Japan Inc ditches ties, casual in vogue

TOKYO - The words "Japanese salaryman" may evoke images of conservative business attire, but an increasing number of corporate warriors are ditching their neckties and embracing a more casual style, a survey showed.

Japanese businessmen - Photo: Corbis

Some 28 percent of men said they work without a tie year-round, not just during the summer "Cool Biz" season, according to the survey conducted by the Nikkei business daily and Macromill (3730.T), a polling company.

And a hefty 83 percent of respondents said they would go tie-less all year if they could, suggesting a decided shift in attitudes in buttoned-up Japan Inc.

Japan kicked off its "Cool Biz" campaign in 2005, encouraging firms to limit air-conditioning use to help lower electricity use, and workers were urged to drop their neckties. Even the prime minister and cabinet followed suit.

After last year's Fukushima nuclear accident caused power shortages, the government cranked up the campaign further, recommending office workers wear lighter apparel to beat the heat -- unwelcome news for tie makers but a boon for sales of casual clothing.

The survey was conducted online in January with responses from around 1,000 working men aged 20-59, the Nikkei said.

(Reporting by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Elaine Lies and Joseph Radford)