{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T18:31:12Z","timestamp":1786559472739,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":66,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,12]],"date-time":"2026-07-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783814400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":192,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Singapore and Japan have well-established workers\u2019 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.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A comparative analysis of workers\u2019 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.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Singapore\u2019s workers\u2019 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\u2019s workers\u2019 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\u2019 compensation in terms of apportioning attributability of occupational diseases and underreporting of work-related incidents.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A better understanding of the underlying principles and trade-offs within each workers\u2019 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.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/joccuh\/uiag038","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,12]],"date-time":"2026-07-12T22:44:20Z","timestamp":1783896260000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Comparison of workers\u2019 compensation systems in Singapore and Japan"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"68","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-9074-3594","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kee Leng","family":"Chua","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"MOH Holdings Pte Ltd , 1 North Buona Vista Link, #09-01 Elementum, Singapore 139691 ,","place":["Singapore"]},{"name":"Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore ,","place":["Singapore"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alvin Kian Wei","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore ,","place":["Singapore"]},{"name":"Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Singapore General Hospital ,","place":["Singapore"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-0391-3312","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kimiyo","family":"Mori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Policy and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health , Fukuoka ,","place":["Japan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1430-6524","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chikage","family":"Nagano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Policy and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health , Fukuoka ,","place":["Japan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8347-2630","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Seichi","family":"Horie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Policy and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health , Fukuoka ,","place":["Japan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David Soo Quee","family":"Koh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore ,","place":["Singapore"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref1","volume-title":"Pang Chen Suan v Commissioner for Labour [2008] SGCA 22","author":"eLitigation","year":"2008"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref2","volume-title":"Charting our Path: 70 Years of Working Together and Lessons for Tomorrow","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref3","volume-title":"Committee of Inquiry Concludes String of Critical Design Errors Caused Collapse at Nicoll Highway","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2005"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref4","volume-title":"Major Local Incidents","author":"Singapore Civil Defence Force","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref5","volume-title":"Koh Lian Kok v Public Prosecutor [2024] SGHC 132","author":"eLitigation","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref6","volume-title":"Second Reading for Workmen\u2019s Compensation (Amendment) Bill","author":"Parliament of Singapore","year":"2008"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref7","volume-title":"Historical Developments of Administrative Measures for Occupational Diseases in Japan","author":"Takahashi","year":"2013"},{"issue":"2","key":"2026081214013723800_ref8","first-page":"181","article-title":"Labor legislation in Japan","volume":"1","author":"Azuma","year":"1951","journal-title":"Annals of the Hitotsubashi Academy"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref9","volume-title":"International Practices in Employment Injury Insurance for Workers in Digital Platform Employment","author":"International Labour Organization","year":"2022"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref10","volume-title":"Extension of special enrollment in workers' accident compensation insurance to freelancers","author":"Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026081214013723800_ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1186\/s41073-019-0064-8","article-title":"SANRA\u2014a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles","volume":"4","author":"Baethge","year":"2019","journal-title":"Res Integr Peer Rev"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref12","volume-title":"Work Injury Compensation Act 2019","author":"Singapore Statutes Online","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref13","volume-title":"Eligible Claims Under WICA","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2026"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref14","volume-title":"WICA Versus Common Law","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref15","volume-title":"Work Injury Compensation Regulations 2020","author":"Singapore Statutes Online","year":"2026"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref16","volume-title":"Work Injury Compensation (Insurance) Regulations 2020","author":"Singapore Statutes Online","year":"2026"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref17","volume-title":"Work Injury Compensation (Workers\u2019 Fund) Regulations 2020","author":"Singapore Statutes Online","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref18","volume-title":"Workers' Compensation Department","author":"Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref19","volume-title":"Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (Act No. 50 of 1947)","author":"Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of Justice, Japan","year":"2021"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref20","volume-title":"Labor Standards Act (Act No. 49 of 1947)","author":"Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of Justice, Japan","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref21","volume-title":"Time Bar in Compensation Scheme to Balance Interest","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2019"},{"issue":"3","key":"2026081214013723800_ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.5491\/SHAW.2011.2.3.201","article-title":"Preventive measures to eliminate asbestos-related diseases in Singapore","volume":"2","author":"Lim","year":"2011","journal-title":"Saf Health Work"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref23","volume-title":"Round-Up Speech at Second Reading of WICA Bill 2019","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2019"},{"issue":"3","key":"2026081214013723800_ref24","first-page":"162","article-title":"NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative Ltd and another v next of kin of Narayasamy s\/o Ramasamy, deceased [2006]","volume":"162","author":"eLitigation","year":"2006","journal-title":"SGHC"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref25","volume-title":"Who Is Covered in Accordance with WICA","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref26","volume-title":"Platform Workers Act 2024","author":"Singapore Statutes Online","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref27","volume-title":"Platform Workers Act: What it Covers","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref28","volume-title":"Conditions for Work Injury Compensation Designated Insurers","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref29","volume-title":"Work Injury Compensation Insurance","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref30","volume-title":"Work Injury Compensation for Platform Workers","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref31","volume-title":"Written Answer to PQ on Increased WICA Compensation Limits Incentivise Businesses to Prioritise WSH","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref32","volume-title":"Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Application Guidance for Foreign Workers, Vol. 2","author":"Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan","year":"2014"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref33","volume-title":"Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labor Standards Act (Ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare No. 23 of 1947)","author":"Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of Justice, Japan","year":"2015"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2779","DOI":"10.2147\/rmhp.S444900","article-title":"Unveiling the global surge: unraveling the factors fueling the spread of karoshi syndrome","volume":"16","author":"Al-Madhagi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Risk Manag Healthc Policy"},{"issue":"2","key":"2026081214013723800_ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"202","DOI":"10.57523\/jaohlev.cr.23-005","article-title":"The workers\u2019 compensation system for mental illness in Japan","volume":"2","author":"Abe","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Work Health Saf Regul"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref36","first-page":"150","volume-title":"Labor Situation in Japan and its Analysis: General Overview 2015\/2016","author":"Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training","year":"2016"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref37","volume-title":"Workers' Protection in Japan","author":"Asakura","year":"1999"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref38","volume-title":"Introduction to Procedures for Enrolling in Labour Insurance","author":"Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref39","volume-title":"What Are the Changes in Processing WICA Claims under WICA 2019?","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref40","volume-title":"What Is the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA)?","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref41","volume-title":"For Employees: How to Claim Work Injury Compensation","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref42","volume-title":"Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Application Guidance for Foreign Workers, Vol. 1.","author":"Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan","year":"2014"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref43","volume-title":"Oral Answer by Senior Minister of State for Manpower Mr Zaqy Mohamad, to PQ on Illegal Repatriation and Healthcare Access for Migrant Workers","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2021"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref44","volume-title":"Written Answer to PQ on Median WIC Claim Processing Time","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref45","volume-title":"A Guide for Employers: Work Injury Compensation","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2021"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref46","volume-title":"Disputing a Work Injury Claim","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref47","volume-title":"For Employers: What to Do during a Work Injury Claim","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref48","volume-title":"WSH National Statistics Report","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref49","volume-title":"Types of Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance and How to Make Insurance Claims","author":"Japanese Platform for Migrant Workers Towards Responsible and Inclusive Society"},{"issue":"43","key":"2026081214013723800_ref50","first-page":"17","article-title":"Examining Japan\u2019s labor standards inspection administration and its challenge from the perspective of the inspection offices","volume":"7","author":"Ikeyama","year":"2023","journal-title":"Japan Labor Issues"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref51","volume-title":"Workers\u2019 Accident Compensation in Japan","author":"International Labour Organization","year":"2011"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref52","volume-title":"Workplace Safety and Health (Incident Reporting) Regulations","author":"Singapore Statutes Online","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref53","volume-title":"Security with Self Reliance: The Argument for the Singapore Model","author":"Civil Service College Singapore","year":"2007"},{"issue":"4","key":"2026081214013723800_ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"553","DOI":"10.1177\/00208728251338985","article-title":"Singapore\u2019s refreshed social compact and its implications for social work practice in Singapore","volume":"68","author":"Chan","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int Soc Work"},{"issue":"03","key":"2026081214013723800_ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1550038","DOI":"10.1142\/s0217590815500381","article-title":"Being poor in a rich \u201cnanny state\u201d: developments in Singapore social welfare","volume":"60","author":"Ng","year":"2015","journal-title":"Singapore Econ Rev"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref56","volume-title":"Social Security in Japan","author":"National Institute of Population and Social Security Research","year":"2000"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref57","volume-title":"Public Attitudes towards Migrant Workers in Singapore","author":"International Labour Organization","year":"2020"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref58","volume-title":"Foreign Workforce Numbers","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2026"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref59","volume-title":"Summary Table: Labour Force","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2026"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref60","volume-title":"Labour Migration Country Profile\u2014Japan","author":"International Organization for Migration","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref61","volume-title":"The Buck Stops Where? A Healthcare Policy Trilemma for Singapore's Foreign Workers","author":"Johnraj","year":"2013"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref62","volume-title":"Implementation of the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Pneumoconiosis Act as amended by the Act on the Arrangement of Related Acts to Promote Work Style Reform","author":"Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan","year":"2018"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref63","volume-title":"Why Is WIC Insurance Compulsory Only for Some Employees?","author":"Ministry of Manpower, Singapore","year":"2024"},{"issue":"5","key":"2026081214013723800_ref64","first-page":"9","article-title":"Economics for occupational safety and health","author":"Kankaanp\u00e4\u00e4","year":"2008","journal-title":"SJWEH Suppl"},{"key":"2026081214013723800_ref65","volume-title":"Adjournment Motion on Tackling Occupational Diseases for a Healthier Workforce","author":"National Trades Union Congress","year":"2025"},{"issue":"7","key":"2026081214013723800_ref66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajic.2009.01.009","article-title":"Accidental exposures to blood and body fluid in the operation room and the issue of underreporting","volume":"37","author":"Nagao","year":"2009","journal-title":"Am J Infect Control"}],"container-title":["Journal of Occupational Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/joh\/advance-article-pdf\/doi\/10.1093\/joccuh\/uiag038\/68760858\/uiag038.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"am","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/joh\/article-pdf\/68\/1\/uiag038\/68760858\/uiag038.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/joh\/article-pdf\/68\/1\/uiag038\/68760858\/uiag038.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T18:01:57Z","timestamp":1786557717000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/joh\/article\/doi\/10.1093\/joccuh\/uiag038\/8732768"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]},"references-count":66,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,6]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/joccuh\/uiag038","relation":{},"ISSN":["1348-9585"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1348-9585","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]},"article-number":"uiag038"}}