The media’s deliberate attempts to provoke outrage are cowardly — and they end up hurting working people.
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Chapter 1: “I Will Abandon WLB” — The Meaning and the Misreading
In 2025, Sanae Takaichi, newly elected president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, sparked a storm on social media with her remark: “I will abandon the term ‘work-life balance.’”
Yet this was neither a rejection of work-style reform nor a disregard for workers’ rights. It was an expression of resolve — a declaration of responsibility as the nation’s leader. As the subject “I” clearly shows, it was never intended to impose anything on others.
In fact, many citizens would likely feel safer under a prime minister who says, “I will devote myself fully to rebuilding this country,” rather than one who declares, “I will put my private life first.”
Nevertheless, the media stripped the comment of its context, reduced it to a provocative headline, and spread it for clicks. That is where the real problem lies.
Chapter 2: What Work-Life Balance Really Means — Remember Its Origin
The phrase work-life balance (WLB) has become common, yet its true intent is often misunderstood.
WLB is not simply about securing vacation time or creating leisure — it is a philosophy that prevents overwork and enables people to live and work in good health.
It was developed especially to protect those vulnerable to exploitation or disadvantage — non-regular employees, parents and caregivers, women, and people with disabilities.
In essence, WLB is not a luxury for the powerful but a safeguard for the weak, a safety valve that keeps society in balance.
Therefore, for those with power and discretion — politicians or business leaders — saying “I personally will abandon it” is a matter of free choice.
But forcing that same stance on others is unacceptable.
Takaichi herself said at a press conference, “I may abandon it, but please make sure you rest.” She clearly recognized the difference in positions.
To ignore that and twist her words into a call for “forced motivation to work” is to distort the very purpose of WLB.
Chapter 3: WLB Differs by Role — Drawing the Line Between Leaders and Workers
Work-life balance (WLB) does not apply identically to every position.
Its meaning and weight differ for employees, managers, executives, and political leaders.
| Position | Role of WLB | Duty and Freedom |
|---|---|---|
| General employees | A principle to protect health and daily life | Protected by institutional systems and labor regulations |
| Managers / Supervisors | A duty to safeguard subordinates’ WLB | Responsible for coordination and consideration within their teams |
| Executives / Political leaders | The freedom to voluntarily forgo WLB | Make independent decisions within the scope of their own discretion and resolve |
A boss may choose to work late at night — that is personal freedom.
But if that behavior makes subordinates feel unable to leave or rest, it becomes a failure of management.
WLB is not a concept where everyone must rest.
Its essence lies in the freedom to choose, and protecting that freedom is what WLB truly means.
Chapter 4: A Society That Burns — The Rise of “Outrage Liberalism”
The deeper issue lies in how the media treat social ideals as mere fuel for outrage.
A trend has emerged — what could be called outrage liberalism — in which appeals to justice mask a constant search for new targets to attack.
Concepts such as “work-life balance,” “discrimination,” and “human rights,” which require careful and nuanced discussion, are now swept into the instant-combustion logic of social media and headline-driven outlets.
What gets lost is more than the weight of words:
-
The efforts of those earnestly trying to make change
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The voices of people who actually need these systems
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Society’s broader understanding and empathy
All of these are swallowed by the flames of controversy.
When ideals become weapons of division rather than foundations for dialogue, the path forward inevitably disappears.
Chapter 5: The Mission of Journalism — To Convey, Not to Attack
The media’s true mission is to communicate WLB accurately and share its social and institutional value.
Journalism exists not to attack but to inform, and it must not trivialize the ideals it reports on.
To promote genuine understanding of work-life balance is to protect how people live — to uphold the freedom and dignity of labor.
When the media use such ideals as “fuel for outrage,” it is those most in need of protection who are hurt once again.
The role of journalism is to raise questions that deepen public understanding, not to inflame division.
Ideals should be carried forward, not consumed.
Chapter 6: The Media Must Regain Its Sense of Pride
Work-life balance is both a social safeguard that protects health and livelihood, and a guidepost that helps people consider how they want to live.
When leaders declare their readiness to forgo it themselves, that is a sign of responsibility and conviction — not something to be condemned.
The real issue lies in how the media cut words out of context, discarding nuance to create “clickable outrage.”
News that should enlighten society now divides it.
The media must not merely exploit work-life balance as a trend, but take pride in their original mission: to inform the public truthfully and responsibly.
That is — and always has been — the true duty of journalism.
Read in Japanese↓
ワークライフバランスという社会命題を炎上材料にするメディアは卑怯だ（2025.10.8）
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