With leaders in organisations in Japan hitting an average age of 60.5, transitions remain scarce as only 3.8% successfully transitioned in 2023.

A woman in her 50s from Yokohama has been granted compensation for developing a mental disorder due to remote work overtime.

The worry about overly criticising new employees has caused senior employees to become reticent in giving them feedback.

Intense competition in Japan is driving organisations to innovate, with internships emerging as the new battleground for attracting young talent.

Employees are citing events such as these as similar to “work” and would prefer to not use their free time taking part in them.

Rengo, Japan’s largest trade union group, has announced the biggest salary raises on record for employees after protracted negotiations.

Fuelled by inflation and labour shortages, a historic 5.85% wage hike demand has been called for as labour negotiations continue.

Thanks to newly introduced legislation, big firms need to set and share targets with the Japanese government on paternity uptake.

While many employees in Japan have turned to side jobs for extra cash, this has failed to allow them to achieve their desired income.

Over 80% of male employees took paternity leave, yet 47% took only 1-3 months, while 51% of females averaged 12-18 months.

The goal of these wage negotiations is to reach a pay hike of 5% and more across large and smaller organisations to beat inflationary pressures.

More than four out of five of employers in Japan seek to increase wages, with a majority looking to implement a wage increase on par with last year.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called for accelerated wage growth in 2024, urging organisations to surpass this year’s increases.

Due to the rising ageing population and low wages, labour shortages in facilities for disabled people are increasing.

Younger employees’ mental health struggles, exacerbated by pandemic-induced stressors, highlight a concerning trend in workplace wellbeing.

An increase in monthly pay marks a significant economic shift and emphasises the importance of wage increases in Japan.

Amidst progress in Japan’s workforce taking more paid leave, challenges loom as the government aims for a 70% utilisation rate by 2025.

By autumn 2024, Japan plans to enhance freelancer confidence by expanding employees’ insurance coverage.

The city of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture is pioneering Ibaraki’s first initiative, incentivising male SME employees to take childcare leave.

As inflation outpaces the highest pay hike in 31 years, Japanese labour unions demand substantial wage increases in the coming year.

The University of Tokyo warns against coercive job practices limiting students’ freedom and career choices.

Employee wellbeing in Japan is falling far below the global average, with many employees feeling dissatisfied and stressed at work.

Organisations in Japan hiring more female directors have outperformed the Topix index by 7%, underscoring the potential of gender diversity.

A 5% salary hike should be a bare minimum and better-performing firms should pay their employees more, said the country’s largest labour union.

Japan’s insufficient sleep crisis is linked to daytime fatigue, reduced focus, and severe conditions like depression and anxiety.

Deeply entrenched traditional beliefs in Japan that colleagues are inconvenienced are discouraging some employees from taking annual leave.

Digital watermarking will be prioritised to verify AI-generated content under a proposed AI code of conduct.

The Japanese government is focused on accelerating wage growth and has vowed more support to help businesses cope.

Citing reasons such as better employee match and understanding of organisational style, more firms in Japan are welcoming back ex-employees.

With encouragement from the government, two groups of employees have emerged as most likely to seek secondary jobs in Japan.