Tokio introduces 4-day work week to promote family time

Tokio introduces 4-day work week to promote family time

The Japanese capital Tokyo plans to introduce a four-day week for government agents to support working mothers and increase historically low birth rates.

new working time frame from April

The government of the Tokyo Metropolitan Region announced that this new regulation will start in April and could offer employees three days off a week. In addition, another measure was presented that enables parents with children in the first three classes of primary school to exchange part of their salary against the option of having an early after -work.

flexibility for families

"We will rethink working methods and ensure more flexibility so that nobody has to do without his career due to events in life, such as birth or childcare," said the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, during her political address to the presentation of the plan. "Now the time is that Tokyo takes the Initiative to protect and improve the life, the basis of life, the livelihood and the economy of our citizens in these challenging times for the nation," she added.

falling birth rate in Japan

The birth rate in Japan has been very popular for many years and reached another record status in June, while the government increases its efforts to encourage young people to start marriage and family. In the past year, only 727,277 births were registered, with the birth rate - the number of children that a woman has in the course of her life - to a new low of 1.2. A birth rate of 2.1 would be required for a stable population.

political measures to remedy the crisis

The Japanese government has introduced various “now or never” policies to combat the population crisis. This also includes the regulation that men can take parental leave. In addition, other municipalities have also taken measures to improve working conditions.

challenges for women

Many sociologists attribute the continuous decline in birth rates to the strict working culture in Japan and the increasing cost of living. The extreme working hours have long been a problem for companies in Japan, where employees are often exposed to health risks and suffer from "Karoshi" in extreme cases, which means "death through revision".

The pressure on women

As in many other countries, women are often under pressure to have to choose between career and family. In Japan, the special overtime culture makes pregnancy and the upbringing of children particularly challenging. According to the World Bank, women's employment participation last year was 55%, while it was 72% in men - a higher difference than in other wealthy countries.

social change and new working time models

The step to introduce a four-day week in the West is increasingly paying attention to where some companies begin to research compressed working hours as a means of recruiting talents who are looking for a better balance between work and private life. Some studies show that this increases the well -being and productivity of employees.

cultural barriers in Japan

Nevertheless, the idea is still considered radical for Japanese companies that often equate the time spent in the office, with loyalty to the company. But Tokyo is not the only place in Asia that implements more family -friendly measures. At the beginning of this year, Singapore introduced new guidelines that oblige all companies to consider applications from employees for flexible work arrangements. This could include four days of work a week or flexible working hours.