With Halloween approaching, I thought it'd be a good time to talk about one of the darker sides of Japan since it's my first Halloween here.
The Japanese people have a reputation for being very hardworking. In school there is the saying, "ichi ni benkyou, ni ni benkyou, san ni benkyou," which translates to "first, you study; second, you study; third, you study". There's a reason why test score averages are so high in Japan compared to many countries. They bust their ass going over lesson materials and this work-ethic translates into the working life.
They have a commonly used term for someone literally working themselves to death: karoushi, which can be translated as "death by overwork". Coined in the 1980's, karoushi is when the immune system shuts down from exhaustion and the person collapses and dies from a heart attack or stroke; however, it is also often connected to suicides caused by work-related issues and it remains relevant today.
Before I came to Japan, I heard about Japan's working conditions, but never knew exactly how bad it could be. Over 2,000 people have committed suicide and nearly 100 people have died from strokes and heart attacks in 2015 alone in part to work-related issues. This even includes well-known companies such as Toyota, which many might think would have a higher standard of treatment for their employees. That's insane, and the worst part is that the numbers are likely higher. With thousands of companies with thousands of employees working 80+ hours of (often unpaid) overtime a month, it's no wonder why Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world.
Overtime aside, some cases are also just a result of working too hard to make ends-meet. Imagine a single-parent trying to support their child with two jobs. They get maybe 4 hours of sleep a night, have to prepare food for the child and clean up the house. That's their free time. Every other waking hour is spent working and they have no time to themselves. Big changes are being made to the company and they were asked to work a few extra hours for the next few weeks to help ease the transition. 4 hours of sleep a night now went down to 2. Being very hard-working, they don't complain and want to do what they can so they can ensure their child has a good life. They don't have time to worry about their health because they just want the child to be safe. Days become dreary and their vision fades away at times. They don't eat much so they constantly hear their stomach yelling at them. It's not uncommon for them to have to struggle to keep from falling asleep on the job, so they take energy drinks to make up for it. They have to do what they can to stay awake and be efficient because they don't want any trouble. Two months later, their body throws in the towel and they are sent to the hospital. The heart worked itself so hard the entire time that it cannot muster the strength to fight on any longer. They die.
Unfortunately, this scenario isn't all that uncommon.
That being said, not every person experiences this lifestyle. There are plenty of amazing companies to work for. Thankfully, I was hired on by a company that has pretty good working conditions for its foreign teachers. I've read countless horror stories and have heard a few since coming here and feel very fortunate to have been hired on by a company that doesn't force me to work overtime.
Times are also changing and the government has been cracking down harder on companies for their treatment of employees. However, karoushi is something that needs to be taken more seriously. Not just in Japan, but other countries as well. It's not uncommon for people in the U.S. to work 60+ hours a week. When I was working retail, my boss was working 60 hours a week on salary. Let's not also forget sweatshop workers in various impoverished areas around the world who work long hours and make very little. The problem is something the whole world needs to properly address.
Peace
The Japanese people have a reputation for being very hardworking. In school there is the saying, "ichi ni benkyou, ni ni benkyou, san ni benkyou," which translates to "first, you study; second, you study; third, you study". There's a reason why test score averages are so high in Japan compared to many countries. They bust their ass going over lesson materials and this work-ethic translates into the working life.
They have a commonly used term for someone literally working themselves to death: karoushi, which can be translated as "death by overwork". Coined in the 1980's, karoushi is when the immune system shuts down from exhaustion and the person collapses and dies from a heart attack or stroke; however, it is also often connected to suicides caused by work-related issues and it remains relevant today.
Before I came to Japan, I heard about Japan's working conditions, but never knew exactly how bad it could be. Over 2,000 people have committed suicide and nearly 100 people have died from strokes and heart attacks in 2015 alone in part to work-related issues. This even includes well-known companies such as Toyota, which many might think would have a higher standard of treatment for their employees. That's insane, and the worst part is that the numbers are likely higher. With thousands of companies with thousands of employees working 80+ hours of (often unpaid) overtime a month, it's no wonder why Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world.
Overtime aside, some cases are also just a result of working too hard to make ends-meet. Imagine a single-parent trying to support their child with two jobs. They get maybe 4 hours of sleep a night, have to prepare food for the child and clean up the house. That's their free time. Every other waking hour is spent working and they have no time to themselves. Big changes are being made to the company and they were asked to work a few extra hours for the next few weeks to help ease the transition. 4 hours of sleep a night now went down to 2. Being very hard-working, they don't complain and want to do what they can so they can ensure their child has a good life. They don't have time to worry about their health because they just want the child to be safe. Days become dreary and their vision fades away at times. They don't eat much so they constantly hear their stomach yelling at them. It's not uncommon for them to have to struggle to keep from falling asleep on the job, so they take energy drinks to make up for it. They have to do what they can to stay awake and be efficient because they don't want any trouble. Two months later, their body throws in the towel and they are sent to the hospital. The heart worked itself so hard the entire time that it cannot muster the strength to fight on any longer. They die.
Unfortunately, this scenario isn't all that uncommon.
That being said, not every person experiences this lifestyle. There are plenty of amazing companies to work for. Thankfully, I was hired on by a company that has pretty good working conditions for its foreign teachers. I've read countless horror stories and have heard a few since coming here and feel very fortunate to have been hired on by a company that doesn't force me to work overtime.
Times are also changing and the government has been cracking down harder on companies for their treatment of employees. However, karoushi is something that needs to be taken more seriously. Not just in Japan, but other countries as well. It's not uncommon for people in the U.S. to work 60+ hours a week. When I was working retail, my boss was working 60 hours a week on salary. Let's not also forget sweatshop workers in various impoverished areas around the world who work long hours and make very little. The problem is something the whole world needs to properly address.
This is one of the dark sides to the world we live in. I want to this to change.
Peace
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| This is a scene I see every day I ride the train. They're so stressed out and tired. They practically live in their suits. If they're not sleeping, they're on the phone making a business call. |
This is one of the dark sides of Japan and I plan to talk about others in the future as well.
ReplyDeleteFor now, Happy Halloween.