Against a background of many socio-economic structural changes facing workers, there is a growing need to enhance the quality of workers' free time so they can lead full and meaningful lives at work, at home and in their communities throughout their lives, and so they can achieve balanced, comfortable, secure and exciting lifestyles.

A.	Providing an environment for worker participation in volunteer activities

With the level of social interest in volunteer activities on the rise, participation by workers in volunteer activities which deepens their ties with the local community outside of work and expands their horizons to fields they normally would not have contact with, is an important means of enhancing the quality of workers' lives.
      In response to this, the Ministry of Labour opened a Workers' Volunteer Center in FY1993. The Ministry is also promoting a variety of measures, including a volunteer holiday system, aimed at deepening company understanding of volunteer activities and operates information collection and provision services related to workers' volunteer activities, as well as counseling.

B.	Promotion of worker refreshment measures

People are working for more years, and this increases the importance of opportunities for refreshing themselves (both physically and mentally) outside the workplace at certain stages in their lives.
      In this respect, the Ministry of Labour is promoting the proliferation of a refreshment holiday system and is working to develop an environment that supports worker refreshment activities, (such as health improvement, self enhancement) for workers who take refreshment holidays or similar holidays.