Unsuited: can traditional Japanese companies adapt to new casual clothing trends?
Salarymen are ditching their suits in favour of more comfortable outfits, but is swapping shoes for trainers going a step too far?
The suit, tie and burnished leather shoes have long been the accepted uniform of Japan’s legions of hard-working salarymen. But office workers’ attire here is undergoing a seismic shift.
The government launched its “Cool Biz” campaign in 2006, encouraging office workers to shrug off their jackets and loosen their ties during the sweltering summer months. It took a while to catch on at the nation’s more traditional companies, but it has gradually become acceptable.
Now, however, the government and clothing companies are taking aim at the last remaining bastion of the salaryman’s uniform. They are calling for employees to swap the leather shoes for trainers.
The Japan Sports Agency has begun its “in-sneaker commuting” campaign to try to get workers to wear running shoes to the office. The aim is to convince employees – particularly those in their early 20s to late 40s – of the importance of getting more exercise.
The campaign suggests that people get off their trains a stop or two before the closest station to their office and walk the rest of the way as an invigorating start to the day. Others are issuing staff with pedometers and holding competitions for the person who walks the most steps in a week or introducing a system where a certain number of steps will earn points that can be used to obtain rewards.
