New survey reveals the majority of Japanese workers affected by hay fever
Japan's annual hay fever season is emerging as a high-cost workplace problem, with a new survey by Panasonic Corp. suggesting that pollen allergies sap billions of yen in productivity each day.
Panasonic's nationwide poll of 6,601 working adults aged 20 to 60, conducted in December, found that about half of respondents described themselves as "very troubled" or "somewhat troubled" by pollen, The Mainichi reported.
Hay fever refers to the allergic reactions triggered by pollen, with symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, and eye irritation.
The crisis stems from Japan's initiative to reforest the country with fast-growing cedar and cypress trees after World War II, according to Japan Today. This effort, however, led to a hay fever crisis that was first observed in 1964.
The illness now affects roughly one in two people in Japan and is widely described as a "national disease," according to The Mainichi report.
It is also increasingly being viewed as a drag on labour performance rather than a minor seasonal nuisance.
Panasonic's survey focused on the group most affected by symptoms, The Mainichi reported.
Of the 2,933 people who said they were troubled by pollen, 1,651 were randomly selected for follow-up questions about their condition at work.
In that subset, 41.4% said pollen affected them on the job, while another 47.2% answered "yes, somewhat," meaning 88.6% reported that hay fever was undermining their work in some way.
On average, respondents said their work performance dipped for about 3.2 hours during the day. A smaller but significant cohort also reported that their productivity was impaired for "eight hours or more."
Panasonic then combined the survey findings with national monthly labour statistics and labour force data to estimate the macroeconomic impact.
Based on that analysis, the company calculated that reduced performance caused by hay fever amounts to roughly 245 billion yen (about $1.6 billion) in economic losses per day, The Mainichi reported.
Employer action to hay fever
Some employers are beginning to respond, according to the report.
Osaka-based Cook Deli, a meal delivery service for the elderly, introduced a hay fever allowance last year after an internal survey found that about half of its staff had hay fever and 89% felt that nasal congestion and headaches hindered them from performing at their best.
Under the programme, Cook Deli offers up to 4,000 yen (around $26) annually to help cover treatment, and supplies high‑moisture tissues to employees.
Mami Honda, from the company's well-being promotion office, said staff feedback revealed the scale of the problem.
"The number of patients surprised me," she said, noting that she also suffers from hay fever and is often distracted by symptoms while working.
About 30 of Cook Deli's 150 employees used the allowance in its first year, reporting that "symptoms were alleviated" and "costs were reduced."
The company has since expanded support to include laser treatments, sublingual immunotherapy, allergy tests, and the distribution of masks, according to The Mainichi report.
