Can Japan overhaul its unforgiving office culture as more workers die from overwork?
- A white paper by Japan’s health ministry shows the link between the nation’s long working hours and depression and death from overwork, known as karoshi
- Critics say cases reported to health authorities are likely to be a fraction of the true number, and are concerned about higher suicide rates last year
The overwhelming sensation that Kei Sato felt as his stretcher was being lifted into the ambulance was simply relief. After effectively doing the work of three people for more than a year at the Japanese company where he is employed, his mind and body had finally rebelled, he said.
“I remember it well,” Sato recalled. “I had just finished a presentation and I suddenly felt very ill. I had suffered from kidney stones previously, and I initially thought it was just a recurrence of that problem, but it quickly got worse, so I called an ambulance.”
He required immediate surgery on his kidneys and was told that he would be hospitalised for at least 10 days.
“I have absolutely no doubt that my condition was brought on by the stresses of my job,” Sato said, requesting his real name not be used as he remains with the company. “I had been given too many responsibilities by my superiors and I had no support staff to assist me, and it was a nightmare.”
Sato said he was regularly in the office before 8am and often did not leave until 11pm.