Just what is a bureaucrat to wear? Months after Japanese government staff were told to dress down for summer they are now being warned to wrap up for the autumn and winter in the country’s latest bid to save energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Officials have been encouraged by the success of Cool Biz, a government initiative to encourage civil servants to forgo ties and jackets so that air-conditioner thermostats could be turned up during the humid summer months, saving energy in the process.
Politicians, including the prime minister and Cabinet ministers, have led by example during the four-month campaign, appearing in in anything from sensible white business shirts, minus tie, to open-necked affairs complete with visible jewellery.
But from October 1 the thermostats will be turned down to 20°C as part of the new Warm Biz drive.
While Japanese autumns are usually mild, the winter months could become uncomfortably cold for civil servants who refuse to pull on a pair of long johns or a woolly vest.
The environment ministry advises extra thick socks, turtleneck sweaters and waistcoats. ”We envision various combinations of dress, but thermal underwear is definitely going to be crucial,” a ministry official told Reuters. ”There’s no doubt that 20°C is a bit chilly, so if people don’t take care and stay warm, they could become uncomfortable.”
The Cool Biz campaign sparked a rise in clothing sales as bureaucrats more accustomed to wearing unofficial uniform of white shirt, dark tie and blue suit kitted themselves out accordingly. – Guardian Unlimited Â