A look at the global map reveals a truth of how almost every country uses the metric system, yet a few, most notably the United States, continue to rely primarily on the imperial or U.S. customary units.

Liberia and Myanmar are historically grouped with the U.S., though both have made slow, uneven moves toward metrication.

The result is a world where a kilogram means the same thing almost everywhere, but pounds, inches, Fahrenheit, and miles still dominate key sectors of American life.

This divide raises deeper questions about standardisation at a time when global collaboration is no longer optional. Scientists warn that climate reporting suffers when countries use different measurement norms, because conversion errors can alter data quality.

A system that the world mostly agrees on, but not universal

The metric system , created during the French Revolution and later refined by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), is rooted in scientific consistency. It is designed around decimals, making it simple to learn, easy to scale, and globally interoperable.

Today, it is the official system for international trade, scientific research, and nearly all global standards bodies.

However, the United States remains the world’s most influential holdout. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the U.S. legally recognised the metric system in 1866 and reaffirmed its intention to adopt it with the Metric Conversion Act of 1975, but adoption was voluntary, not mandated.

This single detail is considered one of the main reasons the transition stalled. Industries, retailers, and local governments were never required to change, making the imperial system an enduring cultural and economic habit.

In practice, the U.S. already depends on the metric system more than most people realise. Scientists, the military, medicine, and even many manufacturers work almost entirely in metric. Yet household products, road signage, real estate, and groceries continue to use customary units, creating a split system that’s both familiar and complex.

Liberia and Myanmar are often mentioned alongside the U.S., but their situations differ . Myanmar announced in 2013 that it would begin transitioning to the metric system to streamline trade. Liberia uses metric units in certain industries such as medicine and shipping, but the customary system persists in everyday life.

It came amid rising concerns over India’s always-on corporate culture and its impact on health and productivity.

The bill was moved by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, who argued that constant digital connectivity has blurred the line between professional and personal time. 

In a video message shared on X, she said the legislation aims to promote “a better quality of life and a healthier work-life balance by reducing burnout caused by today’s digital culture .”

At its core, the draft law states that employees should not be compelled to respond to any electronic communication from their employer once official hours have ended. The measure seeks to formalise boundaries that, according to Sule, have steadily eroded as remote working and smartphone-based office systems have become entrenched in many sectors.

The bill also proposes the creation of an Employees’ Welfare Authority, which would oversee implementation, ensure compliance, and advocate for workers’ digital rights. For employers who violate the rules, the draft outlines penalties, including a fine amounting to 1% of the total remuneration paid by the organisation. The intention, its author argues, is to incentivise companies to respect defined work limits.

Another key provision concerns unpaid labour. The bill stipulates that any employee required to work beyond official hours must receive overtime pay at the normal wage rate. This clause responds to widespread complaints that digital tools, though enabling flexibility, have fuelled a surge in uncompensated extra work in India’s knowledge-driven industries.

The proposal also includes softer measures, such as workplace counselling on healthy technology use and the establishment of digital detox centres designed to help workers reduce screen-time and rebuild personal relationships. These additions frame the bill not simply as a labour reform, but as a broader wellbeing intervention.

As a private member’s bill, the legislation faces long odds. In India’s parliamentary history , such bills are rarely enacted; most are either withdrawn after debate or lapse without a vote once the government responds. 

Nonetheless, Sule introduced two further private member’s bills the same day—one offering paid paternal leave and another seeking to grant platform-based gig workers minimum wages, regulated hours and social security protections.

India’s debate echoes international developments. Australia, for instance, passed its own Right to Disconnect law last year, allowing workers to decline after-hours calls and messages. 

That reform sharpened domestic scrutiny of workplace culture in India, particularly after the death of an EY employee in Pune reignited discussions about long working hours and the pressure to remain constantly reachable.

Receiving the award this week from a private committee, Takaichi insisted her remark had been misunderstood.

“I only wished to convey my enthusiasm,” she said. “I have no intention of encouraging overwork or suggesting that long hours are a virtue. I hope there is no misunderstanding.”

Since taking office later that month as Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi has become an unexpected style icon. 

But while “Sana-katsu” — rooting for Sanae — is now a trend among younger women, it remains to be seen whether her conservative policies will attract the same loyalty. 

Takaichi is seeking to woo right-wing voters after the LDP’s heavy losses under her more moderate predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba.

Her original “work” refrain came during a pledge to rebuild the struggling party and restore public trust. Urging colleagues to “work like a horse,” she declared she would abandon any notion of “work-life balance,” adding with deliberate emphasis: “I will work, work, work, work and work.”

Her own schedule has only fuelled concerns. 

Colleagues say she keeps punishing hours; she held a 3 a.m. meeting with aides before parliament convened in November and told MPs she sleeps “about two hours now, four at most” while also caring for her husband, who is recovering from a stroke.

Takaichi’s prominence as a role model is unusual in Japan, where adoration of political figures rarely rivals the celebrity treatment reserved for athletes or pop stars. The enthusiasm, experts said, stems from her visibility as a powerful woman in a country with few female political leaders.

“She is a new kind of role model,” says Namiko Kubo-Kawai, a psychology professor at Nagoya Shukutoku University. “Her appeal is not rooted in traditional femininity but in her position and persona. Young women who never imagined cheering for a prime minister now see someone whose style they can emulate.”

Yet Takaichi is unlikely to win over feminists, being a staunch conservative who backs maintaining male-only imperial succession and opposes reforms allowing married couples to keep separate surnames.

Still, as Japan’s first female leader, Takaichi has become a cultural presence as much as a political one. Her catchphrase may have been unintended, but it has captured a moment where Japanese women — whether or not they share her politics — are expanding the kinds of role models they choose to follow.

The results reflect a shift in public sentiment following July’s House of Councillors election, with growing concerns about social impact and security. 

When asked to choose from a list of possible effects of having more foreigners living in Japan, 68% said public safety would worsen, while 63% feared difficulties due to cultural and language differences. 

At the same time, however, 61% acknowledged a key benefit: that foreign workers could ease persistent labour shortages in an ageing society .

Younger Japanese appeared especially anxious about safety. Among respondents aged 18 to 39, almost eight in ten said they believed public security would deteriorate if more foreign nationals settled in Japan. That compares with 72% in the 40–59 age group and 59% among those aged 60 and above. 

Yet older people were also more likely to recognise the economic advantages of welcoming migrants: 67% of respondents over 60 said foreign workers help fill labour gaps, compared with 53% in the youngest group.

On the topic of national politics , dissatisfaction remains deep. A record 88% of respondents reported dissatisfaction with the current political situation. For the first time since tracking began in 2018, a majority, or 52%, said they favoured change over stability in national leadership.

Despite this rising discontent, the LDP remains the party most voters want to see in government , backed by 48% of respondents. It was followed by the Democratic Party for the People with 31%, and both the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japan Innovation Party at 25%.

The mail-in survey was conducted nationwide between September 24 and October 31, spanning the end of the Ishiba Cabinet and the start of the Takaichi administration.

“I currently only get about two hours of sleep a night, up to four hours on the longest days, so I think it's bad for my skin,” she said. “But if we could balance childcare and nursing care according to our wishes, and still be able to work, enjoy leisure time, and relax, that would be the ideal situation.”

Takaichi insisted that creating a system that supports both men and women in juggling work, childcare, and eldercare is essential, adding: “I believe it is necessary to realise a way of working that allows both men and women to balance work with childcare or elderly care, according to their wishes.”

Her comments came after staff and opposition lawmakers described the 3 am meeting as “crazy” and symptomatic of poor leadership that pressures employees into unreasonable hours.

Akira Koike, Secretary-General of the Japanese Communist Party, said the incident underlined the need for wider reforms. “To create a society where both men and women can share housework, childcare, and elderly care, ensuring that workers have free time—time they can use as they wish—is an important issue for Japanese society.”

Takaichi admitted last week that the early-morning gathering was held to prepare for a budget committee session scheduled less than six hours later.