 "In Tokyo, government employees to work only 4 days a week: Here's why")
The Tokyo Metropolitan government has announced that it will introduce a four-day work-week for public sector employees starting in April 2025. This initiative aims to address Japan's declining fertility rate and provide greater support to working mothers.
Details of the new policy
Under this plan, government employees will have the option to take three days off per week. Additionally, another policy will allow parents of young children to leave work early in exchange for a reduced salary.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said, “We will review work styles with flexibility, ensuring no one has to give up their career due to life events such as childbirth or childcare.”
These measures are part of a broader effort to improve work-life balance and encourage family planning in Japan.
Japan’s declining fertility rate
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Japan has been grappling with a low fertility rate, as its birth rate has steadily fallen. In 2023, the fertility rate reached a record low of 1.2, significantly below the 2.1 replacement level needed for population stability. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare reported only 727,277 births in 2023.
Experts point to Japan's intense work culture as a major factor behind the country's population issues. High living costs, long working hours, and "karoshi" (death by overwork) have deterred young people from starting families.
Additionally, a gender gap in workforce participation persists, with only 55 per cent of women employed compared to 72 per cent of men. The government has been promoting paternity leave and more flexible work options to address these disparities.
Tokyo's move reflects a broader global trend toward shorter workweeks. Multiple researches, including the Microsoft Japan Experiment in 2019, have shown that compressed hours can improve worker productivity and well-being. However, the concept of a four-day workweek is still a novel idea in Japan, where employees' loyalty is often linked to the number of hours worked.
Other Asian cities are also adopting policies to support families. In Singapore, businesses are now required to consider employees' requests for flexible work options, including four-day workweeks.
A look at other countries with 4-day work week:
Belgium
In Belgium, workers benefit from legislation allowing a four-day work-week by extending daily hours to 10 while maintaining full pay. This approach balances flexibility with productivity.
The UAE
In July 2023, the UAE introduced a four-day work-week for government employees, impacting most of the public sector workforce. The move has been widely welcomed as a step toward better work-life balance.
(With agency inputs)