The government wants it, businesses offer it, yet the attempt to minimize workload fails: Japan does not want the 4-day workweek.
Who voluntarily gives up a four-day workweek? The Japanese. Despite recent increased initiatives from the island nation’s government, the potential shortening of the weekly working hours is hardly accepted. Even after legal regulations had been established and recently a campaign (including free counseling) focused on small and medium-sized enterprises was launched, enthusiasm among employees remains low. This is reported by the Associated Press (AP).
If you’re into video games with a Japan setting, the following game might be for you:
Better voluntarily (unpaid) overtime than leisure
How many companies offer a 4-day workweek? About eight percent of companies in Japan allow their employees to take three or more days off. The minimum is still one free day by law. About seven percent only grant that, as reported by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 85 percent rely on the usual 5-day week.
How many work less? There is no extensive statistics on this, but surveys and statements from companies, such as from Panasonic Holdings Corp, indicate that of the 63,000 employees, only 150 people have taken the opportunity so far, according to the person responsible for the initiative for the Innovation of Work Culture
. As reported by AP.
Why don’t more Japanese take time off? The reason for this can be found in the work culture. In Japan, working more than what the company actually requires has been common for a long time. However, there are social standards that view voluntary, unpaid overtime as normal. No one wants to take extra vacation or even give the impression of being less diligent than their colleagues.
Why is the Japanese government interfering in the labor market so much? Japan is already suffering from significant aging – and the problems will only grow in the future. The country needs to bring as many young people into the labor market as possible, keep them healthy there for as long as possible, and allow families to have more than one child. This is hardly possible under the conditions that have prevailed for decades.
Similar to us, online shopping is extremely popular in Japan. However, the Japanese are also running critically low on labor for this, as someone needs to drive the trucks to deliver the packages. The country may take a special route to solve the problem: Japanese love shopping online, but who will bring the goods to the customers? A 500-kilometer long conveyor belt is supposed to replace 25,000 trucks
