WORKING TO LIVE OR LIVING TO WORK?
For a four-day work week to play a meaningful role in reversing Japan’s falling birth rate, a deeper transformation of the country’s work culture is essential. A recent survey highlights a gap between public support and workplace reality: While over 90 per cent of working adults favour the idea of an optional four-day work week, only 35 per cent believe it is feasible in their current workplace.
Part of the challenge is that employees are reluctant to take time off. Although Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike once campaigned on a promise to eliminate overtime, working hours among metropolitan government employees have continued to rise.
While workplace reforms encourage the use of paid leave, many employees refrain from doing so – largely because few colleagues take leave themselves. Deep-seated feelings of guilt and a lingering view that long hours signify dedication make real change a difficult task.
In many Western countries, people tend to prioritise family time above all else. While work is valued, it is generally viewed as a means to enhance time spent with loved ones. This priority – working to live rather than living to work – is a defining cultural trait. In contrast, such clearly defined boundaries between work and family life are not as widely accepted or practised in Japan.
Ideally, the four-day work week system should apply equally to all employees, regardless of gender. Its success depends heavily on the participation and cooperation of both partners in dual-income households. Only when both individuals can flexibly use such arrangements can they focus on personal needs, including those related to fertility.
In this sense, if the four-day work week is to play a meaningful role in addressing Japan’s declining birth rate, a transformation in social norms and workplace culture must come first.
Dr Yasuo Takao is Adjunct Senior Research Fellow of Political Science at Curtin University.
