Young Japanese trapped by outdated work culture seek greener pastures abroad: ‘I want some freedom’

Upon graduating from university in Japan, Jun Shigeno was eager to start his career at a new company. He was enthusiastic about the business and looked forward to acquiring new skills and contributing to the company's success. However, two years later, Jun finds himself constantly exhausted, with little time for friends or family. His financial situation has only slightly improved. Observing his colleagues who joined the company before him, he fears that the workload will only increase. Consequently, he has begun exploring job opportunities abroad, particularly in Germany and Canada.

During his recruitment process, Jun's company assured him that they valued work-life balance. However, this promise was short-lived. Currently, he works a minimum of 60 hours of overtime each month, which can extend to 80 hours. To make matters worse, only the first 40 hours of overtime are compensated, with the remaining hours classified as 'service overtime'. This system is prevalent across most Japanese companies. Jun's salary is comparable to that of companies in the US or Europe, but his hectic schedule leaves him with little time for personal pursuits. Furthermore, his company expects him to earn three additional professional qualifications each year, with weekends being his only study time.

Jun's fiancée, Nagisa Ota, shares his exhaustion and is open to the idea of seeking employment elsewhere. However, her reasons differ slightly. She feels that her current job is not a good fit for her. Having completed an internship in Australia, she noticed a stark contrast in work attitudes. In Australia, employees did not dwell on work outside office hours or over the weekends, they left the office on time, and work did not consume their entire lives. This is the kind of work-life balance she desires.