Bare Legs at the Office: Tokyo's New Cool Biz Is Dividing Opinion

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With the Japan Meteorological Agency newly designating days above 40°C as "extreme heat days" (kokusho-bi), another brutal summer is forecast. Against this backdrop, a heated debate has erupted over "Cool Biz"—now a firmly established summer tradition. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is recommending that staff wear casual attire including shorts and T-shirts depending on their work duties.

While some welcome this as "cooler and easier to work in," others—mainly on social media—have expressed discomfort, with comments like "I don't want to see middle-aged men's leg hair" and "that's too casual for work."

So just how casual is acceptable in a business setting?

Energy Prices Drive Further Dress Code Relaxation

Cool Biz was launched in 2005 as a campaign to reduce summer air-conditioning use, with then-Environment Minister Yuriko Koike (now Tokyo's Governor) as its champion. The environment ministry originally set the period from June through the end of September, encouraging no-tie, no-jacket, and short-sleeve shirt policies.

Tokyo has now taken Cool Biz even further. Ahead of the rest of the country, it launched "Tokyo Cool Biz" in April—adding shorts, T-shirts, remote work, and early-morning shifts to the existing recommendations, aiming to help staff work more comfortably.

The backdrop includes soaring energy prices driven by instability in the Middle East. At her April press conference, Governor Koike urged Tokyo residents to "adopt the Tokyo Cool Biz style practiced at the metropolitan government into your own daily lives and work."

*Workers in Tokyo are seen wearing casual clothing such as shorts and T-shirts under the metropolitan government's Cool Biz initiative. (Courtesy of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government)*

'Women Still Have to Wear Stockings…'

Some businesses have followed the government's lead. Aoyama Shoji, operator of the menswear chain Yofuku no Aoyama, began selling shorts designed for business wear in May. The garments are cut longer to avoid looking too short, and come in understated colors like black and grey. Made from wrinkle-resistant, quick-dry, and cooling fabrics with a clean aesthetic, they are designed to work both on and off the clock.

A company spokesperson said, "As commuting attire becomes more diverse, we'd like people to consider these as one of their options."

Meanwhile, social media has erupted in debate over whether half-pants belong in the workplace at all. Posts declaring "showing leg hair is too much for business" and "it's unfair that women still have to wear stockings while men go bare-legged" sparked pushback—"let us choose what we want to wear" and "I'd rather not see older women in miniskirts"—escalating into something of a battle of the sexes.

Dress for the Occasion and the Relationship

Even among Tokyo metropolitan employees, opinions are divided. Reactions range from "it's comfortable, and I love it" to "I don't really care either way" to "it's hard to know where to draw the line on how casual is too casual."

An official from the Bureau of Environment, which oversees Cool Biz policy, said: "We are aware there are differing views. We want our staff to work comfortably while still treating Tokyo residents with respect."

Image consultant Keiko Kido, who specializes in business etiquette, says she supports fashion evolving with the times, as Cool Biz represents.

However, she points out that "Super Cool Biz"—an even more casual dress code the Environment Ministry promoted after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake—never really caught on, as a cautionary example. "Cool Biz is ultimately about subtracting from a suit-based standard," she notes. "A certain line still needs to be drawn for work attire."

She adds: "Clothing is an important way of presenting yourself and shaping how others see you. You should always choose what to wear with careful thought about the occasion, the setting, and your relationship with the people you'll be meeting."