Tokyo government to implement four-day workweek—here's why
The Tokyo government is eyeing to introduce a four-day workweek to aid young families amid the country's low fertility rate.
According to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, employees will have the option to take three days off a week starting April 2025.
"We will review work styles… with flexibility, ensuring no one has to give up their career due to life events such as childbirth or child care," the governor said during her speech at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly’s fourth regular session.
The move came after reports from the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry of Japan recorded a "severe" decline in the fertility rate as 727,277 births were registered in 2024. This puts the country's fertility rate at a "staggering low," as per the CNBC.
Moreover, the impact of the low birth rate on the workweek of Japanese workers is attributable to Japan's overtime work culture. Heightened job constraints often compel women to decide between pursuing a family or a career.
Hence, enforcing a three-day off would encourage Japanese couples to spend more quality time together, which might lead to greater childbearing.
The new provision also allowed parents of young children to trade their salary to be able to leave work earlier.
"Now is the time for Tokyo to take the initiative to protect and enhance the lives, livelihoods, and economy of our people during these challenging times for the nation," Koike added.
4-day week global
Series of global trials coordinated by 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit organization, in 2022 revealed that four-day workweeks show improved mental and physical health of workers and better work-life balance. It also found decreased reports of stress or fatigue, overall increased life satisfaction, and lower work-family conflict.
"We believe that reduced-hour working is the future of work, and that together, work-life balance can become the norm for everyone, allowing employees to live fulfilling, healthy lives, while businesses can flourish and create strong relationships with their people," the organization said.
Several countries follow a four-day workweek setup. These include Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Spain, to name a few.
To boost its plunging national birth rate, Japan also announced that it's launching its own dating app.
