Comparison of workers' compensation systems in Singapore and Japan

Singapore and Japan have well-established workers' compensation systems that differ significantly in their structure and approach. We sought to identify key differences between the 2 systems, highlight successful practices for consideration, and critically assess the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

A comparative analysis of workers' compensation systems in Singapore and Japan was conducted in the form of a narrative review, drawing upon published data from peer-reviewed scientific journals, official national sources, and key international organizations.

Singapore's workers' compensation system focuses on ensuring employer competitiveness while providing workers with basic financial protection and limiting spillover costs to society through tightly scoped compensation coverage. In contrast, Japan's workers' compensation system prioritizes worker health with more comprehensive compensation benefits, coverage, and clearer insurance mechanisms to recognize the true costs of poor workplace safety and health. Both Singapore and Japan face similar challenges for workers' compensation in terms of apportioning attributability of occupational diseases and underreporting of work-related incidents.

A better understanding of the underlying principles and trade-offs within each workers' compensation system allows for identification of opportunities to strengthen fairness and ensure more equitable outcomes for workers, employers, and society. Both Singapore and Japan can benefit from closer collaboration to share best practices, innovative solutions, and research efforts to address shared challenges.