Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has sparked a nationwide debate after revealing that she sleeps only three hours a day. The comment, shared on social media, quickly drew reactions from supporters, critics, health experts, and workers concerned about Japan's demanding work culture. The discussion has reignited questions about work-life balance, productivity, leadership expectations, and the impact of long working hours in one of the world's most work-intensive societies.

Takaichi claims to function on three hours of sleep, tweet sparks work-life balance debate

Japan's workplace culture is making headlines again as a Tokyo-based company revives old-school corporate traditions. Employees begin each day with motivational chants, energetic speeches, and strict discipline an approach that many young Gen Z workers say helps them grow professionally. While supporters argue that tougher workplaces improve accountability, resilience, and productivity, critics warn the trend could revive unhealthy work practices Japan has spent years trying to leave behind.

Japan revives old-school corporate culture | gen z says strict bosses help them succeed

A recent global survey has ranked Japan lowest for employees’ well-being while keeping Turkey at the top and India just behind it, in the second spot. The survey was conducted by McKinsey Health Institute, and it assessed employees’ physical, mental, social and spiritual health before arriving at the conclusions.&nbsp;

Japan scored a mere 25 per cent in the poll. Turkey scored highest at 78 per cent, followed by India at 76 per cent and China at 75 per cent, way higher than the global average of 57 per cent.

The poll results were based on inputs received from 30,000 participants from nearly 30 countries.

<h2>Why Japan is at bottom?</h2>

While Japan is known for offering long-term, reliable job opportunities to its workers, sometimes it makes it difficult for them to switch jobs and find better alternatives.

Kopp, a board member of MS&amp;AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc, was quoted by Bloomberg as saying that there was a tendency in Japan to rate themselves low. But he acknowledged, "There are significant issues in Japan with lack of satisfaction in the workplace, with significant levels of stress."

Watch:&nbsp;Japan Mobility Show 2023: EVs, personal mobility take centre stage at auto show

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The majority of the Japanese workforce is employed under short-term contracts, thus making lives miserable for the employees.

<h2>Where does India stand?</h2>

In the study, Indian participants indicated their physical health at 81 per cent, mental health at 79 per cent, and social and spiritual health at 78 per cent.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the report, Indian respondents had the highest burnout symptoms rate at 59 per cent, followed by Saudi Arabia at 36 per cent, Egypt and Chile at 33 per cent each. On the other hand, Cameroonian respondents reported the lowest burnout symptoms rate at 9 per cent.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/japan-announces-113-bln-package-to-counter-inflation-woes-654131">Also read:&nbsp;Japan announces $113 bn package to counter inflation woes</a>

Factors like emotional or cognitive impairment and burnout play a key role in determining employees’ well-being.

Another common factor found was the lack of energy, with more than a third of respondents in 29 surveyed countries reporting exhaustion.&nbsp;

<h2>Burnout on the rise</h2>

Over 50 per cent of workers display signs of burnout, which triples their likelihood of quitting their jobs, the report reveals. Across the 30 countries covered in the study, 22 per cent of workers reported experiencing burnout symptoms at work.

Researchers investigating demographic disparities in burnout found that workers aged 18 to 24, those employed by smaller companies, and non-managerial professionals have higher rates of burnout symptoms.

(With inputs from agencies)

A recent global survey has ranked Japan lowest for employees’ well-being while keeping Turkey at the top and India just behind it, in the second spot. The survey was conducted by McKinsey Health Institute, and it assessed employees’ physical, mental, social and spiritual health before arriving at the conclusions.

A recent global survey has ranked Japan lowest for employees’ well-being while keeping Turkey at the top and India just behind it, in the second spot. The survey was conducted by McKinsey Health Institute, and it assessed employees’ physical, mental, social and spiritual health before arriving at the conclusions. Japan scored a mere 25 per cent in the poll. Turkey scored highest at 78 per cent, followed by India at 76 per cent and China at 75 per cent, way higher than the global average of 57 per cent. The poll results were based on inputs received from 30,000 participants from nearly 30 countries. Why Japan is at bottom? While Japan is known for offering long-term, reliable job opportunities to its workers, sometimes it makes it difficult for them to switch jobs and find better alternatives. Kopp, a board member of MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc, was quoted by Bloomberg as saying that there was a tendency in Japan to rate themselves low. But he acknowledged, "There are significant issues in Japan with lack of satisfaction in the workplace, with significant levels of stress." Watch: Japan Mobility Show 2023: EVs, personal mobility take centre stage at auto show × The majority of the Japanese workforce is employed under short-term contracts, thus making lives miserable for the employees. Where does India stand? In the study, Indian participants indicated their physical health at 81 per cent, mental health at 79 per cent, and social and spiritual health at 78 per cent. According to the report, Indian respondents had the highest burnout symptoms rate at 59 per cent, followed by Saudi Arabia at 36 per cent, Egypt and Chile at 33 per cent each. On the other hand, Cameroonian respondents reported the lowest burnout symptoms rate at 9 per cent. Also read: Japan announces $113 bn package to counter inflation woes Factors like emotional or cognitive impairment and burnout play a key role in determining employees’ well-being. Another common factor found was the lack of energy, with more than a third of respondents in 29 surveyed countries reporting exhaustion. Burnout on the rise Over 50 per cent of workers display signs of burnout, which triples their likelihood of quitting their jobs, the report reveals. Across the 30 countries covered in the study, 22 per cent of workers reported experiencing burnout symptoms at work. Researchers investigating demographic disparities in burnout found that workers aged 18 to 24, those employed by smaller companies, and non-managerial professionals have higher rates of burnout symptoms. (With inputs from agencies)

Survey ranks Japan lowest in employee well-being, India second at top in McKinsey survey

Did you know? Japan has a history of rigid & often toxic work culture. Two Japanese firms collaborated with a promise to solve the long-running issue. 'Nap Boxes' - an upright pod-like structure to help employees take a nap during work. Molly Gambhir gets you the details.

WION Fineprint | Nap box: a solution to Japan's toxic work culture

Japan is "extremely behind" in promoting gender equality its government said Friday, as it delayed an almost two decades-old target to have at least 30 percent of leadership positions occupied by women by the end of 2020.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government approved a new five-year plan on gender equality, which says it will make efforts to meet the 30-percent target "at the earliest possible time" during the next decade.

While Japan ranks highly on a range of international indicators, it persistently trails on promoting gender equality, ranking 121 out of 153 nations surveyed in the 2020 global gender gap report of the World Economic Forum.

Just 14.8 percent of leadership positions in politics and business in Japan are occupied by women, "lagging extremely behind internationally," the Cabinet Office said in the new five-year plan.

The new plan replaces the government's last five-year plan, which included the 2020 target.&nbsp;

But the 30-percent target was originally set in 2003 by the cabinet of then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who adopted the ambitious goal in a bid to force the nation's male-dominated bureaucracy and Japan Inc businesses to accept diversity.

Former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who stepped down earlier this year, also repeatedly pledged to meet the same target, and made "womenomics" initiatives to include more women in the work force a key plank of his economic policy.

The Cabinet Office blamed social acceptance of traditional gender roles for the slow progress, saying the government would "make efforts so that women will occupy around 30 percent of leadership positions in the early part of the 2020s."

In the political sphere, women are having to balance political activities and domestic tasks and they face various harassments based on their gender, it said.

And businesses have not been enthusiastic about promoting women, it added.

"Overall, society as a whole still leans toward stereotypical gender roles and has unconscious bias," it said.

The new five-year plan had been expected to include mention of a growing social acceptance of allowing women to keep their maiden names after marriage.

Japanese law currently requires married couples to share the same surname, a law that usually results in women changing their names.

But while polling shows public support for changing the law, the new five-year plan stopped short of backing the move, with conservative lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party pushing to strike down the idea.

Instead, the plan refers to the issue as a matter for "further discussions."

Japan is "extremely behind" in promoting gender equality its government said Friday, as it delayed an almost two decades-old target to have at least 30 percent of leadership positions occupied by women by the end of 2020.

Japan is "extremely behind" in promoting gender equality its government said Friday, as it delayed an almost two decades-old target to have at least 30 percent of leadership positions occupied by women by the end of 2020. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government approved a new five-year plan on gender equality, which says it will make efforts to meet the 30-percent target "at the earliest possible time" during the next decade. While Japan ranks highly on a range of international indicators, it persistently trails on promoting gender equality, ranking 121 out of 153 nations surveyed in the 2020 global gender gap report of the World Economic Forum. Just 14.8 percent of leadership positions in politics and business in Japan are occupied by women, "lagging extremely behind internationally," the Cabinet Office said in the new five-year plan. The new plan replaces the government's last five-year plan, which included the 2020 target. But the 30-percent target was originally set in 2003 by the cabinet of then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who adopted the ambitious goal in a bid to force the nation's male-dominated bureaucracy and Japan Inc businesses to accept diversity. Former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who stepped down earlier this year, also repeatedly pledged to meet the same target, and made "womenomics" initiatives to include more women in the work force a key plank of his economic policy. The Cabinet Office blamed social acceptance of traditional gender roles for the slow progress, saying the government would "make efforts so that women will occupy around 30 percent of leadership positions in the early part of the 2020s." In the political sphere, women are having to balance political activities and domestic tasks and they face various harassments based on their gender, it said. And businesses have not been enthusiastic about promoting women, it added. "Overall, society as a whole still leans toward stereotypical gender roles and has unconscious bias," it said. The new five-year plan had been expected to include mention of a growing social acceptance of allowing women to keep their maiden names after marriage. Japanese law currently requires married couples to share the same surname, a law that usually results in women changing their names. But while polling shows public support for changing the law, the new five-year plan stopped short of backing the move, with conservative lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party pushing to strike down the idea. Instead, the plan refers to the issue as a matter for "further discussions."

Japan delays women leadership target after falling short

Microsoft Japan's 4-day Workweek; Work less, Achieve more. Watch video to know more

Microsoft Japan's 4-day Workweek; Work less, Achieve more

In a country notorious for overwork, Microsoft Japan trialled a radical idea: working less. And it found that four-day weeks and other reforms both boosted sales and cut costs.

The Japanese unit of the US IT giant closed its offices every Friday in August, giving all 2,300 full-time workers special leave.

It also restricted meetings to a maximum of 30 minutes and encouraged online chats as an alternative to face-to-face communications.

The number of participants at meetings was limited to five, and workers were also encouraged to use online communication instead of emails, it said.

The results were positive, with sales per employee rising almost 40 per cent in August from a year earlier, electricity consumption down by a quarter and paper usage being cut in half.

The firm said the trial showed "employees want to have a variety of ways of working" and that adopting the model more broadly could boost efficiency.

It plans to launch a similar programme this winter -- but won't offer special leave.

Instead, employees will be encouraged to use their existing holiday days, it said.

The programme comes as Japan's government pushes for more "flexible work styles," urging business to accept telecommuting, different part-time schedules and off-peak commuting.

The effort is part of an attempt to address the issue of "karoshi" -- death from overwork -- and to encourage overworked and overburdened couples to have children in a country that is struggling with a shrinking population.

In a country notorious for overwork, Microsoft Japan trialled a radical idea: working less. And it found that four-day weeks and other reforms both boosted sales and cut costs.

In a country notorious for overwork, Microsoft Japan trialled a radical idea: working less. And it found that four-day weeks and other reforms both boosted sales and cut costs. The Japanese unit of the US IT giant closed its offices every Friday in August, giving all 2,300 full-time workers special leave. It also restricted meetings to a maximum of 30 minutes and encouraged online chats as an alternative to face-to-face communications. The number of participants at meetings was limited to five, and workers were also encouraged to use online communication instead of emails, it said. The results were positive, with sales per employee rising almost 40 per cent in August from a year earlier, electricity consumption down by a quarter and paper usage being cut in half. The firm said the trial showed "employees want to have a variety of ways of working" and that adopting the model more broadly could boost efficiency. It plans to launch a similar programme this winter -- but won't offer special leave. Instead, employees will be encouraged to use their existing holiday days, it said. The programme comes as Japan's government pushes for more "flexible work styles," urging business to accept telecommuting, different part-time schedules and off-peak commuting. The effort is part of an attempt to address the issue of "karoshi" -- death from overwork -- and to encourage overworked and overburdened couples to have children in a country that is struggling with a shrinking population.

Microsoft Japan's four-day work a week experiment pays off ; sales get 40% boost

Two male employees in Japan sued their employers for alleged harassment after taking paternity leave, a case that again shone a spotlight on the country's ruthless work culture.

Among the complainants, one is a Japanese national and a Canadian national working in Japan; both allege that their employers sidelined them from their main responsibilities after they resumed work post paternity leave.

The Japanese government allows both men and women to take one year off after childbirth. During the paternity leave, employees are eligible for government benefits, however, they are not guaranteed pay from their employer.

Despite such strong legal systems, why do Japanese workers feel so overworked? from the 1950s onwards, post-war Japan set a benchmark for hard work for the world over. In its golden age of growth, Japan’s corporations offered lifelong job security and high wages in return for the long working hours, loyalty and service.

In japan death by overwork claimed 191 people in 2016 and, according to a government report, over a fifth of Japanese employees are at risk through working more than 80 hours of overtime a month which is usually unpaid work, a Ranconteur report said.&nbsp;

One in ten Japanese workers clock over 100 &nbsp;hours of overtime each month, the report also said.

Not just this, convenience stores in Japan sell clean shirts for workers who haven’t had a chance to go home, In Japan, there is a genre of literature, kodoku which romanticises the loneliness of Japanese workers who have little time or inclination to see friends or find a partner.

And not just men, even Japanese women face outright discrimination in offices because they could become mothers someday.

If women prioritise their home life over their company by leaving early or at a normal time to pick up their children from daycare, they find themselves being passed over for promotions and raises.

Even though Prime Minister Shinzo abe spent six years encouraging women to join the workforce, still 70 per cent Japanese women leave their jobs after the first child.

But what about the rest of the world?

According to a report, 90 countries don’t offer paternity leave time at all – including the US.

South Korea offers the most, at 52 weeks, with Sweden, Slovenia and Iceland offering 12 weeks each. Finland 11 weeks which is then followed by Spain offering 8 weeks.&nbsp;

India and France both offer two weeks of paternity leave.

Two male employees in Japan sued their employers for alleged harassment after taking paternity leave, a case that again shone a spotlight on the country's ruthless work culture.

Two male employees in Japan sued their employers for alleged harassment after taking paternity leave, a case that again shone a spotlight on the country's ruthless work culture. Among the complainants, one is a Japanese national and a Canadian national working in Japan; both allege that their employers sidelined them from their main responsibilities after they resumed work post paternity leave. The Japanese government allows both men and women to take one year off after childbirth. During the paternity leave, employees are eligible for government benefits, however, they are not guaranteed pay from their employer. Despite such strong legal systems, why do Japanese workers feel so overworked? from the 1950s onwards, post-war Japan set a benchmark for hard work for the world over. In its golden age of growth, Japan’s corporations offered lifelong job security and high wages in return for the long working hours, loyalty and service. In japan death by overwork claimed 191 people in 2016 and, according to a government report, over a fifth of Japanese employees are at risk through working more than 80 hours of overtime a month which is usually unpaid work, a Ranconteur report said. One in ten Japanese workers clock over 100 hours of overtime each month, the report also said. Not just this, convenience stores in Japan sell clean shirts for workers who haven’t had a chance to go home, In Japan, there is a genre of literature, kodoku which romanticises the loneliness of Japanese workers who have little time or inclination to see friends or find a partner. And not just men, even Japanese women face outright discrimination in offices because they could become mothers someday. If women prioritise their home life over their company by leaving early or at a normal time to pick up their children from daycare, they find themselves being passed over for promotions and raises. Even though Prime Minister Shinzo abe spent six years encouraging women to join the workforce, still 70 per cent Japanese women leave their jobs after the first child. But what about the rest of the world? According to a report, 90 countries don’t offer paternity leave time at all – including the US. South Korea offers the most, at 52 weeks, with Sweden, Slovenia and Iceland offering 12 weeks each. Finland 11 weeks which is then followed by Spain offering 8 weeks. India and France both offer two weeks of paternity leave.

Japan parental leave case puts spotlight on workers' rights