Make no mistake, Japan doesn’t like fat people.  Japan has some of the world’s lowest rates of obesity — less than 5 percent, compared to nearly 35 percent for the United States

Concerned about rising weights, Japanese lawmakers last year set a maximum waistline size for anyone age 40 and older: 85 centimeters (33.5 inches) for men and 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women.

Under Japan’s health care coverage, companies administer check-ups to employees once a year. Those who fail to meet the waistline requirement must undergo counseling. If companies do not reduce the number of overweight employees by 10 percent by 2012 and 25 percent by 2015, they could be required to pay more money into a health care program for the elderly. An estimated 56 million Japanese will have their waists measured this year.

I wonder if there’s an exemption for Sumo wrestlers?

Japan Health Care | Japan Obesity.