UPDATED APPROACHES TO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH IN JAPAN: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND IMPLEMENTATION OPPORTUNITIES IN KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

In January 2025, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) published the recommendations of the Labour Policy Council (労働政策審議会), aimed at a large-scale update of occupational safety and industrial health measures. This review systematically analyzes the key provisions of the document, including the extension of safety measures to self-employed individuals, the strengthening of mental health monitoring, the improvement of chemical risk management, and the adaptation of workplaces to the needs of an aging workforce. The second part of the article explores ways to adapt these innovations within the framework of Kazakhstan’s mandatory industrial accident insurance system, drawing on data from cross-sectoral research and sociological analyses