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The Tokyo government is introducing a four-day workweek for its employees, aiming to support young families and address Japan’s declining birth rates. Starting in April, over 160,000 employees of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will work four days a week and have Fridays off. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike announced the initiative, emphasizing that the goal is to create a work environment where employees can balance their careers with family life, especially for parents.
Japan is facing a serious demographic challenge, with its fertility rate at an all-time low. Last year, the average number of children per woman fell to just 1.2, well below the replacement level of 2.1. Despite government efforts to encourage young people to start families, the country’s population continues to decline. The long working hours culture in Japan has made it particularly difficult for women to balance work and childcare responsibilities, often forcing them to choose between a career and having children.
Governor Koike’s new policy aims to address this by offering greater flexibility to workers. In addition to the four-day workweek, the Tokyo government will also allow parents of primary school-aged children to exchange a portion of their salary for the opportunity to leave work early. Another key part of the plan is a new system that enables parents with young children to reduce their working hours by up to two hours a day. This initiative is seen as an important step in supporting families and creating a better balance between work and personal life.
The new policy also follows the success of global trials of the four-day workweek, which have shown positive results. In 2022, businesses that participated in the trials reported higher employee satisfaction, improved work-life balance, and better physical and mental health. Many employees expressed a desire to keep the shorter workweek, highlighting the benefits of having more time for family, rest, and personal pursuits.
Japan takes bold steps to address its population crisis, in a groundbreaking move to promote work-life balance and encourage higher birth rates. The country introduces a four-day workweek for all government employees.#ANewz #GlobalNews #LatestNews #Japan #Tokyo #Work… pic.twitter.com/17gRVa1NMa
— AnewZ (@Anewz_tv) December 6, 2024
The Tokyo government’s move to introduce a four-day workweek could be a model for other regions in Japan as the country grapples with its aging population and low fertility rates.
