This file photo taken in July 2018 shows a woman participating in the "workation" experience program taking part in a telephone conference from an office with a view of the sea in the beach resort town of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture. (Mainichi/Akane Imamura)

TOKYO -- A national council of local governments to promote "workation," where employees can do their jobs while on vacation, is set to be established as early as the end of the year on the initiative of the Wakayama and Nagano prefectural governments.

Currently, local governments are independently inviting companies to participate in the program, but they aim to enhance the power to spread the new working style by establishing the national organization.

Workation follows on from "telework," in which staff can do their jobs away from the office using their personal computers, smartphones and other devices connected to the internet. Under the new system, employees bring their electronic devices to their travel destination, allowing them to work from there.

Companies including Japan Airlines (JAL) have already introduced the program as the movement gradually spreads in Japan.

Many local governments across the country plan to invite companies to adopt the new concept in a bid to boost tourism revenue. Among them are the Wakayama Prefecture town of Shirahama, a beach resort south of Osaka, the Nagano Prefecture town of Karuizawa, a summer resort north of Tokyo, and the Hokkaido town of Shari, located in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage listed Shiretoko Peninsula.

The Wakayama and Nagano prefectural governments, which are leading the drive to introduce workation, plan to hold a signature ceremony to establish the national council, expected to be named Workation Alliance Japan, in the middle of July. As of the end of May, seven local governments had expressed their desire to join the council and the organizer expects that a total of about 20 local bodies will take part in the ceremony.

After the foundation of the council, members will join hands to promote workation events and spread information on the scheme to the general public.

(Japanese original by Akane Imamura, Business News Department)