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Tengrinews.kz – In an effort to combat Japan's ongoing demographic crisis, Tokyo has introduced a four-day workweek policy, reports Fortune.
Tengrinews.kz – In an effort to combat Japan's ongoing demographic crisis, Tokyo has introduced a four-day workweek policy, reports Fortune.
This bold move by the government aims to address the country’s rapidly aging population and declining birth rate, as young citizens prioritize work over starting families.
Tokyo, one of Japan's largest employers, now allows its employees to work just four days a week. The initiative is designed to reduce pressure on women and encourage higher birth rates, especially as Japan faces a shrinking and aging population.
The new system also includes partial childcare leave, allowing employees to shorten their workday by two hours, a measure aimed at supporting parents.
"We will continue to review work styles flexibly so that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to life events such as childbirth and child-rearing," said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike during a session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly this week.
Japan’s birth rate has been declining for eight consecutive years. In the first half of 2024, the country recorded only 350,000 births — a 5.7% decrease compared to the same period last year. The fertility rate in Tokyo fell to a record low of 0.99 children per woman, well below the 2.1 rate required to maintain a stable population.
Despite years of government initiatives to encourage childbirth, including subsidies for daycare, extended parental leave, and even the launch of a matchmaking app, results have been minimal. The country’s rigid work culture and the disproportionate burden on women have remained significant obstacles.
Why a four-day workweek?
Research suggests that shorter workweeks can lead to more balanced household responsibilities and improved quality of life. Experiments conducted in six countries showed that men were more likely to spend time with their children and share domestic duties.
For Japan, where women do five times more unpaid domestic work than men, this could mark a crucial step toward gender equality. More than half of Japanese women who had fewer children than planned cited increased domestic workload as the main reason.
However, not everyone believes this approach is a universal solution.
"A four-day workweek can be effective, but it is not one-size-fits-all for every industry and country," said labor practices expert Julia Hobsbawm in an interview with Fortune.
