CRIA Global – Japan Workplace Knowledge for All Workers

Read the original article (in Japanese): 「入社1日で退社する若者」が持っておいたほうがいい視点を養老孟司さんが語る | デイリー新潮 五月病という言葉はもはや過去の遺物なのか、4月早々、退職を希望する新入社員が数多くいることが話題になっている。… www.dailyshincho.jp What Is Work? A Trust-Based Contract Between Company and Employee Work is essentially a contract built on mutual trust between a company and an employee. Employers expect contribution, while employees seek compensation, fulfillment, and meaningful work. The agreement stands only when both parties share mutual understanding and intent. However, in reality, this trust is often compromised from the very beginning—particularly in Japan’s hiring culture, where job roles remain vague and the infamous “department lottery” decides post-hire placement. The Importance of Direction and Transparency in Hiring Choosing a job is like boarding a bullet train from Tokyo Station. You may not get your ideal seat or route, but as long as you're headed in the right direction, you'll reach your destination eventually. That journey—...

Read the original article (in Japanese): 「もう長すぎた…」宇宙飛行士・野口聡一氏が57歳でJAXAを辞めた納得のワケ( ダイヤモンド・オンライン ) The Reality Behind the 45-Year Retirement Debate The ongoing public debate around the “45-year retirement” and early retirement plans in Japan was initially intended to encourage self-directed career development. Yet, many workers interpret these initiatives as thinly veiled attempts to push them out. As astronaut Soichi Noguchi has noted, Japan’s work culture tends to reward compliance over skill-building or career ownership. If we want to change that, we need structural reform—not just slogans. The Proposal: A Tenure-Based Retirement System A better alternative is the Tenure-Based Retirement System . Rather than setting a fixed age for retirement, the idea is to define an employee’s career cycle within a company by tenure—say, a 20-year maximum. Such a system allows for natural career reflection without age-based discrimination. More importantly, it promotes a mindset where workers are exp...

 Read the original article (in Japanese): 勤務時間外も「仕事対応」が当たり前？　携帯の「つながらない権利」尊重は4割止まり（ スマホライフPLUS ） 1. Japanese Companies Bound by Past Successes and Changing Times Japanese companies once thrived on the spirit of selfless devotion and long working hours. Lifetime employment and seniority-based promotions may have been rational practices at the time. However, today's world is changing at an unprecedented speed. With the rise of social media, global work styles are instantly compared, and values like individual dignity and freedom have spread rapidly across society. The shift is no longer confined to a "highly conscious few"—it is quietly but surely becoming society’s new norm. 2. Why the Spirit of Selfless Devotion Took Root in Japan Japan’s view of labor is deeply rooted in historical traditions: Absolute loyalty in service Obedience based on moral obligation, not contractual agreement Priority placed on collective over individual interests This background shap...

  Read the original article (in Japanese): 深刻化する“人手不足”…青森県内の企業はより強く認識か　6割弱の企業が人手不足が原因で負の影響を感じていると回答（2025年3月3日掲載）｜日テレNEWS NNN Is It Really a "Labor Shortage," or Simply a Lack of Hiring Capability? Across Japan, labor shortages are widely discussed—but is there truly a shortage of workers? Or is it simply that "cheap labor" is no longer readily available, or that "young, physically capable workers" are harder to find? The first step is to correctly identify the real issue. In industries like construction, transportation, and retail—where working conditions are particularly harsh—the difficulty in securing workers has intensified. However, blaming it all on "an aging population" is simplistic. The deeper issue is the industries’ lack of hiring power. Today’s job seekers can choose which industries they want to work in. It’s not that "there are jobs but no workers"; it’s that there’s no compelling reason for workers to choose certain jobs....

  Read the original article (in Japanese): 離職の原因トップ3｢給料が理由｣は意外と少ない ｢部下が離職は給料のせい｣と言う上司の真意 | リーダーシップ・教養・資格・スキル | 東洋経済オンライン Many managers claim, "Employees leave because salaries are too low." However, according to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare,  the main reasons for turnover are poor working conditions and bad workplace relationships , not salary alone.  Managers blaming salary often fail to recognize their own lack of management skills . The deeper issue is that  unqualified managers remain entrenched . In many Japanese companies, once someone is promoted to a managerial position, they are rarely demoted even when persistent turnover or declining team performance is evident. This leads to organizational rigidity and accelerates employee departures. However, contrary to popular belief,  demoting unqualified managers is legally possible under Japanese labor law . The  1998 Sony case  clearly demonstrated this: Clear demotion criteria were...

 Read the original article (in Japanese): 【モチベーションの専門家が教える】現代の若者たちの「働きがい」が低下した、たった1つの理由 | ライバルはいるか？ | ダイヤモンド・オンライン The claim that “young people today have lost their sense of work fulfillment” is often repeated. But is that really the case? In reality, it may simply be that the distinction between work fulfillment and work ease has become clearer. Those who prioritize income aim for positions and promotions, while those who value work-life balance seek stable environments. This basic tendency has remained consistent over time. It's not that younger generations have lost motivation entirely— rather, the sources of motivation have become more diverse. What’s truly important for companies is to create systems that don’t rely on individual motivation to function. Companies like Amazon, McDonald’s, and Toyota have built mechanisms that produce stable outcomes regardless of how motivated each employee may be. In such organizations, productivity is not driven by internal competition, ...

  Why Aren’t Wages Rising in Japan? — How the Labor Share Ratio and Retained Earnings Are Stalling Economic Growth Read the original article (in Japanese): 生産性3割アップも「増えない給料」　原因は「貯めこむ大企業」にあった | TBS NEWS DIG Chapter 1: The Illusion of Wage Growth Despite government announcements of a “historic wage increase,” most workers in Japan feel no real difference in their paychecks. The reality is that real wages have barely moved in 25 years , even though labor productivity has risen by roughly 30% during the same period. This growth rate exceeds that of major European economies like France and Germany. The popular narrative — “wages haven’t increased because productivity is low” — is no longer credible. The real question is this: Why are companies making more money, yet not paying workers more? Chapter 2: Record Corporate Profits, Yet No Pay Raises The most glaring figure is Japan’s retained earnings , also known as corporate savings or internal reserves. In 1998: approximately...

Introduction: Is Promotion Still a Symbol of Success? Promotion was once considered a clear marker of career success—bringing higher status, increased responsibility, and better pay. But this conventional wisdom is fading. A growing number of workers today are declining promotions , and they are doing so not out of laziness or fear, but based on pragmatic, strategic reasoning. This article explores what’s behind this shift in employee attitudes, and more importantly, how companies should redesign roles, compensation, and career paths to retain and motivate talent in this new landscape. Why Are More Employees Declining Promotions? ● Mismatch Between Responsibility and Compensation Many employees feel that the increased workload and stress of management roles are not matched by proportional rewards . In Japan, it’s common for newly promoted managers to lose overtime pay, leading to a paradox where their effective hourly wage decreases after promotion. ● Work-Life Balance Concerns ...