Tokyo Metropolitan Government Expands Cool Biz Initiative to Include Shorts Amid Energy Cost Concerns

Apr 24, 2026, 07:45

Introduction

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has implemented an updated dress code policy permitting employees to wear shorts to the office, a measure intended to reduce reliance on air conditioning. This decision, announced on Friday, is partly motivated by rising energy costs associated with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Main Body

The revised dress code represents an expansion of the existing ''Cool Biz'' campaign, an energy-conservation program originally introduced by Japan''s Ministry of the Environment in 2005. The earlier iteration encouraged office workers to forgo neckties and jackets during summer months, with some adopting Okinawan-style collared shirts. The current update, which took effect this month, allows for a broader range of attire, including polo shirts, T-shirts, sneakers, and, contingent on job responsibilities, shorts. An unnamed Tokyo official stated that the potential energy supply disruption resulting from the Middle Eastern conflict was ''one of the factors'' influencing the policy change. Local media footage from earlier this week showed some male government employees already wearing shorts and T-shirts. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who initiated the original Cool Biz campaign during her tenure as environmental minister two decades ago, has endorsed the new guidelines. In a statement to reporters earlier this month, Governor Koike cited ''a severe outlook for the supply and demand of electricity'' as a rationale for encouraging comfortable attire. She further noted that the updated initiative also promotes increased teleworking and earlier start times for the workday. Separately, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the country experienced its hottest summer last year since record-keeping began in 1898. The agency recently introduced an official classification for days when temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius or higher, designating them as ''kokusho'' or ''cruelly hot'' days.

Conclusion

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has formally adopted a more relaxed dress code for its employees, permitting shorts as part of a broader strategy to decrease air conditioning usage. This policy is a direct response to elevated energy costs linked to the Middle East war and follows a summer of record-high temperatures in Japan.

Vocabulary Learning

contingent on
Dependent on; conditional upon a specific circumstance or factor.視乎；取決於
Example:The updated dress code allows for shorts, contingent on job responsibilities, meaning not all roles permit them.
endorsed
To have publicly declared support or approval for a policy, idea, or product.公開支持；認可
Example:Governor Koike, who initiated the original Cool Biz campaign, has endorsed the new guidelines encouraging comfortable attire.
forgo
To voluntarily refrain from or give up something, especially a customary practice or item.放棄；摒棄（尤指慣常做法或物品）
Example:The original Cool Biz campaign encouraged office workers to forgo neckties and jackets during summer months.
iteration
A version or instance of something, especially a repeated process or sequence of changes.版本；迭代（指反覆過程中的一次）
Example:The earlier iteration of the Cool Biz campaign encouraged workers to forgo neckties and jackets, while the current update allows shorts and sneakers.
rationale
The fundamental reasoning or logical basis for a decision or action.根本理由；邏輯依據
Example:Governor Koike cited a severe outlook for electricity supply and demand as a rationale for encouraging comfortable attire.

Sentence Learning

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has implemented an updated dress code policy permitting employees to wear shorts to the office, a measure intended to reduce reliance on air conditioning.
Main clause: 'The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has implemented an updated dress code policy' (present perfect tense). Reduced relative clause: 'permitting employees to wear shorts to the office' (participle phrase modifying 'policy'). Appositive noun phrase: 'a measure intended to reduce reliance on air conditioning' (renaming and explaining the policy, with a past participle 'intended').主要子句：「The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has implemented an updated dress code policy」（現在完成式）。縮減關係子句：「permitting employees to wear shorts to the office」（分詞片語修飾「policy」）。同位語名詞片語：「a measure intended to reduce reliance on air conditioning」（重新指稱並解釋該政策，內含過去分詞「intended」）。
The earlier iteration encouraged office workers to forgo neckties and jackets during summer months, with some adopting Okinawan-style collared shirts.
Main clause: 'The earlier iteration encouraged office workers to forgo neckties and jackets' (simple past tense with infinitive complement). Absolute construction: 'with some adopting Okinawan-style collared shirts' (a 'with' + noun + present participle structure, adding descriptive detail without a finite verb).主要子句：「The earlier iteration encouraged office workers to forgo neckties and jackets」（簡單過去式，帶不定詞補語）。獨立結構：「with some adopting Okinawan-style collared shirts」（「with」+ 名詞 + 現在分詞結構，以非限定動詞形式添加描述細節）。
The current update, which took effect this month, allows for a broader range of attire, including polo shirts, T-shirts, sneakers, and, contingent on job responsibilities, shorts.
Main clause: 'The current update allows for a broader range of attire' (simple present tense). Non-restrictive relative clause: 'which took effect this month' (set off by commas, providing additional information). Parenthetical adverbial phrase: 'contingent on job responsibilities' (interrupting the list to specify a condition).主要子句：「The current update allows for a broader range of attire」（簡單現在式）。非限制性關係子句：「which took effect this month」（以逗號分隔，提供補充資訊）。插入式副詞片語：「contingent on job responsibilities」（打斷列舉以指定條件）。
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who initiated the original Cool Biz campaign during her tenure as environmental minister two decades ago, has endorsed the new guidelines.
Main clause: 'Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has endorsed the new guidelines' (present perfect tense). Non-restrictive relative clause: 'who initiated the original Cool Biz campaign during her tenure as environmental minister two decades ago' (providing background about the subject, set off by commas).主要子句：「Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has endorsed the new guidelines」（現在完成式）。非限制性關係子句：「who initiated the original Cool Biz campaign during her tenure as environmental minister two decades ago」（提供主詞的背景資訊，以逗號分隔）。
In a statement to reporters earlier this month, Governor Koike cited 'a severe outlook for the supply and demand of electricity' as a rationale for encouraging comfortable attire.
Main clause: 'Governor Koike cited 'a severe outlook for the supply and demand of electricity' as a rationale' (simple past tense). Prepositional phrase fronting: 'In a statement to reporters earlier this month' (placed at the beginning for emphasis and temporal setting). Infinitive phrase: 'for encouraging comfortable attire' (acting as an adverbial modifier explaining the purpose of the rationale).主要子句：「Governor Koike cited 'a severe outlook for the supply and demand of electricity' as a rationale」（簡單過去式）。介詞片語前置：「In a statement to reporters earlier this month」（置於句首以強調時間背景）。不定詞片語：「for encouraging comfortable attire」（作為副詞修飾語，解釋該理由的目的）。