Column 　Finance and the Social Security System 　2018.06.15

【Aging, safety net and fiscal crisis in Japan】No.129: Occupational Accident Data

In this column series, Yukihiro Matsuyama, Research Director at CIGS introduces the latest information about aging, safety net and fiscal crisis in Japan with data of international comparison.
Employment
Yukihiro MATSUYAMA
Yukihiro MATSUYAMA
Research Director

In May 2018, the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare released a report on occupational accident data. Figure 1 illustrates the number of cases where workers were forced to take leave for four days or more due to occupational accidents and the number of deaths that occurred. Compared to 1980, the number of occupational accidents has decreased greatly, but no improvements have been seen since 2010. The fact that the number of occupational accidents has increased slightly since 2010 is due to an increase in the land freight forwarding industry, the retail trade industry, and social welfare facilities. It is noteworthy that the number of occupational accidents in social welfare facilities, which care for the elderly and disabled people, has increased from 6,480 in 2012 to 8,738 in 2017.


Figure 1: Data of occupational accidents
129-fig1.png

Source: Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare


Figure 2: Industries in which occupational accidents are increasing
129-fig.png

Source: Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare