Mental Illness Claims in Japan Surged By 1.5% in FY 2025

By Barrier Free Japan

September 4 2026

TOKYO – The Tokyo Labour Bureau has compiled its summary of workers’ compensation claims related to overwork-related deaths and illnesses for fiscal year 2025, the Rōdō Shimbunsha reported on September 2nd.

Workers’ compensation claims involving mental disorders surged by 46.9% from the previous fiscal year, reaching a total of 1,121 cases. Tokyo accounts for more than one-fifth of the nationwide total (4,958 cases). An official from the bureau’s Workers’ Compensation Division noted, ‘While more people are filing claims believing their conditions are work-related, our investigations reveal a growing number of cases that cannot be officially recognized as occupational injuries.’ The number of approved claims stood at 150, resulting in an approval rate of 17.1%, which falls below the national average of 28.2%.

A large number of claims cite workplace power harassment. As a result of investigations,