Faced with soaring energy costs linked to the war in the Middle East, the city of Tokyo is encouraging employees to adopt a more relaxed dress code. The goal: to reduce the use of air conditioning, as temperatures are expected to rise in the coming weeks.

The city of Tokyo, the world capital of suits and ties, is now encouraging its employees to come to work in shorts in order to reduce the use of air conditioning, a city official said Friday, amid growing concerns over soaring energy costs linked to the war in the Middle East.

The relaxation of the dress code is part of a strengthened version of "Cool Biz", an energy-saving initiative launched by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment in 2005, which encouraged civil servants to forgo ties and jackets in the summer.

The threat of an energy crisis caused by the conflict in the Middle East is "one of the factors" that prompted the Japanese capital to allow its employees to wear shorts starting this month, a Tokyo municipal official who requested anonymity told AFP.

"Cruelly hot" days

Already, some male employees have been seen wearing shorts and t-shirts, according to images broadcast this week by local media.

This summer, "we are encouraging 'cool' outfits that prioritize comfort, including polo shirts, T-shirts and sneakers, and – depending on professional responsibilities – shorts," said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who herself launched the "Cool Biz" campaign when she was Minister for the Environment 20 years ago.

The expansion of Operation Cool Biz also includes increased use of teleworking and an earlier start to the workday, added Yuriko Koike.

Last year, Japan experienced its hottest summer on record since records began in 1898, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Temperatures reaching 40°C and above became so frequent that the agency last week unveiled a new official term for these episodes of extreme heat, calling them "cruelly hot" days, or "kokusho."