The corporate world rarely loosens its grip on formal clothing, such as crisp linen shirts, sharp tailoring and neatly tailored office attire. But Tokyo’s workforce may have found a way to escape. To beat the heat and cut down on electricity use, the metropolitan government is now allowing its staff to wear shorts, as rising energy costs linked to the Middle East war add to the pressure to save electricity this summer.The decision was taken as part of the country’s “Cool Biz” program, an energy-saving campaign launched by Japan’s Environment Ministry in 2005. The campaign initially focused on encouraging light office wear, asking employees to forego formal jackets and ties during the warmer months, with some even opting for Okinawan-style collared T-shirts.The latest amendment, implemented this month, loosens the dress norms to include shorts, officials said. A Tokyo official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an anticipated energy crisis linked to the Middle East war was “one of the factors” behind the move.Images circulated by local media earlier this week showed the policy was already taking effect, with some male staff in metropolitan offices seen in T-shirts and shorts.Governor Yuriko Koike, who championed the original Cool Biz initiative during her tenure as environment minister, has thrown her full weight behind the updated measures.Addressing reporters earlier this month, he said, “We encourage ‘cool’ attire that prioritizes comfort, including polo shirts, T-shirts and sneakers and – depending on job responsibilities – shorts”, while he warned of “a serious approach to power supply and demand”.Koike also said the initiative would expand beyond clothing choice, with a greater emphasis on teleworking and earlier office hours.These measures come as Japan faces increasingly extreme heat. The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded last year as the hottest year since records began in 1898. With temperatures often reaching 40 degrees Celsius or more, the agency last week introduced a formal classification for such conditions, calling them “extreme hot” or “kokusho” days.Even before Japan’s move, Thailand had introduced its own set of energy-saving measures for government workers, encouraging them to take the stairs instead of lifts, choose short-sleeved shirts instead of formal suits and work from home where possible. Offices were also instructed to keep air conditioning between 26-27 degrees Celsius, while ensuring that lights and electronic equipment were switched off when not in use.Meanwhile, the Middle East war continues to escalate, now approaching its 2-month mark. The conflict began on 28 February, when the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran.