「過勞死」一詞源自日本，起於七○年代前後，時值日本由高度經濟成長轉變為低度經濟成長之期間，勞工面臨勞動條件與工作環境惡化之考驗，而導致過勞死這種社會病理現象的出現。九○年代，泡沫經濟崩潰後的長期景氣低迷，更造成大企業進行上千人裁員，1998年失業率超過4%，自殺者突破三萬人，日本社會衍生出「過勞自殺」，由生理崩潰過渡到心理層面。過勞自殺受災者的共通性是嚴謹、熱中於工作以及重視紀律等特徵，這些特徵在以工作為核心價值的日本社會特別顯著，即謂，現在的日本是「普通勞工自殺的時代」。 過勞死與過勞自殺問題社會化的主要推動者，是由日本全國各地的醫師、律師與學者專家所集結成立的全國性社會組織，透過早期的「過勞死110號」全國連線諮詢活動打下知名度後，現在全國各都道府縣都有一常設的電話諮詢窗口，由律師坐陣親自接聽電話，積極協助過勞死與過勞自殺受災勞工或其遺屬爭取職災補償，迄今十餘年間不斷與行政機關所採用的職業災害認定基準，訴諸法院審判彼此相對抗。 研究發現，日本的過勞死認定基準經由四度修正後，從最初的災害主義發展到今日長時間疲勞累積的追蹤，認定基準中積極考量勞工的精神負荷程度，這也是日本現今能產生過勞自殺認定基準的關鍵之一，在職業災害的認定上跳脫具體的傷病證明，轉而以心理的壓力和精神狀態來評估，再加上東京最高法院亦做出肯定過勞自殺為企業責任的判決，更進一步推進了過勞死與過勞自殺在職災補償上的發展。此外，有鑑於預防與補償同樣重要，日本政府自1988年修改勞動安全衛生法即開始落實相關預防措施，並推行一系列預防過重勞動和精神健康之方針，期望藉由強化勞動安全衛生法的健康情報管理來達到預防之效，取代修法補償之缺，相關政策執行至今雖然成效有限，但持續的精神值得借鏡。 反觀台灣，自1995年參考日本與德國訂出認定基準後，隨著過勞死案例的增加，相對其職災給付情況並不樂觀，在新聞媒體對過勞死事件大幅報導的輿論壓力下，政府便以日本為借鏡兩度修正認定基準。但在認定基準修正過程中，卻忽視日本針對過勞死與過勞自殺長期所推行的預防措施，突顯出我國職災補償機制仍待改進，我國應盡快投入相關預防措施的規劃，積極預防並遏止過勞死的發生。 / Since the 1970s, Japanese workers have faced the deterioration of labor conditions and working environment due to the economic growth shifting from high to low level. From then on, there is a socially pathological phenomenon taking place, namely Karoshi. In the 1990s, the lasting depression in the aftermath of the collapse of bubble economy made some of big corporations lay off thousands of workers. The rate of unemployment was higher than 4% and the number of suicide cases was over 30000 people in 1998. Consequently, Karojisatsu, a behavior which is caused by psychological level, emerged in Japan society. The crucial players who have devoted to socialization of Karoshi and Karojisatsu are nationwide doctors, lawyers, scholars and so on. In the beginning, they grouped a national organization such as “Karoshi Hotline” to promote themselves. Nowadays, in the whole country provides information service managed by lawyers. They are active to help victims or their survivors gain reasonable compensation. According to my research, after amended four times, the administrative formula of the karoshi shifts from the accident theory to the monitor concerning the accumulation of tiredness in a long period. It pays more attention to the degree of a worker’s psychological pressure. Moreover, the Supreme Court thinks that the responsibility of Karojisatsu should be taken by corporations. The judgment is beneficial for the development of the worker’s compensation of Karoshi and Karojisatsu. Besides, because prophylaxis is as important as compensation, the Occupational Safety and Health Law, which was amended by the Ministry of Labor in 1988, enforces a series of precautious policies about over-work and mental health. They are aimed to achieve precautious effects through strengthening the management of information concerning workers’ health. Taiwanese government enacted the administrative formula of the karoshi in 1995 which referred to those of Japan and Germany. However, the benefit of work-related injury seemed ineffective to deal with increasing cases of Karoshi. Due to the pressure from the public opinion shaped by media organizations, the government has amended the administrative formula twice. Nevertheless, the amendment ignores the precaution against Karoshi and Karojisatsu in Japan. Therefore, the precaution should be enforced as soon as possible to prevent and curb the emergence of Karoshi.