment more friendly to their needs. Komeito also urged companies to adopt health screening programs catering to health issues for their women employees at the House of Representatives committee on health, labor and welfare hearing held on June 2024.