Fat of the Land?

There is a new Japanese law which requires employers to combat obesity. The law went into effect April 1st. (April fool's day is not a recognized holiday in Japan.)

The law will force companies and governments, the two sources of health insurance in Japan to measure the body fat of employees between the ages of 40 and 74.

Employers may be required to pay more into the national health care system if the waistlines of employees, their families, and retirees exeed the government's limits.

Employers in Japan must reduce the number of employees who show symptoms of metabolic syndrome----obesity and high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.

Companies must reduce the number of obese employees by 10 per cent by 2012 and 25 per center by 2015.

In a related news release Toyota announced they will be purchasing additional businesses in the United States. They indicated that the restrictions on waistlines of employees in Japan---33.5 inches for men and 35.4 for women--will probably be expanded an "inch or so" for American employees.