TOKYO -- Japanese companies have cautiously started bringing staff back to their offices, balancing a desire to return to normal with concern for employee safety and a nod to the more relaxed working style that emerged during the pandemic.
The nation's state of emergency was fully lifted on Monday, ending a seven-week period when the government urged Japanese to stay home to limit the spread of the coronavirus. While no "lockdown" was enforced, many businesses stayed closed and offices emptied out.
