Japan Local Govts Launch "Workation" Alliance

Tokyo, Nov. 18 (Jiji Press)--Local governments from across Japan set up an alliance Monday to promote "workation," or telework from resorts and other places for vacation, in efforts for regional revitalization and work style reform.

The alliance brought together seven prefectural and 58 municipal governments to spur migration from urban to rural areas through workation, a combination of "work" and "vacation."

The alliance's inaugural meeting was held in Tokyo on Monday. Wakayama Governor Yoshinobu Nisaka was appointed its leader.

"Workation will be a proactive option for work style reform," Nisaka told a later meeting, expressing hopes for a new business model that involves "something more than sightseeing trips but less than permanent migration."

Wakayama, jointly with the central Japan prefecture of Nagano, took the initiative to form the workation alliance, as an increasing number of companies are expected to adopt teleworking for their workers ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]