On June 2, 2026, South Korean media Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that an unexpected controversy is erupting in Japan over the lifting of the ban on commuting in half-pants, a policy promoted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as part of its Cool Biz initiative.

According to the article, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is promoting "Tokyo Cool Biz," an expansion of the previous Cool Biz initiative, with the aims of combating extreme heat and conserving energy, and is leading its proactive implementation at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government office. In recent years, Japan has frequently experienced extreme heat approaching 40 degrees Celsius, making heatstroke prevention and reduction of air conditioning usage pressing issues.

However, discussions about the content of this "Tokyo Cool Biz" heated up in an unexpected direction on Japanese social media. "Tokyo Cool Biz" encourages the wearing of T-shirts and half-pants, and commuting in half-pants has been permitted at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government office starting this year. Regarding this, voices such as "I don't want to see middle-aged men's leg hair," "Half-pants are not suitable for the workplace," and "This is not appropriate attire for a civil servant" were heard in succession. On the other hand, counterarguments also spread, asking "Isn't this discrimination against middle-aged and older men?" and stating "If the same remark were made about women, it would surely become a problem."

The article analyzed this controversy as not merely a clothing issue, but an instance where the conservative workplace culture remaining in Japanese society, the social image of middle-aged and older men, and intergenerational differences in values have come to the surface. In Japan, "Cool Biz" was introduced in 2005 under the leadership of the Ministry of the Environment, relaxing the requirement for ties and jackets during summer. The current acceptance of half-pants is said to be an extension of this initiative.

The article also referred to a commotion in the UK in 2017 concerning a "ban on men commuting in half-pants." It introduced a case where a male employee commuted in a dress as a form of protest, after which the company revised its regulations. Furthermore, it touched upon the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have pointed out the necessity of measures against heat stress in the workplace due to climate change, concluding that "we are now entering an era where dress codes themselves need to be reviewed."

Regarding this, South Korean netizens raised voices such as "We see old men's head hair and arm hair in daily life, don't we?," "Heatstroke is a bigger problem than leg hair," "It's stranger to force long pants in extreme heat," "I think it depends on the job type, but given this heat, it should be fine," and "Japan is still lagging behind in liberalizing dress codes."

Additionally, comments such as "If one can work comfortably in the office, half-pants or anything else is fine," "Initially, it might feel a bit strange, but it's an era of abnormal weather, so it can't be helped. People will gradually get used to it," "In the past, not wearing a tie was also criticized. We should accept that clothing changes as times change," "It's natural for rules to change with the times," and "Body hair is natural. Whether male or female, one should not be harshly judged" were also seen. (Translation and editing/Higuchi)