Key Facts
• October 9, 2025: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare council meeting held.
• Agreement reached to mandate workers’ compensation insurance for small-scale businesses.
• Current law allows optional enrollment for small-scale agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.
• Reason: Difficulty tracking temporary workers during peak seasons.
• Research report highlighted frequent serious accidents among non-enrolled businesses.
• New mandate to affect up to 140,000 agricultural businesses.
• Approximately 23,000 businesses already voluntarily enrolled.
• Ministry aims to submit amendment proposal in next year’s regular Diet session.
Summary
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s council has agreed to mandate workers’ compensation insurance for small-scale agriculture, forestry, and fisheries businesses. Previously optional due to challenges in tracking temporary workers, the change follows a report citing serious accidents among non-enrolled businesses. The new rule could impact up to 140,000 agricultural businesses, with 23,000 already voluntarily enrolled. The ministry plans to propose the amendment in the 2026 regular Diet session.
