Just in case: This is all based on I/my friends experienced, but my channel is basically about skits based on what I/my friends experienced and I overexaggerate voices and acting to make it look more anime, so don't worry you really won't get in the same situation as this, this channel is a place where you make fun of me for being a loser mainly lol
You're awesome man, keep doing what you're doing, behind the entertainment it's also very informative, and people need more awareness and education on this. Thanks for your work!!
It was really funny. I do like the idea of rule 6 though. It feels like that would promote properly teaching and educating new staff which is not common in my experiences.
I have a japanese cousin who went to college in the US and went back to japan to work for business. Hes expressed how he hates his business job in japan and really misses the US. But i never knew the details why. Now i can see why lol 😂
I’ve heard of the drinking after work culture thing and man I can’t think of anything more miserable than being forced to join in drinking when you just wanna go home and relax.
Addition:It's supposed to be family time to those who have families but because of this stupid etiquette,I think it is one of the factors that brought Japan to depopulation.
I worked in Japan for two years in a university and no one would leave until the head of the group did, typically at 9pm. He would stick his head in the door of the office and say he was off, at which point multiple people who were asleep at their desks would get up and leave. Truly bizarre!
Interesting. I thought it only happens here in the Philippines. The thing is, we can actually leave before the boss does. But we still don't because of the gossip that follows if you leave before the boss.
lol I don't GF if my boss leave or not, the point is my job of the day is done. like or not I am area manger before thirty. So f all that licking ass BS
@@superbombyman1501 Meanwhile I would start my own gossip. I'm notorious around the office (some retold stories may be inflated, I feel no need to inflate my stories, but its funny when people make assumptions). I would probably announce "time to go do wheelies in front of the cops, see you tomorrow, unless I'm in jail then someone please bail me out, bye!" as I'm walking out. Let them gossip, the rumors will be legendary! They will turn the tales of my average speed driving to work (not my true daily average, but the average for one day that they asked) of just over 8 miles in under 4 minutes (that means with traffic and traffic lights I averaged over 120 mph or 193 kph driving to work), and they will be claiming next that I did it in 3 minutes or something silly (its silly because that would be 160 mph average, and at the moment my bike is geared for only about 152 mph so it obviously couldn't be true). Once I'm out of work, I try not to worry about it, all that work will be sitting there waiting for me to get back. One of my bosses was behind me when I spun out of the parking lot almost running into a stop sign (I don't know how I messed that up, its a pretty easy spot for drifting except the road has a couple bumps), anyways he pulled up and rolled down his windows and asked if I was good, I gave the thumbs up and he laughed and drove off. Next day he said "wow, when you're leaving work to go home, you really leave work behind in a hurry and go have fun and live your life, I respect that". Get your tasks done, then go home, no reason to stick around if there's nothing to do (there is always something to do though, I try to stay busy then leave when my time is up)
@@JawsFan27 But the strange thing was, they didn't look busy, they were asleep at their desks. They just had to be there until the head of the group went home.
The dichotomy between "You can't fire someone for not being good at their job," and "You must work unpaid overtime, because it is your fault that you aren't good," is CRAZY
They'll try to find ways to get you to quit though, if they really want you out. Like they'll assign no work for you, some companies even go further and assign no work to you and take away your phone and computer, so you're just sitting there doing nothing. I had this happen at a japanese company, I was the first foreigner there and they didn't see eye to eye with me (even though I always finished my work way ahead of schedule and often did even more than I was asked) because I wanted to leave at the normal leaving time to meet up with my girlfriend (now wife). If someone needed help I'd stay, but if my work was done and everyone was fine I'd leave and they didn't like that. So there was a 6 month period where they had nothing for me to do. Joke's on them, I was being paid to keep improving my skills by learning more every day instead of twiddling my thumbs lol. Eventually they gave me a job that was completely off of my field. Me and some coworkers think they were trying to stress me out and make me quit, but I just embraced the challenge and learned what I needed to learn and ended up completing the project. Eventually I did quit to start my own company and because I felt like they didn't value my work.
@@erictan7207 Yes. I've heard of people saying they can lower your salary by demoting you, but I've never seen that happen and every japanese person I asked says that's either fake or rare, so idk.
An acquaintance of mine worked under a 1 year contract in Japan. Not really being a part of the culture he didn’t follow most of these norms. They ended up shunning him by moving him to a remote employee and also not assigning him work. Supposedly this is a huge disrespect more than being fired to them. So by the last 6 months he was basically taking a paid vacation getting paid while having no work to do.
So as long as you are immune to Japanese disrespect peer pressure culture, one could get paid a living for nothing...and they'll think they're punishing you.. Love it, lol
My best friend use to work for the USA branch of a very well known 3rd party Japanese video game company, and so many people were "punished" by the Japanese branch by being sent to the USA branch. Not one of the transfers ever thought it was a punishment but a reward to get away from the corporate Japan hellscape.
I work in a Japanese company myself and the "coming early to work" etiquette applies for maybe like the first month. As for the suit situation, a funny story... I got really fed up with wearing a suit one day and just came in with casual clothes. Obviously I got a warning about it from my boss. But I persisted. The next day I came in with casual clothes again, and my boss was in casual clothes. He didn't say anything and it was business as usual. Then the rest of my coworkers came in with casual clothes. It could very well vary company to company as these are just my anecdotes. I think Japanese people are beginning to realize just how absurd some of these etiquettes are. Most of them are gone, waning, or being questioned now, as it took COVID for Japanese companies to finally realize that you don't need most of such etiquettes and still get the same level of productivity, if not more.
Honestly, they should leave the suits for front facing employees and for inter-business dealings. Suits as regular officewear should have ended years ago.
@@l.2620 Japanese salarymen all wear black wool suits with 2 buttons for some reason. theres like a whoe variety of suits. for summer there are unlined ones made of linen or soft cotton in shades of cream that looks smart but dont get hot. idk why japan only wears 1 kind of suit lol
@@Purwapada It's most likely dress code, stupid one at that. I won't comment on how much difference the material makes, but I think it will be hard to beat a t-shirt and short pants in hot weather.
A possible explanation for this happening: "Nobody wants to stand out, nobody wants to make the first move". So with one person 'breaking' an unwritten rule (that nobody ever questioned) and the boss following suit (pun intended), they felt liberated and abandoned the suits as well.
So... Let me get this straight. I have to be at work one hour earlier because preparing for work "takes time", but apparently I have to join everyone for a good morning before the day starts and at the end of the day go have a drink with coworkers after NOT being allowed to go home on time?
I taught English in Japan. I used to have a student who would come every day at 6pm for a lesson. He was the boss at a company and knew none of his staff would go home before him even if he told them to. . He used to pretend to go home, have an English lesson and then go back to the office when everyone was gone.
I wasn't expecting the one about not being able to fire someone for not doing their job properly. I wonder if this turns into trying to bully someone into quitting instead? My workplace is pretty lax and it takes a lot to get someone fired, which is good on the one hand, but on the other hand, it's a mental health job, so it's kind of important for my coworkers to be able to do the work properly.
OK you guessed it right. Japanese companies will force you to quit. Sometimes they do mean stuff and make you want to quit so the companies don’t have to fire you. It’s how it works here in Japan
My dad used to work for a Japanese organization that had offices in my country. His colleagues were mostly Japanese but the boss of the office was a local. They were dumbfounded when they saw the Japanese workers follow this office etiquette stuff. The boss would sometimes stay in late and he would urge the other workers to go home but they would still stay in the office until he left. Bizarre to my western mind
That’s when you do work-arounds. Set their start time 30 minutes later, setup a work uniform (that doesn’t include a jacket), if the boss is staying late “leave” work and come back
The boss sets the tone that others follow. They prove their worth honor and loyalty by working as long and hard as the boss does . In a Japanese office you don't want to be known as the lazy punk who always is the first to clock out . If it becomes needed to lay off / downsize part of the work force . The lazy punk will be the first person eliminated . Team unity is an important concept. They drink together . They work together . Strong unity makes victory possible . Selfishness is not viewed positively .
@@xr7speedSo you cant go home to have a family time or simply relax and is forced to work unpaid time... so in japan you are basically a half time slave???
@@xr7speedmost of my work experience comes from a military so i kinda resonate with this. I can see how it can go to shit but if the sense of community is genuine you barely need those rules.
As a martial artist in traditional japanese martial arts I get to know some japanese students that come to germany over seas during seminars. While it's rare that any one of them speaks german some can speak broken english or someone translates it. However I mostly spoke to a couple german speaking japanese who live in Japan and they **all** tell similar stories regarding their work. I even had one breaking their contenance that they cried about how difficult it is to live in Japan. I salute to you guys and I hope that the newer generations will find a way to create a more healthy work environment for all.
The unpaid overtime one always gets me. Its 100% on management to make sure staffing levels are right to get the work done. Working unpaid overtime never solves the root of the problem
@@ChrisHeart-kr1uq Dude, that's just hate speech. What is wrong with you? Why would you wish a nation something so bad instead for things to get better for them? Even if you meant it as a sarcastic joke, it is still too dark and of bad taste.
It doesn't make sense that they can't fire you cuz it's their fault you suck and at the same time they can say it's your fault you suck and work for free.
My biggest issues with the Japanese workplace are the lack of labour laws and the fact that your boss can access your private health information and use it against you. That is straight up criminal here in Canada where only you and your circle of care should have access to that info. If a doctor was to give that info to your boss they would lose their license to practice medicine but it is expected to breach that agreement in Japan.
@@Godvivec In the military you sign a contract that effectually makes you property of the armed forces. A civilian has not signed this contract. That is why they are different.
There's no lack of labor laws... Japanese law is quite clear on the illegality of unpaid overtime, and if the employee sued, they would win. But suing an employer is a huge undertaking, so a lot of people won't bother. Not all companies are like this, though!
@@undefinedusername Many countries have enlightened laws and unenlightened citizens. Usually the judges indulge the latter, in the direction of favouring elders and those in authority.
I used to work in Japan in a kindergarten. ALL the teachers had to wear suits to work. Then they would change into their uniform, then back into their suits to go home. Even if they lived 20 feet away they still had to wear a suit for that 1 minute walk.
This was quite accurate. There is even more stuff, like you don't get bonus, you don't get a raise, you'll get fired (harassed until you quit) for getting pregnant. Eating while working. In some cases planning to get married is also an issue as you will not be as free to do the overtime work or you might try to focus on your family and not the company.
Sheesh, the only reason i could propably get by in Japan, at least for a short period of time, is that im mentally very resistant and just don't care. I guess teaching bad english is a way of ensuring that people don't flee abroad
I will never, for the rest of my life, remember the scene in a Japanese bar I witnessed back in 2007. 3 guys and their boss is at the bar drinking. The boss is having a great fucking time. The 3 guys very very clearly want to go fucking home. It ends up in the wildest scenario: the boss drinking, 1 guy talking to him, and 2 guys sleeping on the bar. After about 20 minutes, the guy talking essentially "taps out", and they switch places, where one of the guys sleeping is woken up and starts talking to the boss, and the other guy can now start sleeping. The 3 guys cycled through each other like that FOR HOURS. Japan is also the first country where I ever witnessed a person standing up while sleeping - I don't even understand how that's physically possible.
I think the most surprising one for me is the drinking after work thing. In fact, in the US, I've worked for a lot of places that actively discourage any type of socializing outside of work, especially drinking and ESPECIALLY between different levels of management. Also, an hour early for my shift? I didn't even show up that early for formation in the military.
Hell im 5 min late every day i am sure as hell not getting to work early to prepare for work... preparing for work is also part of the job so im doing it in work time not in my time. (I do stay stay on 5 min at the end.)
Pretty sure the discouraging outside work socialization stems from employers being afraid of unions or that their employees will start talking about how fucked work is when the boss isn't around, and thus realize they're not the only one who thinks it's fucked.
Forbidding any socializing outside of work at all isn't that good either. It prevents the management from seeing their underlings as people. It just makes it easier for the company to force the management to not empathize with the worker's condition.
It depends on the work. I am an engineer and I can be 2-3 hours late and nobody cares if there are no meetings or something. I also can start working earlier to leave the work earlier if I need to. All we care about is how to finish the work on time and how not to interrupt other people work.
Reason #3 apparently (according to some Japanese friends of mine) doesn't happen as much any more, and there's even a word to describe forcing people to attend after-work drinking: "powerhara" (パワハラ), or "power harassment".
1-So YOU'RE the one who stained them! 2-Whoever found it browned it! 1-You'd like me to be you, wouldn't me? But it's too late! You snooze, you lose 2-You sleeped, you get weeped! 1-You nappa, you get slappa! 2-You slumber a cucumber! 1-You catch up on some zeds, you get outta my heads! 2-You slumber...HammmmBURGER I don't wanna talk about nothin else! 1-Listen. This psyche is not big enough for 2 metaphysical seekers. 2-You couldn't "seek" your way out of a cardboard bag! 1-Yeah, I know! 'Cause it would be an egg! 2-Ooh! (This guy might be better than me!) 1-You're right, I AM better than me! 2-Look buddy, know when you're defeated! Accept your defecation! 1-No thanks. I'm full, because I eat pussies like you for breakfast! 2-Look at you! You look so superficial, you probably judge things by their physical appearance! 1-Oh yeah? You're mom's so shallow, she probably thinks this quip is about her! 2-You're about as deep as a bowl of soup, and your tongue is about as sharp as a soup spoon! 1-Hey, say what you want about me...but lay off the soup. 2-If you love soup so much, why don't you marry soup? 1-'Cause I'm already married...to justice! 2-Yeah, only a blind girl would marry you! 1-I know everything you're gonna- 2-Say! And I know everything you're gonna- 1-Don't. 2-Oh yeah? Well, when God was passing out insight, you thought He said that when God was passing out holy prophets, you thought he said oily faucets, 'cause your soul has diarrhea of the mouth...faucet. 1-Are you so dumb, you even answer rhetorical questions? 2-I don't know. Do you? 1-We can do this all day.
In the end, TIME is the most important resource... taking one's precious time in order to engage in pointless work rituals is, IMHO, a MASSIVE BREACH OF ETIQUETTE
I've applied for plenty of jobs, and only ever used printed out emailed resumes. When hiring people, I've never received a hand written resume either. But.... I did have to fill out bank loan applications by hand - and one of them required me to write a several page essay (in Japanese, of course) on why I wanted the loan. I guess it cuts down on applications where the applicant isn't interested.
According to a friend in Tokyo, gaijin usually get to ignore all these silly rules as they're not expected to know them. He works 9-5, did enjoy the after-work drinks but cut back on them later. Also helps that his employer is the Japan branch of a U.S. company so it's more relaxed there.
Yeah but gaijin dont get promotions or are taken into account seriously for anything unless it's a progressive techno company. And even then, they will give every opportunity to the japanese employees first. Even if you've been living there for decades they will always think "he doesn't understand tradition, he's not Japanese".
@@laptopstudy3279 Oh, Now I got it. That's definitely true. Especially for a certain type of Indian people called Malyali's who are absolute bastards because they only hire other Malyalis. The problem with that is there are malyalis in every country in the world working in various companies. If you are a professional and have ethics you will hire people who are best fit for the job not someone whos only skill is that he talks your language. 😒 I absolute hate people like them.
I worked briefly in Japan, and every morning we had to sing the company song, and do the exercises. Then as we left the assembly room we had to bow to the portrait photos of the three men who started the company. Even at the U.K. office, I couldn’t go home unless the boss was going home. His wife was in Japan, so he had nothing to go home to here in the U.K. He was old school, lived to work, and play golf. I found a lot of the Japanese staff worked long hours, but were often not doing much, not very productive. They gave the appearance of being busy. It was because if you finished your tasks, you’d get even more!
THIS! Japan is having major issues with businesses dying, the economy shrinking, and people procreating less, so the only answer they have to anything seems to be MORE HOURS at work. Funny enough, countries like the US, Canada, and UK that have more common sense working hours are still innovating while Japan has completely stagnated. Japan however beats all of the west in terms of depression and suicide rates though... It's almost like burning people out and making them depressed leads to less creativity... who woulda thought?!?!
@@MrShitthead my Japanese boss made a design group in the U.K. to invent and produce new products. He then made them work Japanese hours, treated them as Japanese, berated them, humiliated them, had them doing other departments jobs, like sales, and production engineering, and wondered why they didn’t produce new products! I was head of that department, and I once asked what he wanted us to concentrate on? Everything! He said. The company closed eventually, he retired back to Japan, and I set up a design consultancy with another engineer, and was in business successfully for 15 years until I retired at 60.
@@akula9713 was gonna say it sounds like you should have just sued the pants off of them, but I guess Amicus/Unite must have still been in their infancy. hope you're enjoying your retirement boss!
@@akula9713 That sounds absolutely brutal. Also, gotta love the “Everything is a top priority” type bosses… they’re never smart or effective delegators. Sounds like you made a really great career comeback though!
My sister got a job working for a Japanese company once. Thought it would be the perfect job because she was over qualified and it would give her a chance to practice Japanese as she was learning the language at the time. But then came the outright emotional manipulation and micromanaging. She was going to the bathroom to cry on a daily basis. Quit without notice and left a long list of grievances for them to read through. I don't know how anyone puts up with that.
They don’t, that’s why Japans population is in a downward spiral. They have one of the biggest suicide rates in the world, while also having one of the lowest birth rates, due too everyone being to busy to boink
Imagine setting up a time where your shift ends, wanting to go home at the time your shift ends and having your boss and coworkers scrutinize you for it. It’s crazy.
I recommend looking up the "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" anime episode 1. Specifically, the opening 10 min work scene clips which can be found on youtube. (Anime just came out) you will see the work life of Japan in full force, I'm not even sure if it is exaggerated.
@@I..cast..fireball In the USA too but if someone says they're like family at their company, because you have to be a lifer, I immediately think they should've been born in Japan lol
My previous German company was acquired by a Japanese multinational. I travelled to Japan a few times for useless synergy projects that always failed due to culture clash. Then they sent over some Japanese engineers to Germany for a few years. One once told me they were very surprised and disappointed with Germans, because they couldn't understand how we could be efficient if we were so relaxed during work!!
I've read many articles about how workers are far less efficient when they are under constant pressure, forced into constant overtime, do not have a healthy work/life balance, and on and on. It's no wonder Japan has such a high work related burnout and suicide rate.
That’s a reason why I would never move to Japan, and why their work culture is basically against “living”. One of the many reasons their population is going down.
@@khanstonedriller8279 unfortunately for them, their culture is no longer good for economy since the 90s. For example software development requires a completely different culture. And software coming from Japan is really bad, especially continuous support. They are on a downward moment, which will just get worst because of their laggard attitude regarding electric cars. I fear Japan's economy will turn really bad in the next 10 years.
Some of these sound Japan specific. Most notably the drinking rule. A lot of them don't drive and just use public transport, so DUI isn't an issue to them.
each is a pretty general issue but all of this in a bundle is spesifically japan stuff and you'll probably have to deal with three or more as you work lol
Everything I've ever heard about Japan's work culture gives me a panic attack to even imagine, and the existential terror it causes for the people who actually live it every day must be unfathomable. Count your blessings, folks. However hard you got it, just thank god you didn't get sucked into the salaryman vortex.
Eh... they grow up expecting that, in the culture. Sure its hard. But their jobs are expected to pay for their bills. Which isnt true of any lax regular job in the West....
@@GodplayGamerZulul True that, never seen better working conditions than in Germany tbh. Even minijobs let you have a free health and social security. Taking day offs and sick days is a nonproblem. You even get paid to study and getting work experience at the same time. The only problems are the bureaucratic tsunami that you get hit with and high taxes.
@@weeberius832 the cost of living is extremely high in Western Europe too and doesn't keep up with the wages to taxation system, they are suffering like the rest of us in the West, only advantage is they get health care covered unlike America and they have better public transportation
I work for a Japanese based company. One of our higher-ups is named Kimeo. I've gone in at 5 a.m. before and he's already there. Some of the folks in the plant say he often works 14-15 hours a day. Which is insane. 😮
Thank you for the video. It came at the right time when I am a bit disappointed at my failed interview for a Japanese company. I have been working for European customers for many years and this year I decided to try my luck again at Japanese company since I want to move upwards in my career. The Japanese interviewer attitude is such a huge red flag to me and I could never imagine working together with such senior. Thank God I saw this video and makes my mood much better
I have been through the 就活 in Japan: it is not only about handwritten resume, it is about perfectly handwriten resume. A single mistake, or small ink stain at the end of the 4th page of the resume, and you have to restart everyhing over. On line with that, the photo of you you use for your resume cannot be from a photo booth, it should be from a professional photographer... A new all the points you mentioned and really enjoyed the way you pictured it.
i think it's also so they can see the handwriting of the applicant. if they are a neat, perfectionist person or a hurried person, etc. you can see people's personality from handwriting
There's a photo on your resume?! In the US, that is not how we do things because it encourages discrimination related to race and sex. Also, I would say that it is really asking for creepy male/female bosses to hire people based on sexual attractiveness.
@@JohnSmith-td7hd indeed, I am aware about those rules in the US, as the discrimination topic is very sensitive. It does not work that way in Japan (and neither in Europe actually). In Europe, there is no pressure to put or not put your photo on a resume. I am myself CEO of a company, and maybe 2 third of the resume I receive are with photos. Ona side note, in the specific case of France (my country), they did a test few years back: recruitement with anonymized resume (so obviously no photo) and none anonyzed resume. The aim was to highlight potential discrimination towards minorities. They results shown the other way around: recruiters were actually more encline to recruit minorities based on the name. Minorities had more difficulties to get recruited through anonymized resume.
@felix-xd4mx Nah, that's year 1200 technique. Plenty of people have pretty handwriting, as good as those printed in front of a gift card, and the only difference between their room and a dumpster is the smell.
Same here. The best alternatives would be to get a job in the Japanese embassy at your home country, an international company in Japan that has a certain degree of Western labor policies or you live in Japan and work from home for a company/freelancing.
Which parts of Japanese culture do you love? The strict social hierarchies and rules governing social etiquette? The strict adhesion to conformity? The indirect communication and EXTRA need to read between the lines?
I’ve always heard while Japan is great for a lot of things, one of the worst thing it has going on is it’s work culture. The fact you guys have a word specifically for when people work themselves to death is telling. But I’m really happy to see that a handful of these are getting push back and that people in the upcoming and new current generation don’t want any part of these horrid expectations. I hope that means change is happening even if it is slow.
I worked there for 2 years and as beautiful as Japan is I rather live in my own country (Philippines) because of the work culture. Working at 8:30 am then taking hours of overtime almost everyday (going home at around 10pm) and being asked to go to work on Saturdays (and even Sundays on rare occasion) isn't for me.
@@bilogskii2216the only reason I'd live there by choice is if I don't need to work/have enough financial freedom to enjoy Japan's better side (and have a good friend/family to accompany me). Definitely don't have the money or job for that though so I'm chilling in Australia looking for a good job that doesn't work me to death 😂
Lol fuck going to work 1 hr before. I would if you paid me .. but then work eould just start then anyway. If i get to my work early i wait till close to 9am. Doesn't matter it if it takes time to get ready for work, that should come out of the companies time not mine.
Very interesting about all these rules. Had heard of variations of rule #3 but the other rules were not as familiar to me. For rule #3, a non-Japanese friend of mine once told me there was a time when his Japanese colleagues told him (via phone) that they were having a drinking party. So he said "What's the occasion?" His colleague told him it was on the occasion of his birthday. So he informed them that he wasn't even in the country at the moment. His colleague said "Oh that's okay, we know that, We thought we would celebrate your birthday anyway"
You forgot "bosses thinking they know better than doctors" lol. I was sick a few times at work and even though my coworkers wanted me to stay home so they wouldn't get infected, my bucho would tell me to come in "for the sake of my coworkers" hahaha. Praise be that they're finally starting to change because the work culture in Japan was reminiscent of the Stanford Prison Experiment.
My safeway boss tried doing the same to me when I got tendonitis from pushing heavy carts too much. Which they made me do and say I shouldn't do less. She said "I don't believe you, and you shouldn't have tendonitis already, cause it'sonly been 2 months." "I know cause I have tendonitis." Ma'am I wasn't aware you were a doctor as well.🙄
@@surreallane9730 Yeah, it's always super gross when bosses give unsolicited, unqualified medical opinions that betray a clear conflict of interest. Sorry you had to deal with that. I feel like if it's Safeway you could potentially lodge a complaint, tho. One thing I prefer about NA companies is they tend to be more aware/afraid of liability. In Japan, rocking the boat just gets you ostracized by your peers in my experience lol.
those rules all suck so much and i do hope the younger generations develop enough courage to fight back against the older rules and restrictions. the young need to assert themselves before the old, at least in japan where age is somehow a serious nationwide issue that i think deeply impacts the security of the nation's future.
I doubt it, but the protest method they have is simply not to give more meat to that meat grinder, by preventing the birth of the new generation of slaves
not only japan, its like most asian country, thats why we still have respect and responsibility even after we didnt live at the same house again, but yeah japan took it to another level, lol
True! Some of their work culture is so out of date and needs to be gone. It's not even a positive culture that's worth keeping so I hope the future Japanese generations can change that.
japan actin like they are innovative but they are being held by old rules a lot of time. u can just check their gaming studios. they know how to make good games, but dont know how to make complete games. when was the alst time they made good game with multiplayer elements, open world and good social system? like the king's avatar animation on 9 anime
At least those were only once a month or so (at least for me in the Air Force). And sometimes they were fun. Working with a federal civilian employee who makes more mistakes than not and retains their job regardless... yeah, relatable.
Truth. The not being able to fire someone if they suck and literally don't their job, incompetent, etc don't get fired. Some people even when you put in great effort to teach/train then they still suck. I think unfortunately some people are just a lost cause
Nr 6 is a law in Norway/Sweden as well. Remember I read back in 2015 a Swedish company in Japan that struggled to get japanese workers to go home on time. They just stayed over 3-4h every day. So they cut the electricity when it was time to go home. But the workers refused to go home they continued to stay in the ofice several hours after the original work time. So only thing that worked was cutting the number of days. No work on fridays, then the office was closed.
Is it really a law here? Wasn't that story just about how it's wrong to fire people for "working" too hard, so they had to cut the number of working days down to make them work efficiently?
Nope, you can get fired in norway for not doing your job and if you do not do your part at work in norway you will often have a hard time staying at that place for sure. But you have to get 1 warning from your boss and a chance to improve by law.
@@kcmadmax3562ecause many companies want you working 24/7 with shitty pay and no life. And that's not only in Japan. Never let any job place treat you like garbage.
I've heard people say that a lot of companies tout all these benefits like extensive vacation time, only for the work culture to basically pressure you into never taking them. If you actually want to use your vacation days, you're basically looked at as lazy & letting your coworkers down.
In Hungary people who don't take their vacation days are seen as the weird ones and the boss or HR will start getting on your nerves to take some time off when you didn't take any for a while. True it might also be a side effect that it is government mandated that people must take all their vacation days they receive each year, so no one wants too much staff sitting on their holidays until winter arrives and suddenly all those people have to take 2 or 3 weeks off and everyone needs to juggle all the days in a way that the normal work efficiency of the company doesn't suffer. Nagging everyone to take some time off in spring and summer is easier.
I Interviewed with a local subsidiary of a German company in Japan… and they proudly exclaimed they were a relaxed company and it would be totally okay to take off 5 days at once around Christmas… the brightness of that shining red flag nearly blinded me.
Thank you for speaking the truth Sora! I wonder if wearing traditional japanese clothing to the office instead of the "Polite" Suit would break the boss's mind.
as a teetotal introvert that also to me sounds like hell. I would not last a week in a Japanese company. Not that i would want to the work life balance sounds awful. If the boss wants me to work passed home time then the boss is going to have to pay extra.
@@BritonADthats just being asocial and a cunt and not being an introvert. As with everything in live and not knowing exactly the other 8 billion people on this Planet your just saying "no" without knowing them or anything. To see your coworkers as people atleast is just common curtesy
i only got away with breaking number 8 because im a foreigner, but my japanese work buddy who was teaching me japanese on the side got in trouble. even though he explained that he was also leaving at 5 to teach me japanese. i miss you Taka. i've known him for a full year and i have no idea if Taka was short for Takafumi or Takahashi or whatever.
Something interesting I heard from a middle-aged Japanese friend of mine was that a lot of the rules about drinking parties and overtime exist because there are many employees (mainly men, he said) who legitimately don't know what to do with themselves at home In 2019, the Japanese gov't realized that the enthronement of the new emperor would be super-close to Golden Week so they intentionally fused the two occasions to create a 10-day holiday. According to my friend, this was a conscious effort by the government to _force people not to go to work_
My experience is from Korean side. Usually the boss is the boss because he's older, a workaholic, stays the longest(by asian standards), biggest ass kisser, and attends all those work events. This doesn't leave alot of time for a social life so his work team is his social life. Plus unlike real friends similar age, your employees under you have to worship you, laugh at your jokes, and generally put up with your bad behavior: basically they're your lackeys. So it's easier than real friends There are some major downsides too if you're interested.
@@s-x5373 So, speculatively, to possibly keep their population numbers high before work kills everyone so that when a war comes they have enough people to send to the war and still have enough to replenish the population?
Also, Japan has artificial holidays (1 day off called "day of tree", "day of mountain", random stuff like that) every month to try to make people take a break.
I love your punchline at the end, pointing out that even though its this way in reaction to the difficulties, there's still judgement from the rest of society about not doing things 'the right way.'
to be fair, there are most likely many historical instances where those rules WERE very reasonable, but as society changes those rules have to change as well, but places like Japan are really conservative with etiquette and those things take a long time to change.
@@CircmcisionIsChi1dAbus3 there is more mounting evidence that the companies are who aren't holding up their end of such social contracts, demanding such rules and concessions from workers continue while failing them.
@@themadmallard yah that doesnt surprise me. if they benefit from that too much they would be far less likely to give it up without a fight. i mean, what business WOULDN'T want employees working for free lol
Currently working in Japan. I just got in trouble a couple weeks ago because I "wasn't bowing a lot" everytime my boss speaks during our stand-up meeting. He told me he was "extremely offended" because I "wasn't listening". I was actually taking down notes and asking questions or adding information when needed. AND bowing when they finish speaking. But he wanted to see that I was making eye contact at him and bowing ALL THE TIME.
What's interesting to me is how you can't fire someone for not being able to do their job and only if major issues arise. What's considered a major issue? Not bowing enough? Not going to drinking parties? Not presenting to work an hour before your start time? Because you'd think "not being able to do the job you're hired for" ought to be considered a major issue, and it's a wonder that they place emphasis on all these other things or that people actually prioritize doing them so much if it's really that hard to fire someone.
All of these are so true. I used to work for a traditional Japanese company and people were so thankful in Japan in general for Covid because the drinking parties stopped. And the way companies ‘fire’ someone, they will transfer them. I was living in Tokyo and they were transferred to Fukuoka, literally the opposite site of the country to make them quit at their own accord
The US does that too. A little before Covid Intel was restructuring and wanted to get rid of employees without paying their contractual severance packages, so it ordered them all to move to a different city where they'd concentrate work. Those who refused to move were considered as leaving of their own will, so, no severance package for them.
This is what I do not understand about the drinking parties. I've seen comments elsewhere that no-one really likes the drinking parties (except, perhaps the extroverts) - but it is like it's become such a sacrosanct tradition that nobody seems willing to break it.
i work for a japanese company. for the longest time i was scared of working in one, but it turns out the work culture has changed a lot lately. ofc i cant say much and this may only apply to my company, but my superiors never enforce me to do overtime work but instead tells me to go back home asap. we aint forced to wear neckties or jackets too during the summer. once again as i said earlier, this might only to apply to my company, but in general, things are definitely getting better thanks to the government. companies who are found to be forcing their workers to do overtime work and stuffs also suffer heavy penalties too.
As a gaijin working for 25 years in Japan, and I confirm everything here. Plus, sometimes you have to do unpaid overtime work and it’s not even your fault. You have 45 minutes for lunch, but everyone eats in 20 minutes and go back to work. If you take 45 minutes for lunch everyone will be pissed of at you. You can’t go home because your boss didn’t finish, and the real reason is that your boss is pissed of for have to work overtime, so he wants everyone to be posed of too. Every Japanese hates nomikai (after work drinking), they tell me because I am not Japanese. In these nomikai you can’t relax and have too much joyful conversation, you are there only to venerate your superiors, get scolded and have lesson about work hard. There are exceptions, depending on the place and the boss. Some bosses are very kind and easy to work, others are probably sociopaths trying find ways to humiliate you. So, I recommend everyone to think twice before deciding work in Japan. lol
Imagine if this could be posted all over the digital billboards of Japan closest to the most commercial / industrial workplaces. I'd freaking love to see that happen~ 🧡
I used to work in public accounting in the US for a few years and some of these rules applied to us too: #2 - We have to wear a suit if the client requires or recommends it. Doesn't happen often but some clients like banks or other financial institutions like it so our big boss at the top enforces it. It's not bad with AC, but most of the time the client hates us so they put us (a team of 8) in a tiny hot room with poor AC #3 - We don't "have to" attend parties, but it's heavily implied that if you don't go, you're not a team player. It depends on the boss though #7 - This is the one that sucks the most... During busy season, which is usually either 3 months or 6 months depending on the line of work, you'll be working 60-80 hours a week, but I've heard of some who do 100+ hours. The rest of the year is a smooth 30-50 hours
Incredible video. I’m half japanese, my dad when I was REALLY young (like .. in 1996) used to tell me I’d be in for some bullshit If I ever wanted to visit or even move to japan. Imagine a whole lifetime of not taking it seriously only to realize every single complaint he had was true, and is STILL true to this day. So many of these videos are verbatim to complaints he had, especially work culture. Its so weird to have a lens into the culture since I was a toddler and be wary of the “weeb fantasy”. He used to tell me “beautiful place to visit, exhausting place to live”… Ay.. Never change (please change). It is extremely interesting to see the youth change things so much in less than a decade.
I can understand liking Japanese culture and wanting to visit there, but working there sounds like Hell on earth and I bet those obsessive weebs would change their mind abount moving there upon reading into Japan work culture.
Some of the coworkers I had to deal with in my working life turned me into enough of a villain that I would end up abusing the 'must attend a drinking party if invited' by regularly inviting them just to screw with them 😂
@@geovaniraffaelli4508 yea I wanted to move there and then I learned about the bs that goes down over there and how much of the society is based on superiority complexes and a lack of empathy
@@brandoncole5533 every culture has its pros and cons. With Japan's refreshing advancement in infrastructure and technology, you will also meet the bad side of these traits. 'Superficial' can be accurate. Being superficial will lead someone to a superiority complex (Status, reputation, skills, talents, looks ) and exhibit a lack of empathy (only care about oneself)
it's so crazy to see that the attitudes of the younger generations are changing all over the world, especially in regards to unfair work environments. makes you feel like you're not crazy for demanding overtime pay ahaha
The workforce has been massively gaslit, as if the labour movement did not make incredible strides in the 20th century. (We will NEVER give up the weekend. You will NEVER force us to work 6 days a week again.) Yes, you have a voice, and yes, you are actively being worked against so that you don't realize you do.
Older folks from older generations still doing things as the old ways. Those old folks did not accept that younger folks will eventually rise into positions as the old folks kick the bucket. I’m glad society is becoming more aware and more conscious as we make progress because the older generations were absolutely doing some messed up things.
@@steverogers7601 When fragile, non resilient, delicate, lazy "younger folks" with victim mentality will start running Japan, things will go to hell there. Traditional japanese iron will and discipline is what got them to the position they are in today.
I'm an American who grew up in Japan. This is spot on. I'm in America right now, working from home. I start work around 9-10 and end at around 4-5pm. As long as work gets done and I attend all required meeting nobody cares when or how much I work. It's amazing.
When I worked in a Cambodian school as an English teacher, we were also expected to come to work 30 minutes early. But we weren't allowed to prepare for the classes in that time. Instead, we were made to stand outside the school, in full suit despite the heat, to welcome the students and their parents (but in reality, to impress the parents that the school hires so many white teachers). Unpaid overtime was also assumed. But I have to say, Japan looks a lot stricter...
I don't remember that, 8 years ago. Very informal interaction between English-speaking teachers and students. Maybe the rules are more strict when the school is owned by an rich Khmer rather than an expat.
@@userinterface7045 nothing weird here there is no need to be so skeptic, skepcism is better saved for things that sway your opinions, not random annecdotes that don't affect you.
Some of these rules make my brain hurt. Like not taking off ur suit. I wonder how many heatstroke cases they have during summer. Going 1hr early is overkill. I believe 30-15mins should be ok. The most ridiculous is not leaving work on time. I'd be shinobying my ass out of that office so fast they'd think i skipped work that day 😂
I used to work at a corporate bank here in the U.S.A. and the company had most of these rules unofficially. It was possible to break the unspoken rules, but not possible to avoid retaliation on yearly reviews or bonuses even though they were not directly mentioned. Just a lot of vague speak like, "needs to be a team player" or "could improve aligning with corporate values".
It's a little bit like that in the military. An all-too-common phrase is "It's not mandatory, but it's highly encouraged", which is code for "We can't make you do it, but if you don't you'll get a reputation as a dirtbag."
I’m a Brazilian foreigner used to work in Brazil and have paid vacation, coffee breaks, etc, living seven years in japan now at age 27, already developed depression, anxiety and panic attacks. This is all true, guys.
@sea-pin Depends on company and your years of working for it. By law, the minimum is 5 days, but there are general holidays like Golden Week (6 days in May), New Year (7 days 12/31 - 01/06), so vacation wise it is not so bad. In my company, the minimum is 10 days of annual leave, but I have 17 days because I have worked for it for 11 years.
@@sea-pin most of the world has 4 weeks anual paid leave, on top of national holydays. Central and western Europe have it best, with almost 20 extra leaves.
Is using worst for everything a meme now? I see it everywhere and find it hard to believe so many people don't know the difference between worse and worst. Your/you're I kind of get. Then and than too. But worst? Nah... It must be a meme. And I'm 30 now so I'm officially getting old >.
@@MollyHJohns Probably. If all they read is social media posts with wacky grammar that's certainly a valid explanation. There's also always the argument that English isn't their first language I guess, but the same is true for myself.
@@murkywateradminssions5219 Dude... Everyone treats the Geneva convention like a checklist nowadays. Didn't we just have Australian soldiers literally razing a village to the ground 4 or 5 years ago?
These "required" after work drinking parties are why I left Japan. And after I returned to my home country I have not taken a drink since. I thank Japan for that. Also back then everyone was smoking and I mean you couldn't go anywhere without people smoking. And after I returned to my home country I haven't smoked since. All this was some decades ago. I thank Japan for more my good health.
I get you want a sense of comradery amongst your employees, but HAVING to attend a social event like that...even ambiverts like me need a break from socializing once in a while..
I found your channel this evening and I haven't laughed so much in ages. Thank you for such brilliant content. I can't wait to visit Japan in a few weeks time!
Sora Ltd. is a Japanese video game development company that was founded by Masahiro Sakurai, a former employee of HAL Laboratory, in September 2005. Sora was created as an independent company, through which other companies would hire Sakurai to develop games. It is one of the smallest companies of all time, having only two employees, including Sakurai himself. Satoru Iwata hired Sora to be part of a special team put together specifically to develop Super Smash Bros. Brawl, with Sakurai as the team's head. Sora was later hired again to develop Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with Bandai Namco Games assisting in the development of all three games.
I'm a Korean and I also heard of these work "culture" in my country as well. Although they're regarded as "remnants of military dictatorship regime" and are slowly being phased away. Although about the firing one; I think in my country you CAN fire with a bit relaxed causes. Still, it is quite difficult for one to get a new job in a similar field if one gets fired. Also it can be abused; I think I saw one case where someone got fired because they went home on time and the company went away without legal consequence.
Koreans party harder than Japanaese too.. both party hard but koreans party harder. Us Americans think we party hard but we most stop partying hard by our mid 20s.. i see 60 year old korean guys trashed bangin whores at 5am high fiving when they got work in 3 hours.
@cucen24601 I work for the North American division of a Korean company. It seems that a lot of the Korean employees are required to participate in some of these practices still,but the same is not expected of the American population.
I used to know a Japanese guy who was homeless for many years back in japan before coming to live here. Many of the reasons he cited to reject getting a job are shown in this video, but I was too young to truly understand. Now I do.
I used to work at a Japanese company in Russia. It was a small IT company with around 20-30 people, half of whom were Russians and the other half were Japanese. The Japanese team members were always early at work, and even when we left in the evening, they were still working. I noticed that some people had various and random roles during their career there. For instance, one guy started as an accountant, then became a network engineer, and later moved to HR. He said it was because the company asked him to do it. We had morning stand-up meetings too, which mostly meant just saying hello to everyone. They didn't enforce most of the rules on non-Japanese staff though.
@@ayoromanchik да не мой профиль был. Я хотел в сети, а там стандартная техподдержка - windows, эникейская позиция, ходить бухгалтерам принтеры с 1с настраивать.
"The older you get and the better you are. So there are rules your boss can break but you can't break them" I'm so happy Japan has costumes tailor-made to infuriate me in particular.
I mean, I feel like many workplaces in the USA have unspoken versions of that rule. Like, upper level employees or ones with seniority can come late to work or dress more casually and get no reprimands but new hires or others "low on the totem pole" better not try to do the same.
@@StarryEyed0590 It's a problem everywhere, even non-workplace environments. Those higher than you can break more rules but don't you dare think about breaking them.
Number 3 and Number 7 are actually really common in a lot of software companies in the states. Especially in silicon valley and anything that calls itself a start up. They aren't something that your manager could reprimand you for officially but people will definitely mention it to you and it will absolutely hold you back from promotion.
That actually makes sense for number 7 especially. Anyone who’s ever done coding will tell you how difficult it is to resume a task if you get interrupted or lose focus.
@@eXimiusMax Yes, but that's why I have the entire day at work to do tasks without interruption. Why would I do overtime on top of that when I can just come back tomorrow?
OMG those points are correct!! I used to live in Tokyo working at some companies. I hate those dumb “etiquettes” rules. Especially no.3 Why the F, I ‘ve spend 5 (sometimes 6) days in a week, from 8 to 7 seeing the same people, same face, almost everyday. By the time my shift is over, I need “me time” and wanting to spend precious time left to have a life a bit outside of office and I don’t wanna see those stupid coworker faces-enough for a day. And this nomikai as “office tradition” feels like mandatory. Btw, I don’t drink, and I keep telling them but they keep pouring alcohol to my glass. Years later I realized that in Japan, the company entitled to owns you, your life. Now I know why Japanese don’t make babies anymore. Fun fact: some offices still using fax machine 😂
Is this just in offices or other jobs too? There are jobs where you can't really prepare your day ahead 1h before like in customer service (on the phone) or hair dressers
As a German that is a Union member and has worked as a "Personalrat" (basicaly a elected body of workers that controls/oversee that your boss doesn't break labor laws) this akes me anxious to no end 😂. For those who wonder how a company that tries to enforce similar rules here in Germany would fare... Wall Markt kinda tried... there are no Wall Markt's in Germany anymore.
yeah, i am a foregin worker in germany I must say germany is the oposite extreme of the balance... the excess protection laws make working really boring, but yeah its really good sometimes too.
I love how you translated “空気を読めや” to “Who do you think you are?” Because that’s generally the feeling towards the person who stands out in the situation
The spirit of the law is protect employees and get them the training, but it seems that the training isn’t actually required. One of the commenters speculated that the company will just bully you into quoting instead with Sora and many others backing that up.
There are similar laws in many parts of US, where before you can fire someone for gross incompetence, you have to put them in a pip (performance improvement program) but if that doesn't work then you can fire them. (I'm not an expert, there is more nuance)
@@anniesama5729 I heard some managers in a big US company (A) could still fire their employees somehow after pip process even the employees worked so hard during the pip. That sucks if its true.
@@yuanw365 The big thing is to already be looking for employement during PIP. And obviously not mentioning any of it during interviews. If you were going to get fired before it's almost 100% sure they will fire you after even if it takes some time.
The 3rd rule is kinda like what I went through before I decided to work at home. I dont eat meat so back when I was working at an office, I bring my own lunch and obviously i cannot go to lunch with my co workers since they prefered having meat and I totally respected that. But my company had this rating sytem and there's literally a section for "lunch" and I was marked an F for having never joined anyone for lunch. So stupid 😂😂😂
I've been idealizing Japan since I was a teenager, thinking it was the perfect place. I only stopped thinking that after having been there so much and learnt enough about it, that I understood it is both awesome and horrible. And these work rules are what really stopped me from applying for a job and career there. For years I dreamt of having a future career and life in Japan. But when I talked to everybody who was actually working in Japan, I quickly started hating the idea. Instead, now I have fantasies where I go to Japan and start a company with my own rules and hire a lot of japanese people and show them how to have HEALTHY work rules. This will never happen, but I confess it is a fantasy =)
Try reading about what Japan was like during the war. They were notoriously more cruel than the Nazis toward their prisoners of war, and well ... read about the Nanjing massacre... All at the hands of these polite, refined people
yea it only dawned on me recently at all my final fantasy games i cherish were likely created by overworked, stressed out Japanese citizens trying to make their deadlines. i would much more like it if i played games made by well balanced employees
It doesn't apply to IT though. Probably because the number of foreign engineers are high enough to let us work as we used to instead of forcing Japanese way. Plus in general there are not enough high skilled engineers so companies try to compete not only in salary but working style too.
When I worked in the gaming industry in the US/Canada, as well as during my game dev college days, it was customary for all of us to go to the pub after work on Friday nights or after completing milestones. It wasn't mandatory, but the pressure was definitely felt, as those who didn't drink socially, were more likely to not get promoted, and more likely to get fired first in the routine layoffs after each game completion (starting with the freelancers/contractors). While I didn't work with Japanese people or a Japanese company, I sympathize from having formerly lived that similar lifestyle.
Not being able to go home and relax after work just because my coworkers want to go out and drink with me would frustrate me so much. I’m glad Australia doesn’t have such ridiculous social etiquette rules.
It's interesting how, despite Australia being a highly extroverted and outgoing country in general in terms of social expectations, it's also more tolerant of people not wanting to do those things, whereas Japan, the poster child of being highly private, introverted and reserved, will expect you to join in certain social events even if you have no desire to at all, and it goes against many of their naturally reserved and private habits.
As much as I hate US work culture for not giving workers enough time off and treating them like disposable pieces of trash, Japan's work culture makes me think "Thank God for US work culture"
I agree heavily with this. I'm an introvert and I despise being forced to join in certain group activities, especially if I'm not find of the people in them. I don't mind them as long as it's chill and a nice experience but it's nice having a choice. I used to hate being paired in group activities in school since I would usually get people who wouldn't participate lol. Glad my current job is nice. US workforce isn't perfect either, but there are many different jobs you can find that are lenient.
@@ambiarock590that’s because you have not experienced Australian work culture, for majority of the places I worked at overtime is taken very seriously, u need to get it approved by the department because they’ll have to compensate you by law Australia has a govt agency specifically for dealing with workplaces called “Fair Work”
I really wish we can fire people easier (with proper evidence of incompetence or incompatibility) because there are people who not only are incompetent but, really toxic for the organization as a whole
As an ex alcoholic the drinking after work seems like a very bad rule and also might pressure people into drinking and could ruin there life. Also I have heard a lot of these after work drinks in Japan can cause problems and sexual allegations.
Yeah, I was wondering what those companies thought if you were a recovering alcoholic or you have religious reasons not to drink. Do they still force you?
@@lightninjohn5651 Thankfully not. Or you can go but order non-alcoholic drinks. I've known quite a few Japanese co-workers who don't drink. It's uncommon but not rare.
For number 6 it’s kinda similar in the US but mainly in corporations. You can’t just say you’re fired, you have to make a list of documents for legitimate reasons for termination of an employee. So to put it simply yeah you can say you’re fired to an employee but without the documents there is a high risk for a wrongful termination lawsuit.
For decades I've heard about Japan's low birth rate, and how concerned they are about it. When your average salaryman is either overworked, leaving work late, or stumbling home drunk from mandatory drinking parties, it's a WONDER why he isn't going on dates, getting married, or having kids. Let alone actually spending TIME with said family if he has one.
Other countries are approaching that threshold. When people have to work more and more hours to make ends meet, and when both men and women have to work like this, it's no surprise no one wants to have kids. Capitalism in action, everyone. Exciting times!
@@NinthSettleryou as an american (if you are) actually work more than japanese. You also commit suicide more than them as well. This is not even counting the hours of illegal workers. if you do that then america's work per capita would start to look more like a third world country's work hours.
@@NinthSettler funnily enough one of the consequences of letting women work. The salary is halved because now you have double the workers, so instead of one person having to work his ass to maintain a family, now you can't do that because salary is too low, you need both parents doing it.
@@ghjklkop7868i suppose it would be no problem for your boss to fire you if you dont (even tho i think you're right), making it "mandatory", and considering the work culture of there, i assume bosses and employers are not held accountable for any wrongdoings. I bet its worse in china Considering the video mentions you cant fire employees unless its a major issue, they could simply say you have 0 synergy in the work team. If everyone sees it at etiquette they wont have a problem.
How dare you trying to tell what japanese peopl need to do! YOU'RE DISRESPECTFUL! But seriously, yeah they realy need to chill out since it has been proven that their work ethic isn't more efficient. Sadly they realy see it as insulting if you give your outside view of their work ethics since "you're not japanese so you shouldn't voice your opinion on it" ,even if you dance around it and try to voice it in the most respectful way possible. Japanese people are very nice in person, but oh boy when they go online..........
I’m pretty sure that IS what the majority of them want to do, but the huge problem is.. their society will literally treat them as an outcast if they do that. (I’m exaggerating it a little, but still u get the idea.)
When I was 11, my father was offered to work in Japan and I was so excited at the prospect of growing up in Tokyo and spending my life there. He refused to offer. 20 years later, I think he made the right decision as I would not survive this kind lf environment since I'm very argumentative if I feel something is unfair 😅
My first thought was that this reminds me of how someone described the soviet union: "good place to grow up, terrible place to live as an adult", but then I remembered how vicious schooling can be in east asia... But I don't think you'd be argumentative if you grew up in all that, at least not for sure. That kind of life style is a "you don't know how bad you feel", uncomfortably numb kind of thing for a lot of people.
Tbf this is "japanese companies" in Japan. These are also held against foreign workers a lot less. But also depending on your foreign ethnicity, you might hit a ceiling in the company
When I found out about what work life is generally like in Japan, it really made me reconsider actually attempting to move and live there myself... I don't think I could handle it XD On top of just general social stuff there too that I find weird and would probably break half the taboos without even meaning to... Still want to go visit though!
The one about the "mandatory drinking" and "leaving before your boss" would actually enrage me so much, they would HAVE to fire me! I do agree that going out with your coworkers can be a great idea for team-building, especially if you are a new worker, but from time to time and not compulsory. And the last one about the boss - is just insane
@@THICCTHICCTHICC Indeed, from what I have heard it seems the best (or one of the best) work etiquettes is in Germany. Work hard, but after 8 hours you are done. Take you time to relax after work. In case of crisis employers will rather shorten work hours/wages then to fire employee, which means people will not lose their jobs and employers will not lose experienced workers(so after crisis they can ramp back up without problems). Strong unions can do wonders.
Just in case:
This is all based on I/my friends experienced, but my channel is basically about skits based on what I/my friends experienced and I overexaggerate voices and acting to make it look more anime, so don't worry you really won't get in the same situation as this, this channel is a place where you make fun of me for being a loser mainly lol
You're awesome man, keep doing what you're doing, behind the entertainment it's also very informative, and people need more awareness and education on this. Thanks for your work!!
A word of respect for a wholesome person you are!
It was really funny. I do like the idea of rule 6 though. It feels like that would promote properly teaching and educating new staff which is not common in my experiences.
カッコいい声だぜ。アニメの声だ
I have a japanese cousin who went to college in the US and went back to japan to work for business. Hes expressed how he hates his business job in japan and really misses the US. But i never knew the details why. Now i can see why lol 😂
I’ve heard of the drinking after work culture thing and man I can’t think of anything more miserable than being forced to join in drinking when you just wanna go home and relax.
Lmao, imagine being forced to go there and you just don't drink alcohol at all. AT ALL.
Addition:It's supposed to be family time to those who have families but because of this stupid etiquette,I think it is one of the factors that brought Japan to depopulation.
@@StrifeTheHorseman You are expected to drink if the boss drinks
@@aurelian2668 then the boss is expected to go f**k himself.
@@aurelian2668 the boss can drink deez
I worked in Japan for two years in a university and no one would leave until the head of the group did, typically at 9pm. He would stick his head in the door of the office and say he was off, at which point multiple people who were asleep at their desks would get up and leave. Truly bizarre!
Interesting. I thought it only happens here in the Philippines. The thing is, we can actually leave before the boss does. But we still don't because of the gossip that follows if you leave before the boss.
Happens in my line of work as well. People want good evaluations from the boss, so they look busy even after they finish their tasks for the day.
lol I don't GF if my boss leave or not, the point is my job of the day is done. like or not I am area manger before thirty. So f all that licking ass BS
@@superbombyman1501 Meanwhile I would start my own gossip. I'm notorious around the office (some retold stories may be inflated, I feel no need to inflate my stories, but its funny when people make assumptions). I would probably announce "time to go do wheelies in front of the cops, see you tomorrow, unless I'm in jail then someone please bail me out, bye!" as I'm walking out. Let them gossip, the rumors will be legendary! They will turn the tales of my average speed driving to work (not my true daily average, but the average for one day that they asked) of just over 8 miles in under 4 minutes (that means with traffic and traffic lights I averaged over 120 mph or 193 kph driving to work), and they will be claiming next that I did it in 3 minutes or something silly (its silly because that would be 160 mph average, and at the moment my bike is geared for only about 152 mph so it obviously couldn't be true).
Once I'm out of work, I try not to worry about it, all that work will be sitting there waiting for me to get back. One of my bosses was behind me when I spun out of the parking lot almost running into a stop sign (I don't know how I messed that up, its a pretty easy spot for drifting except the road has a couple bumps), anyways he pulled up and rolled down his windows and asked if I was good, I gave the thumbs up and he laughed and drove off. Next day he said "wow, when you're leaving work to go home, you really leave work behind in a hurry and go have fun and live your life, I respect that". Get your tasks done, then go home, no reason to stick around if there's nothing to do (there is always something to do though, I try to stay busy then leave when my time is up)
@@JawsFan27 But the strange thing was, they didn't look busy, they were asleep at their desks. They just had to be there until the head of the group went home.
The dichotomy between "You can't fire someone for not being good at their job," and "You must work unpaid overtime, because it is your fault that you aren't good," is CRAZY
So in fact you don't have to fire them for not being able to do it, you can just fire them for not doing it before midnight.
They'll try to find ways to get you to quit though, if they really want you out. Like they'll assign no work for you, some companies even go further and assign no work to you and take away your phone and computer, so you're just sitting there doing nothing.
I had this happen at a japanese company, I was the first foreigner there and they didn't see eye to eye with me (even though I always finished my work way ahead of schedule and often did even more than I was asked) because I wanted to leave at the normal leaving time to meet up with my girlfriend (now wife). If someone needed help I'd stay, but if my work was done and everyone was fine I'd leave and they didn't like that. So there was a 6 month period where they had nothing for me to do. Joke's on them, I was being paid to keep improving my skills by learning more every day instead of twiddling my thumbs lol.
Eventually they gave me a job that was completely off of my field. Me and some coworkers think they were trying to stress me out and make me quit, but I just embraced the challenge and learned what I needed to learn and ended up completing the project. Eventually I did quit to start my own company and because I felt like they didn't value my work.
@@dxstudiodawn but do they still pay you for not working?
@@erictan7207 Yes. I've heard of people saying they can lower your salary by demoting you, but I've never seen that happen and every japanese person I asked says that's either fake or rare, so idk.
it sounds to me like they're salary employees at this rate.
An acquaintance of mine worked under a 1 year contract in Japan. Not really being a part of the culture he didn’t follow most of these norms. They ended up shunning him by moving him to a remote employee and also not assigning him work. Supposedly this is a huge disrespect more than being fired to them. So by the last 6 months he was basically taking a paid vacation getting paid while having no work to do.
In such a work culture, I would only want to work remotely 😂
How do I get hired again
He's my hero
Omg goals
So as long as you are immune to Japanese disrespect peer pressure culture, one could get paid a living for nothing...and they'll think they're punishing you..
Love it, lol
My best friend use to work for the USA branch of a very well known 3rd party Japanese video game company, and so many people were "punished" by the Japanese branch by being sent to the USA branch. Not one of the transfers ever thought it was a punishment but a reward to get away from the corporate Japan hellscape.
Yea, I know a lot of assignees and they don’t want to go back. They say this is like a holiday for them
And they confused in Japan the birth rates drop cause no one had time for families (something world wide now).
This might tie into Konami being a shitty company.
no one knows who you are. you can say the name of the company
@@Njuregen Spelling error? Did you mean "confused" or "confessed"?
I work in a Japanese company myself and the "coming early to work" etiquette applies for maybe like the first month. As for the suit situation, a funny story... I got really fed up with wearing a suit one day and just came in with casual clothes. Obviously I got a warning about it from my boss. But I persisted. The next day I came in with casual clothes again, and my boss was in casual clothes. He didn't say anything and it was business as usual. Then the rest of my coworkers came in with casual clothes. It could very well vary company to company as these are just my anecdotes. I think Japanese people are beginning to realize just how absurd some of these etiquettes are. Most of them are gone, waning, or being questioned now, as it took COVID for Japanese companies to finally realize that you don't need most of such etiquettes and still get the same level of productivity, if not more.
Honestly, they should leave the suits for front facing employees and for inter-business dealings. Suits as regular officewear should have ended years ago.
@chinachickensoup3796
Have you ever worn a suit in the middle of summer?
@@l.2620 Japanese salarymen all wear black wool suits with 2 buttons for some reason.
theres like a whoe variety of suits. for summer there are unlined ones made of linen or soft cotton in shades of cream that looks smart but dont get hot. idk why japan only wears 1 kind of suit lol
@@Purwapada
It's most likely dress code, stupid one at that. I won't comment on how much difference the material makes, but I think it will be hard to beat a t-shirt and short pants in hot weather.
A possible explanation for this happening:
"Nobody wants to stand out, nobody wants to make the first move".
So with one person 'breaking' an unwritten rule (that nobody ever questioned) and the boss following suit (pun intended),
they felt liberated and abandoned the suits as well.
So... Let me get this straight. I have to be at work one hour earlier because preparing for work "takes time", but apparently I have to join everyone for a good morning before the day starts and at the end of the day go have a drink with coworkers after NOT being allowed to go home on time?
Also you have to work overtime for free and the whole time wearing your coat in a hot day.
Might as well get a van and sleep in the parking lot at your job since you are there most of the day.
@@hoodagooboy5981 Japanese usually sleeps on street, they said it is "a part of their work culture"
@@faradiaulia5560culture this,culture that,lets call it as it is please:modern slavery
As a member of the u.s. military i can tell you that for one "madatory fun" never builds moral.
I taught English in Japan. I used to have a student who would come every day at 6pm for a lesson. He was the boss at a company and knew none of his staff would go home before him even if he told them to. . He used to pretend to go home, have an English lesson and then go back to the office when everyone was gone.
OMG
Sounds like a great guy.
@@digishade7583 true
Awesome!😅
I wasn't expecting the one about not being able to fire someone for not doing their job properly. I wonder if this turns into trying to bully someone into quitting instead?
My workplace is pretty lax and it takes a lot to get someone fired, which is good on the one hand, but on the other hand, it's a mental health job, so it's kind of important for my coworkers to be able to do the work properly.
OK you guessed it right. Japanese companies will force you to quit. Sometimes they do mean stuff and make you want to quit so the companies don’t have to fire you. It’s how it works here in Japan
@@sorathetroll that sounds horrible
This must explain why I always get bullied at school! They're just preparing me for Japanese work life
@@sorathetroll What if at that point you just stop caring about going above and beyond and just have the attitude "it's done when it's done"?
@@sorathetroll Forced demotions and boring work for 正社員 is pretty common if they want that employee to quit.
My dad used to work for a Japanese organization that had offices in my country. His colleagues were mostly Japanese but the boss of the office was a local. They were dumbfounded when they saw the Japanese workers follow this office etiquette stuff. The boss would sometimes stay in late and he would urge the other workers to go home but they would still stay in the office until he left. Bizarre to my western mind
That’s when you do work-arounds. Set their start time 30 minutes later, setup a work uniform (that doesn’t include a jacket), if the boss is staying late “leave” work and come back
The boss sets the tone that others follow. They prove their worth honor and loyalty by working as long and hard as the boss does . In a Japanese office you don't want to be known as the lazy punk who always is the first to clock out . If it becomes needed to lay off / downsize part of the work force . The lazy punk will be the first person eliminated . Team unity is an important concept. They drink together . They work together . Strong unity makes victory possible . Selfishness is not viewed positively .
@@xr7speedSo you cant go home to have a family time or simply relax and is forced to work unpaid time... so in japan you are basically a half time slave???
@@xr7speedmost of my work experience comes from a military so i kinda resonate with this. I can see how it can go to shit but if the sense of community is genuine you barely need those rules.
@@TheGabriel0705 One of the reasons for the population decline.
As a martial artist in traditional japanese martial arts I get to know some japanese students that come to germany over seas during seminars.
While it's rare that any one of them speaks german some can speak broken english or someone translates it. However I mostly spoke to a couple german speaking japanese who live in Japan and they **all** tell similar stories regarding their work. I even had one breaking their contenance that they cried about how difficult it is to live in Japan. I salute to you guys and I hope that the newer generations will find a way to create a more healthy work environment for all.
>Implying there is a new generation big enough to change the status quo
@@AMabud-lv7hyright? Japan's new generation doesn't even want kids anymore and I fully understand. Lol
@@juanekorb A good reason to change the rules.
The unpaid overtime one always gets me. Its 100% on management to make sure staffing levels are right to get the work done. Working unpaid overtime never solves the root of the problem
that's crazy, at my work you get 200% bonus if you work overtime (after midnight for me since I work evenings)
@@ChrisHeart-kr1uqso you would you be happier if the suicide rate increased 😮
@@ChrisHeart-kr1uq Dude, that's just hate speech. What is wrong with you? Why would you wish a nation something so bad instead for things to get better for them? Even if you meant it as a sarcastic joke, it is still too dark and of bad taste.
It doesn't make sense that they can't fire you cuz it's their fault you suck and at the same time they can say it's your fault you suck and work for free.
Unfortunately, it does solve the problem for the management without making changes or paying increased costs.
My biggest issues with the Japanese workplace are the lack of labour laws and the fact that your boss can access your private health information and use it against you. That is straight up criminal here in Canada where only you and your circle of care should have access to that info. If a doctor was to give that info to your boss they would lose their license to practice medicine but it is expected to breach that agreement in Japan.
Military has the right to control all access to service members healthcare in Canada, why should you be any different as a citizen?
@@Godvivec In the military you sign a contract that effectually makes you property of the armed forces. A civilian has not signed this contract. That is why they are different.
There's no lack of labor laws... Japanese law is quite clear on the illegality of unpaid overtime, and if the employee sued, they would win. But suing an employer is a huge undertaking, so a lot of people won't bother. Not all companies are like this, though!
@@undefinedusername Many countries have enlightened laws and unenlightened citizens. Usually the judges indulge the latter, in the direction of favouring elders and those in authority.
@@Godvivec Don't join the military then...
I used to work in Japan in a kindergarten. ALL the teachers had to wear suits to work. Then they would change into their uniform, then back into their suits to go home. Even if they lived 20 feet away they still had to wear a suit for that 1 minute walk.
peak japanese logic
Lol big brain politeness logic
What about the female teachers?
@@EvilSapphireR Obviously they wear suits too. Everyone must wear suits, even babies and house cats must wear suits.
@@EvilSapphireR they would have to wear shor skirts and sailor shirts (just kidding, idk. That goes for students actually)
This was quite accurate. There is even more stuff, like you don't get bonus, you don't get a raise, you'll get fired (harassed until you quit) for getting pregnant. Eating while working. In some cases planning to get married is also an issue as you will not be as free to do the overtime work or you might try to focus on your family and not the company.
I wonder why their birth rates are so low...
The anti-family stance sounds rather anti-happiness.
Sheesh, the only reason i could propably get by in Japan, at least for a short period of time, is that im mentally very resistant and just don't care.
I guess teaching bad english is a way of ensuring that people don't flee abroad
elon musk moment
And they wonder why they have a shrinking population
I will never, for the rest of my life, remember the scene in a Japanese bar I witnessed back in 2007.
3 guys and their boss is at the bar drinking. The boss is having a great fucking time. The 3 guys very very clearly want to go fucking home. It ends up in the wildest scenario: the boss drinking, 1 guy talking to him, and 2 guys sleeping on the bar. After about 20 minutes, the guy talking essentially "taps out", and they switch places, where one of the guys sleeping is woken up and starts talking to the boss, and the other guy can now start sleeping. The 3 guys cycled through each other like that FOR HOURS. Japan is also the first country where I ever witnessed a person standing up while sleeping - I don't even understand how that's physically possible.
That’s hilariously sad
Insanely unhealthy for the brain, i mean, insanely unhealthy.
> I will never, for the rest of my life, remember the scene in a Japanese bar I witnessed back in 2007.
I think you meant "forget", not "remember".
Classic!!😂
I think the most surprising one for me is the drinking after work thing. In fact, in the US, I've worked for a lot of places that actively discourage any type of socializing outside of work, especially drinking and ESPECIALLY between different levels of management.
Also, an hour early for my shift? I didn't even show up that early for formation in the military.
Hell im 5 min late every day i am sure as hell not getting to work early to prepare for work... preparing for work is also part of the job so im doing it in work time not in my time. (I do stay stay on 5 min at the end.)
That s one of the coolest tho
Pretty sure the discouraging outside work socialization stems from employers being afraid of unions or that their employees will start talking about how fucked work is when the boss isn't around, and thus realize they're not the only one who thinks it's fucked.
Forbidding any socializing outside of work at all isn't that good either. It prevents the management from seeing their underlings as people. It just makes it easier for the company to force the management to not empathize with the worker's condition.
It depends on the work. I am an engineer and I can be 2-3 hours late and nobody cares if there are no meetings or something. I also can start working earlier to leave the work earlier if I need to. All we care about is how to finish the work on time and how not to interrupt other people work.
Reason #3 apparently (according to some Japanese friends of mine) doesn't happen as much any more, and there's even a word to describe forcing people to attend after-work drinking: "powerhara" (パワハラ), or "power harassment".
Sora is his own boss. As a result he yells at himself in the mirror in an effort to flex his seniority.
Soooo... does he get to take off his suit-coat or not??!! As the boss, he can, but as the worker, he can't! This is a most confounding dilemma.
1-So YOU'RE the one who stained them!
2-Whoever found it browned it!
1-You'd like me to be you, wouldn't me? But it's too late! You snooze, you lose
2-You sleeped, you get weeped!
1-You nappa, you get slappa!
2-You slumber a cucumber!
1-You catch up on some zeds, you get outta my heads!
2-You slumber...HammmmBURGER I don't wanna talk about nothin else!
1-Listen. This psyche is not big enough for 2 metaphysical seekers.
2-You couldn't "seek" your way out of a cardboard bag!
1-Yeah, I know! 'Cause it would be an egg!
2-Ooh! (This guy might be better than me!)
1-You're right, I AM better than me!
2-Look buddy, know when you're defeated! Accept your defecation!
1-No thanks. I'm full, because I eat pussies like you for breakfast!
2-Look at you! You look so superficial, you probably judge things by their physical appearance!
1-Oh yeah? You're mom's so shallow, she probably thinks this quip is about her!
2-You're about as deep as a bowl of soup, and your tongue is about as sharp as a soup spoon!
1-Hey, say what you want about me...but lay off the soup.
2-If you love soup so much, why don't you marry soup?
1-'Cause I'm already married...to justice!
2-Yeah, only a blind girl would marry you!
1-I know everything you're gonna-
2-Say! And I know everything you're gonna-
1-Don't.
2-Oh yeah? Well, when God was passing out insight, you thought He said that when God was passing out holy prophets, you thought he said oily faucets, 'cause your soul has diarrhea of the mouth...faucet.
1-Are you so dumb, you even answer rhetorical questions?
2-I don't know. Do you?
1-We can do this all day.
@@draco6349Fair question 😂😂
@@draco6349Paradox 😂
@@draco6349e stays all day taking it off, screaming at himself for doing that, putting it on again and reapeating
In the end, TIME is the most important resource... taking one's precious time in order to engage in pointless work rituals is, IMHO, a MASSIVE BREACH OF ETIQUETTE
Imagine you are applying for hundreds of jobs and you need to write your CV by your hand for ages 😱
Write in black pen and scan and make copies they would not be able to tell it was printed.
Imagine your handwriting sucks so much that no one is hiring you😂
@@AmoebaInk Yes best to sign for bills. But a CV should be a fine laser printer and best print paper it would look like you write it.
@@AmoebaInknot a copy but a print
I've applied for plenty of jobs, and only ever used printed out emailed resumes. When hiring people, I've never received a hand written resume either.
But.... I did have to fill out bank loan applications by hand - and one of them required me to write a several page essay (in Japanese, of course) on why I wanted the loan.
I guess it cuts down on applications where the applicant isn't interested.
According to a friend in Tokyo, gaijin usually get to ignore all these silly rules as they're not expected to know them. He works 9-5, did enjoy the after-work drinks but cut back on them later. Also helps that his employer is the Japan branch of a U.S. company so it's more relaxed there.
Gaijin will never work for a truly Japanese company. It's always western focused branches of a company.
Yeah but gaijin dont get promotions or are taken into account seriously for anything unless it's a progressive techno company. And even then, they will give every opportunity to the japanese employees first. Even if you've been living there for decades they will always think "he doesn't understand tradition, he's not Japanese".
@@LeonardoTheMomo Yeah, he doesn't plan to be there long term, and it's a US finance/tech company anyway.
@@laptopstudy3279There are Japanese people in charge of Management in all the companies all over the world?
@@laptopstudy3279 Oh, Now I got it. That's definitely true. Especially for a certain type of Indian people called Malyali's who are absolute bastards because they only hire other Malyalis. The problem with that is there are malyalis in every country in the world working in various companies. If you are a professional and have ethics you will hire people who are best fit for the job not someone whos only skill is that he talks your language. 😒 I absolute hate people like them.
I worked briefly in Japan, and every morning we had to sing the company song, and do the exercises. Then as we left the assembly room we had to bow to the portrait photos of the three men who started the company. Even at the U.K. office, I couldn’t go home unless the boss was going home. His wife was in Japan, so he had nothing to go home to here in the U.K. He was old school, lived to work, and play golf. I found a lot of the Japanese staff worked long hours, but were often not doing much, not very productive. They gave the appearance of being busy. It was because if you finished your tasks, you’d get even more!
THIS! Japan is having major issues with businesses dying, the economy shrinking, and people procreating less, so the only answer they have to anything seems to be MORE HOURS at work. Funny enough, countries like the US, Canada, and UK that have more common sense working hours are still innovating while Japan has completely stagnated. Japan however beats all of the west in terms of depression and suicide rates though...
It's almost like burning people out and making them depressed leads to less creativity... who woulda thought?!?!
@@MrShitthead my Japanese boss made a design group in the U.K. to invent and produce new products. He then made them work Japanese hours, treated them as Japanese, berated them, humiliated them, had them doing other departments jobs, like sales, and production engineering, and wondered why they didn’t produce new products! I was head of that department, and I once asked what he wanted us to concentrate on? Everything! He said. The company closed eventually, he retired back to Japan, and I set up a design consultancy with another engineer, and was in business successfully for 15 years until I retired at 60.
@@akula9713 was gonna say it sounds like you should have just sued the pants off of them, but I guess Amicus/Unite must have still been in their infancy. hope you're enjoying your retirement boss!
@@akula9713 That sounds absolutely brutal. Also, gotta love the “Everything is a top priority” type bosses… they’re never smart or effective delegators.
Sounds like you made a really great career comeback though!
Hahaha funny
My sister got a job working for a Japanese company once. Thought it would be the perfect job because she was over qualified and it would give her a chance to practice Japanese as she was learning the language at the time. But then came the outright emotional manipulation and micromanaging. She was going to the bathroom to cry on a daily basis. Quit without notice and left a long list of grievances for them to read through. I don't know how anyone puts up with that.
Sadly some people there prolly can't afford to just uproot and leave their home country.
They don’t, that’s why Japans population is in a downward spiral. They have one of the biggest suicide rates in the world, while also having one of the lowest birth rates, due too everyone being to busy to boink
@@ambiarock590 'prolly' is not a word.
@@Catcrumbs Says who? Is it not a string of letters that has a defined meaning? Did you not understand what it meant?
@@Charlielx Says me. Defy me at your peril.
I'm impressed with Sora, he never seems to run out of stories to tell 😭
@iytdominotik cuz life is like a comedy show sometimes 🤣
Japan has a lot of stories to tell 😅
That's not the good thing you think it is 😭
@@FunkyBukkyo can't argue with that 😶
He is telling the truth of reality but the way he talks is like a comedian
Imagine setting up a time where your shift ends, wanting to go home at the time your shift ends and having your boss and coworkers scrutinize you for it.
It’s crazy.
It sounds like workers are discouraged from having a life outside of work. It's a sadness machine.
That’s the most normal rule here :(
That happens in USA also, but Japan is on another level.
I recommend looking up the "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" anime episode 1. Specifically, the opening 10 min work scene clips which can be found on youtube. (Anime just came out)
you will see the work life of Japan in full force, I'm not even sure if it is exaggerated.
@@I..cast..fireball In the USA too but if someone says they're like family at their company, because you have to be a lifer, I immediately think they should've been born in Japan lol
My previous German company was acquired by a Japanese multinational. I travelled to Japan a few times for useless synergy projects that always failed due to culture clash. Then they sent over some Japanese engineers to Germany for a few years. One once told me they were very surprised and disappointed with Germans, because they couldn't understand how we could be efficient if we were so relaxed during work!!
I've read many articles about how workers are far less efficient when they are under constant pressure, forced into constant overtime, do not have a healthy work/life balance, and on and on. It's no wonder Japan has such a high work related burnout and suicide rate.
Japan is an effort driven culture. Results do not matter. Western culture is result driven. Your results dictate your ability to set social rules.
That’s a reason why I would never move to Japan, and why their work culture is basically against “living”. One of the many reasons their population is going down.
@@khanstonedriller8279 unfortunately for them, their culture is no longer good for economy since the 90s. For example software development requires a completely different culture. And software coming from Japan is really bad, especially continuous support. They are on a downward moment, which will just get worst because of their laggard attitude regarding electric cars. I fear Japan's economy will turn really bad in the next 10 years.
Imagine being a culture that views Germans as too relaxed 😆
Sora summed up every workplace related issues in this video.
Some of these sound Japan specific. Most notably the drinking rule. A lot of them don't drive and just use public transport, so DUI isn't an issue to them.
each is a pretty general issue but all of this in a bundle is spesifically japan stuff and you'll probably have to deal with three or more as you work lol
Everything I've ever heard about Japan's work culture gives me a panic attack to even imagine, and the existential terror it causes for the people who actually live it every day must be unfathomable. Count your blessings, folks. However hard you got it, just thank god you didn't get sucked into the salaryman vortex.
Eh... they grow up expecting that, in the culture. Sure its hard. But their jobs are expected to pay for their bills. Which isnt true of any lax regular job in the West....
@@zephyrr108 in the US* not the west, europeans get the best of both worlds
@@GodplayGamerZululunless you're not European.
@@GodplayGamerZulul True that, never seen better working conditions than in Germany tbh. Even minijobs let you have a free health and social security. Taking day offs and sick days is a nonproblem.
You even get paid to study and getting work experience at the same time.
The only problems are the bureaucratic tsunami that you get hit with and high taxes.
@@weeberius832
the cost of living is extremely high in Western Europe too and doesn't keep up with the wages to taxation system, they are suffering like the rest of us in the West, only advantage is they get health care covered unlike America and they have better public transportation
I work for a Japanese based company. One of our higher-ups is named Kimeo. I've gone in at 5 a.m. before and he's already there. Some of the folks in the plant say he often works 14-15 hours a day. Which is insane. 😮
For shure he has a fun house to come back to...
Thank you for the video. It came at the right time when I am a bit disappointed at my failed interview for a Japanese company. I have been working for European customers for many years and this year I decided to try my luck again at Japanese company since I want to move upwards in my career. The Japanese interviewer attitude is such a huge red flag to me and I could never imagine working together with such senior. Thank God I saw this video and makes my mood much better
You dodged a bullet there, friend.
Cheer up and good luck.
Speechless
I have been through the 就活 in Japan: it is not only about handwritten resume, it is about perfectly handwriten resume. A single mistake, or small ink stain at the end of the 4th page of the resume, and you have to restart everyhing over. On line with that, the photo of you you use for your resume cannot be from a photo booth, it should be from a professional photographer...
A new all the points you mentioned and really enjoyed the way you pictured it.
i think it's also so they can see the handwriting of the applicant. if they are a neat, perfectionist person or a hurried person, etc. you can see people's personality from handwriting
There's a photo on your resume?! In the US, that is not how we do things because it encourages discrimination related to race and sex. Also, I would say that it is really asking for creepy male/female bosses to hire people based on sexual attractiveness.
@@JohnSmith-td7hd indeed, I am aware about those rules in the US, as the discrimination topic is very sensitive. It does not work that way in Japan (and neither in Europe actually). In Europe, there is no pressure to put or not put your photo on a resume. I am myself CEO of a company, and maybe 2 third of the resume I receive are with photos.
Ona side note, in the specific case of France (my country), they did a test few years back: recruitement with anonymized resume (so obviously no photo) and none anonyzed resume. The aim was to highlight potential discrimination towards minorities. They results shown the other way around: recruiters were actually more encline to recruit minorities based on the name. Minorities had more difficulties to get recruited through anonymized resume.
@felix-xd4mx Nah, that's year 1200 technique. Plenty of people have pretty handwriting, as good as those printed in front of a gift card, and the only difference between their room and a dumpster is the smell.
I mean lifelong employment has some down sides
I love Japanese culture in general but the work culture is the main reason I think I'd go crazy if I were to live in Japan
Same here. The best alternatives would be to get a job in the Japanese embassy at your home country, an international company in Japan that has a certain degree of Western labor policies or you live in Japan and work from home for a company/freelancing.
Which parts of Japanese culture do you love? The strict social hierarchies and rules governing social etiquette? The strict adhesion to conformity? The indirect communication and EXTRA need to read between the lines?
@@GMMesmerize I love all of them tbh
@@huniverso you legit even love all the stuff I listed in my previous comment?
@@GMMesmerize Anime, manga, sushi, robots, vending machines, J-Pop, the ladies.
I’ve always heard while Japan is great for a lot of things, one of the worst thing it has going on is it’s work culture. The fact you guys have a word specifically for when people work themselves to death is telling. But I’m really happy to see that a handful of these are getting push back and that people in the upcoming and new current generation don’t want any part of these horrid expectations. I hope that means change is happening even if it is slow.
I worked there for 2 years and as beautiful as Japan is I rather live in my own country (Philippines) because of the work culture. Working at 8:30 am then taking hours of overtime almost everyday (going home at around 10pm) and being asked to go to work on Saturdays (and even Sundays on rare occasion) isn't for me.
change will remain extremely slow until all the old fucks die
@@bilogskii2216the only reason I'd live there by choice is if I don't need to work/have enough financial freedom to enjoy Japan's better side (and have a good friend/family to accompany me). Definitely don't have the money or job for that though so I'm chilling in Australia looking for a good job that doesn't work me to death 😂
Lol fuck going to work 1 hr before. I would if you paid me .. but then work eould just start then anyway. If i get to my work early i wait till close to 9am. Doesn't matter it if it takes time to get ready for work, that should come out of the companies time not mine.
@@iCore7Gaming you wouldnt get any job in japan with that attitude!
Very interesting about all these rules. Had heard of variations of rule #3 but the other rules were not as familiar to me. For rule #3, a non-Japanese friend of mine once told me there was a time when his Japanese colleagues told him (via phone) that they were having a drinking party. So he said "What's the occasion?" His colleague told him it was on the occasion of his birthday. So he informed them that he wasn't even in the country at the moment. His colleague said "Oh that's okay, we know that, We thought we would celebrate your birthday anyway"
Okay, TBH I'd be flattered if anyone did that (though it comes off like an excuse to go drinking).
You forgot "bosses thinking they know better than doctors" lol. I was sick a few times at work and even though my coworkers wanted me to stay home so they wouldn't get infected, my bucho would tell me to come in "for the sake of my coworkers" hahaha.
Praise be that they're finally starting to change because the work culture in Japan was reminiscent of the Stanford Prison Experiment.
they need 3 more nukes
if you have a really cool boss he makes you call him sensei
@@notoriousbig3kthat’s just incredibly insensitive my guy
My safeway boss tried doing the same to me when I got tendonitis from pushing heavy carts too much. Which they made me do and say I shouldn't do less. She said "I don't believe you, and you shouldn't have tendonitis already, cause it'sonly been 2 months." "I know cause I have tendonitis."
Ma'am I wasn't aware you were a doctor as well.🙄
@@surreallane9730 Yeah, it's always super gross when bosses give unsolicited, unqualified medical opinions that betray a clear conflict of interest. Sorry you had to deal with that. I feel like if it's Safeway you could potentially lodge a complaint, tho. One thing I prefer about NA companies is they tend to be more aware/afraid of liability. In Japan, rocking the boat just gets you ostracized by your peers in my experience lol.
those rules all suck so much and i do hope the younger generations develop enough courage to fight back against the older rules and restrictions. the young need to assert themselves before the old, at least in japan where age is somehow a serious nationwide issue that i think deeply impacts the security of the nation's future.
I doubt it, but the protest method they have is simply not to give more meat to that meat grinder, by preventing the birth of the new generation of slaves
not only japan, its like most asian country, thats why we still have respect and responsibility even after we didnt live at the same house again, but yeah japan took it to another level, lol
Depends, how's China when it comes to violent repression?
True! Some of their work culture is so out of date and needs to be gone. It's not even a positive culture that's worth keeping so I hope the future Japanese generations can change that.
japan actin like they are innovative but they are being held by old rules a lot of time. u can just check their gaming studios. they know how to make good games, but dont know how to make complete games. when was the alst time they made good game with multiplayer elements, open world and good social system? like the king's avatar animation on 9 anime
Some of these remind me of being in the US Army. The “mandatory fun” and not being able to fire someone even though they suck.
"Why are we not having fun? I specifically requested it!"
At least those were only once a month or so (at least for me in the Air Force). And sometimes they were fun. Working with a federal civilian employee who makes more mistakes than not and retains their job regardless... yeah, relatable.
The mandatory parties will continue until morale imprpves
Truth. The not being able to fire someone if they suck and literally don't their job, incompetent, etc don't get fired. Some people even when you put in great effort to teach/train then they still suck. I think unfortunately some people are just a lost cause
At least the majority fun is during work hours, with few exceptions and they come with advance warning.
Nr 6 is a law in Norway/Sweden as well. Remember I read back in 2015 a Swedish company in Japan that struggled to get japanese workers to go home on time. They just stayed over 3-4h every day.
So they cut the electricity when it was time to go home. But the workers refused to go home they continued to stay in the ofice several hours after the original work time.
So only thing that worked was cutting the number of days. No work on fridays, then the office was closed.
Is it really a law here? Wasn't that story just about how it's wrong to fire people for "working" too hard, so they had to cut the number of working days down to make them work efficiently?
Nope, you can get fired in norway for not doing your job and if you do not do your part at work in norway you will often have a hard time staying at that place for sure. But you have to get 1 warning from your boss and a chance to improve by law.
Bet they doesnt want to forgot those culture, just in case they'll be working on japanese company.
You forgot the rule of "If you take more than 2-3 days vacation from work you will return to no job or a job you hate so you'll quit."
Holy shit, that's terrible.
😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
Why?
@@kcmadmax3562ecause many companies want you working 24/7 with shitty pay and no life. And that's not only in Japan. Never let any job place treat you like garbage.
@StarryKitsuKat
What a world we live in right ?
Thanks for the advice
I've heard people say that a lot of companies tout all these benefits like extensive vacation time, only for the work culture to basically pressure you into never taking them.
If you actually want to use your vacation days, you're basically looked at as lazy & letting your coworkers down.
Thinking about vacation? How disrespectful! Who do you think you are?
In Hungary people who don't take their vacation days are seen as the weird ones and the boss or HR will start getting on your nerves to take some time off when you didn't take any for a while. True it might also be a side effect that it is government mandated that people must take all their vacation days they receive each year, so no one wants too much staff sitting on their holidays until winter arrives and suddenly all those people have to take 2 or 3 weeks off and everyone needs to juggle all the days in a way that the normal work efficiency of the company doesn't suffer. Nagging everyone to take some time off in spring and summer is easier.
I Interviewed with a local subsidiary of a German company in Japan… and they proudly exclaimed they were a relaxed company and it would be totally okay to take off 5 days at once around Christmas… the brightness of that shining red flag nearly blinded me.
Unlimited PTO = 0 PTO.
Thank you for speaking the truth Sora!
I wonder if wearing traditional japanese clothing to the office instead of the "Polite" Suit would break the boss's mind.
Like bloomers or school swimsuits? I think it would. ^^
I think he means haori and hakama. Would definitely be cooler as they were made for the heat.
@@TheSylfaeinWhy did you think of that when they said traditional Japanese clothing??
@@thefallencore3 Everyone else would think of Kimono, Yukata or Hakama.
But only a true connaisseur would have Mizugi in mind. 😜
@@DanielJoyce Full Samurai armour or nothing.
As an introvert, being forced to go and have drinks with coworkers sounds like hell
as a teetotal introvert that also to me sounds like hell. I would not last a week in a Japanese company. Not that i would want to the work life balance sounds awful. If the boss wants me to work passed home time then the boss is going to have to pay extra.
and the japanese are usually introverted too, it must be masochism
It's bad introvert or not. I don't think i ever wanted to go have a drink with a co-worker. 😖😖
@@BritonADthats just being asocial and a cunt and not being an introvert.
As with everything in live and not knowing exactly the other 8 billion people on this Planet your just saying "no" without knowing them or anything.
To see your coworkers as people atleast is just common curtesy
@@BritonAD Depends on the coworkers, also is the boss buying drinks?
i only got away with breaking number 8 because im a foreigner, but my japanese work buddy who was teaching me japanese on the side got in trouble. even though he explained that he was also leaving at 5 to teach me japanese. i miss you Taka. i've known him for a full year and i have no idea if Taka was short for Takafumi or Takahashi or whatever.
Ah, the classic not knowing if Alex is short for Alexander, is just Alex, or even Alejandro.
@@zeusalternative1270 Actually, it's Alexey.
Maybe his name is actually Jugemu Jugemu Gokō-no Surikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyōmatsu Unraimatsu Fūraimatsu Kuunerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro Yaburakōji-no Burakōji Paipopaipo Paipo-no Shūringan Shūringan-no Gūrindai Gūrindai-no Ponpokopii-no Ponpokonā-no Chōkyūmei-no TAKAsuke and that's why his nickname is TAKA.
@@zeusalternative1270 Just call them Sasha.
Takanobu? A year and didn't know, an effort worthy
Something interesting I heard from a middle-aged Japanese friend of mine was that a lot of the rules about drinking parties and overtime exist because there are many employees (mainly men, he said) who legitimately don't know what to do with themselves at home
In 2019, the Japanese gov't realized that the enthronement of the new emperor would be super-close to Golden Week so they intentionally fused the two occasions to create a 10-day holiday. According to my friend, this was a conscious effort by the government to _force people not to go to work_
My experience is from Korean side. Usually the boss is the boss because he's older, a workaholic, stays the longest(by asian standards), biggest ass kisser, and attends all those work events.
This doesn't leave alot of time for a social life so his work team is his social life. Plus unlike real friends similar age, your employees under you have to worship you, laugh at your jokes, and generally put up with your bad behavior: basically they're your lackeys.
So it's easier than real friends
There are some major downsides too if you're interested.
Okay, so what's in it for the government? What do they earn from the extended holiday?
@@VideoGameStarChannelSupreme note having declining population ?
@@s-x5373 So, speculatively, to possibly keep their population numbers high before work kills everyone so that when a war comes they have enough people to send to the war and still have enough to replenish the population?
Also, Japan has artificial holidays (1 day off called "day of tree", "day of mountain", random stuff like that) every month to try to make people take a break.
I'm so glad Sora gets to be a youtuber and doesn't have to deal with this bullshit anymore, your happiness brings me happiness 🙏🏻
I never ever comment or like comments, but if I could, I would like this comment ten trillion times
I love your punchline at the end, pointing out that even though its this way in reaction to the difficulties, there's still judgement from the rest of society about not doing things 'the right way.'
to be fair, there are most likely many historical instances where those rules WERE very reasonable, but as society changes those rules have to change as well, but places like Japan are really conservative with etiquette and those things take a long time to change.
@@CircmcisionIsChi1dAbus3 there is more mounting evidence that the companies are who aren't holding up their end of such social contracts, demanding such rules and concessions from workers continue while failing them.
@@themadmallard yah that doesnt surprise me. if they benefit from that too much they would be far less likely to give it up without a fight. i mean, what business WOULDN'T want employees working for free lol
@@CircmcisionIsChi1dAbus3
And the utter power trip of abusing your employees and getting the benefit of the doubt.
Currently working in Japan. I just got in trouble a couple weeks ago because I "wasn't bowing a lot" everytime my boss speaks during our stand-up meeting. He told me he was "extremely offended" because I "wasn't listening".
I was actually taking down notes and asking questions or adding information when needed. AND bowing when they finish speaking.
But he wanted to see that I was making eye contact at him and bowing ALL THE TIME.
it is insane how different cultures are. How did you react after the boss told you that he is offended?
@@DrAcula-gi7sq Culture and just being extremely stupid is a fine line it seems.
Wow other cultures suck!
What's interesting to me is how you can't fire someone for not being able to do their job and only if major issues arise. What's considered a major issue? Not bowing enough? Not going to drinking parties? Not presenting to work an hour before your start time? Because you'd think "not being able to do the job you're hired for" ought to be considered a major issue, and it's a wonder that they place emphasis on all these other things or that people actually prioritize doing them so much if it's really that hard to fire someone.
It almost seems like formalities are deemed more important than function. (european, used to work in an office).
All of these are so true. I used to work for a traditional Japanese company and people were so thankful in Japan in general for Covid because the drinking parties stopped. And the way companies ‘fire’ someone, they will transfer them. I was living in Tokyo and they were transferred to Fukuoka, literally the opposite site of the country to make them quit at their own accord
The US does that too. A little before Covid Intel was restructuring and wanted to get rid of employees without paying their contractual severance packages, so it ordered them all to move to a different city where they'd concentrate work. Those who refused to move were considered as leaving of their own will, so, no severance package for them.
Yea but Fukuoka is kinda still nice still.
@@davidxu5834 it’s a nice place dont get me wrong but not when you’re wife and kids and rest of your family is in Tokyo 😂
This is what I do not understand about the drinking parties. I've seen comments elsewhere that no-one really likes the drinking parties (except, perhaps the extroverts) - but it is like it's become such a sacrosanct tradition that nobody seems willing to break it.
Are they afraid of firing workers due to shame, and instead pressure the workers to quit taking that shame?
i work for a japanese company. for the longest time i was scared of working in one, but it turns out the work culture has changed a lot lately. ofc i cant say much and this may only apply to my company, but my superiors never enforce me to do overtime work but instead tells me to go back home asap.
we aint forced to wear neckties or jackets too during the summer.
once again as i said earlier, this might only to apply to my company, but in general, things are definitely getting better thanks to the government. companies who are found to be forcing their workers to do overtime work and stuffs also suffer heavy penalties too.
As a gaijin working for 25 years in Japan, and I confirm everything here. Plus, sometimes you have to do unpaid overtime work and it’s not even your fault. You have 45 minutes for lunch, but everyone eats in 20 minutes and go back to work. If you take 45 minutes for lunch everyone will be pissed of at you. You can’t go home because your boss didn’t finish, and the real reason is that your boss is pissed of for have to work overtime, so he wants everyone to be posed of too.
Every Japanese hates nomikai (after work drinking), they tell me because I am not Japanese. In these nomikai you can’t relax and have too much joyful conversation, you are there only to venerate your superiors, get scolded and have lesson about work hard.
There are exceptions, depending on the place and the boss. Some bosses are very kind and easy to work, others are probably sociopaths trying find ways to humiliate you.
So, I recommend everyone to think twice before deciding work in Japan. lol
Imagine if this could be posted all over the digital billboards of Japan closest to the most commercial / industrial workplaces. I'd freaking love to see that happen~ 🧡
Any hacker here who could actually do that? 😅
I used to work in public accounting in the US for a few years and some of these rules applied to us too:
#2 - We have to wear a suit if the client requires or recommends it. Doesn't happen often but some clients like banks or other financial institutions like it so our big boss at the top enforces it. It's not bad with AC, but most of the time the client hates us so they put us (a team of 8) in a tiny hot room with poor AC
#3 - We don't "have to" attend parties, but it's heavily implied that if you don't go, you're not a team player. It depends on the boss though
#7 - This is the one that sucks the most... During busy season, which is usually either 3 months or 6 months depending on the line of work, you'll be working 60-80 hours a week, but I've heard of some who do 100+ hours. The rest of the year is a smooth 30-50 hours
Incredible video. I’m half japanese, my dad when I was REALLY young (like .. in 1996) used to tell me I’d be in for some bullshit If I ever wanted to visit or even move to japan. Imagine a whole lifetime of not taking it seriously only to realize every single complaint he had was true, and is STILL true to this day. So many of these videos are verbatim to complaints he had, especially work culture. Its so weird to have a lens into the culture since I was a toddler and be wary of the “weeb fantasy”. He used to tell me “beautiful place to visit, exhausting place to live”…
Ay.. Never change (please change). It is extremely interesting to see the youth change things so much in less than a decade.
I can understand liking Japanese culture and wanting to visit there, but working there sounds like Hell on earth and I bet those obsessive weebs would change their mind abount moving there upon reading into Japan work culture.
Some of the coworkers I had to deal with in my working life turned me into enough of a villain that I would end up abusing the 'must attend a drinking party if invited' by regularly inviting them just to screw with them 😂
That's actually hilarious. That's some shit that I'd do to, great minds think alike. lol
My heart goes out to everyone in this generation stuck in such a work environment. It must be a nightmare.
This sounds like such messed up way of working.
Bunch of pathetic losers who think work culture is an important thing in a persons life.
Honestly living in japan sounds like hell unless you're born in a rich family or something
@@geovaniraffaelli4508 yea I wanted to move there and then I learned about the bs that goes down over there and how much of the society is based on superiority complexes and a lack of empathy
It sounds like it's better this generation than it's ever been... which is really really sad and a low bar.
@@brandoncole5533 every culture has its pros and cons. With Japan's refreshing advancement in infrastructure and technology, you will also meet the bad side of these traits. 'Superficial' can be accurate. Being superficial will lead someone to a superiority complex (Status, reputation, skills, talents, looks ) and exhibit a lack of empathy (only care about oneself)
it's so crazy to see that the attitudes of the younger generations are changing all over the world, especially in regards to unfair work environments. makes you feel like you're not crazy for demanding overtime pay ahaha
The workforce has been massively gaslit, as if the labour movement did not make incredible strides in the 20th century. (We will NEVER give up the weekend. You will NEVER force us to work 6 days a week again.) Yes, you have a voice, and yes, you are actively being worked against so that you don't realize you do.
Older folks from older generations still doing things as the old ways.
Those old folks did not accept that younger folks will eventually rise into positions as the old folks kick the bucket.
I’m glad society is becoming more aware and more conscious as we make progress because the older generations were absolutely doing some messed up things.
The "younger generations are changing this" has been said about Japan for 30 years now. Very little has changed. They are just not like that.
@@steverogers7601 When fragile, non resilient, delicate, lazy "younger folks" with victim mentality will start running Japan, things will go to hell there. Traditional japanese iron will and discipline is what got them to the position they are in today.
@@ginnungagap4531what position? (Genuinely curious)
I'm an American who grew up in Japan. This is spot on.
I'm in America right now, working from home. I start work around 9-10 and end at around 4-5pm. As long as work gets done and I attend all required meeting nobody cares when or how much I work. It's amazing.
What do you do?
When I worked in a Cambodian school as an English teacher, we were also expected to come to work 30 minutes early. But we weren't allowed to prepare for the classes in that time. Instead, we were made to stand outside the school, in full suit despite the heat, to welcome the students and their parents (but in reality, to impress the parents that the school hires so many white teachers). Unpaid overtime was also assumed. But I have to say, Japan looks a lot stricter...
schools always have more rules
I don't remember that, 8 years ago. Very informal interaction between English-speaking teachers and students. Maybe the rules are more strict when the school is owned by an rich Khmer rather than an expat.
Your story is about as shady as hunter Biden. What years were you teaching and were you volunteering?
@@userinterface7045you are weird bro I see nothing suspicious about him
@@userinterface7045 nothing weird here there is no need to be so skeptic, skepcism is better saved for things that sway your opinions, not random annecdotes that don't affect you.
Some of these rules make my brain hurt. Like not taking off ur suit. I wonder how many heatstroke cases they have during summer. Going 1hr early is overkill. I believe 30-15mins should be ok. The most ridiculous is not leaving work on time. I'd be shinobying my ass out of that office so fast they'd think i skipped work that day 😂
I used to work at a corporate bank here in the U.S.A. and the company had most of these rules unofficially. It was possible to break the unspoken rules, but not possible to avoid retaliation on yearly reviews or bonuses even though they were not directly mentioned. Just a lot of vague speak like, "needs to be a team player" or "could improve aligning with corporate values".
Another code name for : you're not a good slave !
It's a little bit like that in the military. An all-too-common phrase is "It's not mandatory, but it's highly encouraged", which is code for "We can't make you do it, but if you don't you'll get a reputation as a dirtbag."
I’m a Brazilian foreigner used to work in Brazil and have paid vacation, coffee breaks, etc, living seven years in japan now at age 27, already developed depression, anxiety and panic attacks. This is all true, guys.
Nós brasileiros temos muito uma visão errada lá de fora. A gente sempre acha que em outros países tudo é sempre melhor. Mas não é bem assim
@sea-pin Depends on company and your years of working for it. By law, the minimum is 5 days, but there are general holidays like Golden Week (6 days in May), New Year (7 days 12/31 - 01/06), so vacation wise it is not so bad. In my company, the minimum is 10 days of annual leave, but I have 17 days because I have worked for it for 11 years.
@@sea-pinwe get 4 weeks where i work in the uk with an option to buy a further 4 week. Paid sick leave etc
@@sea-pin most of the world has 4 weeks anual paid leave, on top of national holydays. Central and western Europe have it best, with almost 20 extra leaves.
Wth are you doing in Japan dude come bacc to the Mother land 😆
Imagine working with a HR Karen for 8-10 hours, then being forced to go drinking with them. I couldn't picture a much worst hell.
Always remember one thing:
Ethanol catches on fire instantly.
Do what you must with that knowledge.
Is using worst for everything a meme now? I see it everywhere and find it hard to believe so many people don't know the difference between worse and worst. Your/you're I kind of get. Then and than too. But worst? Nah... It must be a meme. And I'm 30 now so I'm officially getting old >.
@@PineappleDealer37 🤣🤣🤣
@@DiaborMagics no I think it's the same confusion on their part too. Which truly makes it worse (pun intended). People just read books less I guess.
@@MollyHJohns Probably. If all they read is social media posts with wacky grammar that's certainly a valid explanation.
There's also always the argument that English isn't their first language I guess, but the same is true for myself.
This is how my young dreams of "living-in-Japan" turn into "retire-in-Japan" as I got older and know about the country more.
Issue is there's no retirement visa
Japan is a place to visit, but their law system and work standards make it a bad place to live; especially for foreigners.
"So how many human rights should we infringe to ruin the existence and mental health of our employees?"
"Yes."
Japan never learns to give up on war crimes! They treat the Geneva convention like a checklist instead of a guideline
It's like a drug to them
Hey you! Invoking your human rights is a breach of etiquette!
YOU'RE DISRESPECTFUL!
@@murkywateradminssions5219 War crime? War itself is the crime. You can't accuse somebody of double-evil murder.
@@ballinbalgruuf8198 I know that feel.
@@murkywateradminssions5219 Dude... Everyone treats the Geneva convention like a checklist nowadays. Didn't we just have Australian soldiers literally razing a village to the ground 4 or 5 years ago?
These "required" after work drinking parties are why I left Japan. And after I returned to my home country I have not taken a drink since. I thank Japan for that. Also back then everyone was smoking and I mean you couldn't go anywhere without people smoking. And after I returned to my home country I haven't smoked since. All this was some decades ago. I thank Japan for more my good health.
2:28 gather and say good morning? It's like kinder garden but more painful. But, you get paid.
Me: Falls down the stairs
Coworker: That's a breach of etiquette!
I get you want a sense of comradery amongst your employees, but HAVING to attend a social event like that...even ambiverts like me need a break from socializing once in a while..
Ambiverts😂😂😂😂
I found your channel this evening and I haven't laughed so much in ages. Thank you for such brilliant content. I can't wait to visit Japan in a few weeks time!
Sora Ltd. is a Japanese video game development company that was founded by Masahiro Sakurai, a former employee of HAL Laboratory, in September 2005. Sora was created as an independent company, through which other companies would hire Sakurai to develop games. It is one of the smallest companies of all time, having only two employees, including Sakurai himself.
Satoru Iwata hired Sora to be part of a special team put together specifically to develop Super Smash Bros. Brawl, with Sakurai as the team's head. Sora was later hired again to develop Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with Bandai Namco Games assisting in the development of all three games.
Would totally work there if given the chance. Masahiro Sakurai has done so much for the gaming industry.
isn't the other employee his wife?
@@e.c.b.she is.
@@coltonk.3086akurai has said that he’s not hiring. It’s just for him and his wife.
@@paperluigi6132cute
I'm a Korean and I also heard of these work "culture" in my country as well. Although they're regarded as "remnants of military dictatorship regime" and are slowly being phased away.
Although about the firing one; I think in my country you CAN fire with a bit relaxed causes. Still, it is quite difficult for one to get a new job in a similar field if one gets fired. Also it can be abused; I think I saw one case where someone got fired because they went home on time and the company went away without legal consequence.
Koreans party harder than Japanaese too.. both party hard but koreans party harder. Us Americans think we party hard but we most stop partying hard by our mid 20s.. i see 60 year old korean guys trashed bangin whores at 5am high fiving when they got work in 3 hours.
Are you north Korean, south Korean or a time traveler from the distant future where they are united again?
@cucen24601 I work for the North American division of a Korean company. It seems that a lot of the Korean employees are required to participate in some of these practices still,but the same is not expected of the American population.
@@techguy3424 'Cause the Americans would tell their bosses to piss off. As would I even though I'm not American but just a Czech dude. :D
@@PineappleDealer37 South.
I used to know a Japanese guy who was homeless for many years back in japan before coming to live here. Many of the reasons he cited to reject getting a job are shown in this video, but I was too young to truly understand. Now I do.
I used to work at a Japanese company in Russia. It was a small IT company with around 20-30 people, half of whom were Russians and the other half were Japanese. The Japanese team members were always early at work, and even when we left in the evening, they were still working. I noticed that some people had various and random roles during their career there. For instance, one guy started as an accountant, then became a network engineer, and later moved to HR. He said it was because the company asked him to do it. We had morning stand-up meetings too, which mostly meant just saying hello to everyone. They didn't enforce most of the rules on non-Japanese staff though.
A почему ушел оттуда, если не секрет?
@@ayoromanchik да не мой профиль был. Я хотел в сети, а там стандартная техподдержка - windows, эникейская позиция, ходить бухгалтерам принтеры с 1с настраивать.
"The older you get and the better you are. So there are rules your boss can break but you can't break them"
I'm so happy Japan has costumes tailor-made to infuriate me in particular.
I mean, I feel like many workplaces in the USA have unspoken versions of that rule. Like, upper level employees or ones with seniority can come late to work or dress more casually and get no reprimands but new hires or others "low on the totem pole" better not try to do the same.
@@StarryEyed0590 It's a problem everywhere, even non-workplace environments. Those higher than you can break more rules but don't you dare think about breaking them.
There's a saying I like to say " Japan is a good country to visit, but to work there? Hell no, hell to the no no no"
Not to mention, the "justice" system in Japan, if you are accused of breaking the law in Japan as a foreigner you are pretty much fucked.
Partly it's great to visit because people are working so hard to do their jobs that most everything you come across is top rate...
Number 3 and Number 7 are actually really common in a lot of software companies in the states. Especially in silicon valley and anything that calls itself a start up. They aren't something that your manager could reprimand you for officially but people will definitely mention it to you and it will absolutely hold you back from promotion.
That actually makes sense for number 7 especially. Anyone who’s ever done coding will tell you how difficult it is to resume a task if you get interrupted or lose focus.
Software companies pay developers a salary rather than an hourly wage, so there isn’t really traditional overtime to begin with
If you're afraid of not being promoted then don't. Just job hop when it's time, that's not really a hard thing to do for a dev anyway
@@eXimiusMax Yes, but that's why I have the entire day at work to do tasks without interruption. Why would I do overtime on top of that when I can just come back tomorrow?
Promotions are fake, you never get them.
It's made up!
OMG those points are correct!!
I used to live in Tokyo working at some companies. I hate those dumb “etiquettes” rules. Especially no.3
Why the F, I ‘ve spend 5 (sometimes 6) days in a week, from 8 to 7 seeing the same people, same face, almost everyday. By the time my shift is over, I need “me time” and wanting to spend precious time left to have a life a bit outside of office and I don’t wanna see those stupid coworker faces-enough for a day.
And this nomikai as “office tradition” feels like mandatory. Btw, I don’t drink, and I keep telling them but they keep pouring alcohol to my glass.
Years later I realized that in Japan, the company entitled to owns you, your life.
Now I know why Japanese don’t make babies anymore.
Fun fact: some offices still using fax machine 😂
Is this just in offices or other jobs too? There are jobs where you can't really prepare your day ahead 1h before like in customer service (on the phone) or hair dressers
was a salaryman at office
My company uses fax! It’s an ABSURD!!!
As a German that is a Union member and has worked as a "Personalrat" (basicaly a elected body of workers that controls/oversee that your boss doesn't break labor laws) this akes me anxious to no end 😂.
For those who wonder how a company that tries to enforce similar rules here in Germany would fare... Wall Markt kinda tried... there are no Wall Markt's in Germany anymore.
Then you have foreign workforce to do the Japanese way! Double standards or lack of unionization of those workers.
Personal rat is actually unintentionally funny word 😂
yeah, i am a foregin worker in germany I must say germany is the oposite extreme of the balance... the excess protection laws make working really boring, but yeah its really good sometimes too.
lol @ "Wall Markt", it's Walmart ...
@@HansHackfress lol@smart ass!
I love how you translated “空気を読めや” to “Who do you think you are?” Because that’s generally the feeling towards the person who stands out in the situation
Sounds like petty solipsism.
I actually liked #6, mandatory training from management just sounds like a responsible senior who takes the team seriously.
The spirit of the law is protect employees and get them the training, but it seems that the training isn’t actually required. One of the commenters speculated that the company will just bully you into quoting instead with Sora and many others backing that up.
There are similar laws in many parts of US, where before you can fire someone for gross incompetence, you have to put them in a pip (performance improvement program) but if that doesn't work then you can fire them. (I'm not an expert, there is more nuance)
@@anniesama5729 I heard some managers in a big US company (A) could still fire their employees somehow after pip process even the employees worked so hard during the pip. That sucks if its true.
They do that so they won't commit suicide for realizing how useless they are
@@yuanw365 The big thing is to already be looking for employement during PIP.
And obviously not mentioning any of it during interviews. If you were going to get fired before it's almost 100% sure they will fire you after even if it takes some time.
The 3rd rule is kinda like what I went through before I decided to work at home. I dont eat meat so back when I was working at an office, I bring my own lunch and obviously i cannot go to lunch with my co workers since they prefered having meat and I totally respected that. But my company had this rating sytem and there's literally a section for "lunch" and I was marked an F for having never joined anyone for lunch. So stupid 😂😂😂
I've been idealizing Japan since I was a teenager, thinking it was the perfect place. I only stopped thinking that after having been there so much and learnt enough about it, that I understood it is both awesome and horrible. And these work rules are what really stopped me from applying for a job and career there. For years I dreamt of having a future career and life in Japan. But when I talked to everybody who was actually working in Japan, I quickly started hating the idea. Instead, now I have fantasies where I go to Japan and start a company with my own rules and hire a lot of japanese people and show them how to have HEALTHY work rules. This will never happen, but I confess it is a fantasy =)
I think what you want is to go live in a mountainous part of Japan and live off grid with simplicity haha
Wish I could afford to travel there lol
Weeb
Try reading about what Japan was like during the war. They were notoriously more cruel than the Nazis toward their prisoners of war, and well ... read about the Nanjing massacre... All at the hands of these polite, refined people
yea it only dawned on me recently at all my final fantasy games i cherish were likely created by overworked, stressed out Japanese citizens trying to make their deadlines. i would much more like it if i played games made by well balanced employees
All Japan's STUPID Work Rules In 5 Minutes
Video ends in 4:51
Me: So that was a Lie
Close enough, closer to 5 than 4 minutes. 😅
Maybe there's a Rule number 9 "It's disrespectful to not complete the job in less time than announced".
He was tired of unpaid overtime. 😊
Technically, was in five minutes, just didn't take the whole five minutes.
I must have feel bad for those looking for jobs in Japan, mad respect for you guys
It doesn't apply to IT though.
Probably because the number of foreign engineers are high enough to let us work as we used to instead of forcing Japanese way.
Plus in general there are not enough high skilled engineers so companies try to compete not only in salary but working style too.
When I worked in the gaming industry in the US/Canada, as well as during my game dev college days, it was customary for all of us to go to the pub after work on Friday nights or after completing milestones. It wasn't mandatory, but the pressure was definitely felt, as those who didn't drink socially, were more likely to not get promoted, and more likely to get fired first in the routine layoffs after each game completion (starting with the freelancers/contractors). While I didn't work with Japanese people or a Japanese company, I sympathize from having formerly lived that similar lifestyle.
Not being able to go home and relax after work just because my coworkers want to go out and drink with me would frustrate me so much. I’m glad Australia doesn’t have such ridiculous social etiquette rules.
It's interesting how, despite Australia being a highly extroverted and outgoing country in general in terms of social expectations, it's also more tolerant of people not wanting to do those things, whereas Japan, the poster child of being highly private, introverted and reserved, will expect you to join in certain social events even if you have no desire to at all, and it goes against many of their naturally reserved and private habits.
As much as I hate US work culture for not giving workers enough time off and treating them like disposable pieces of trash, Japan's work culture makes me think "Thank God for US work culture"
I agree heavily with this. I'm an introvert and I despise being forced to join in certain group activities, especially if I'm not find of the people in them. I don't mind them as long as it's chill and a nice experience but it's nice having a choice. I used to hate being paired in group activities in school since I would usually get people who wouldn't participate lol. Glad my current job is nice. US workforce isn't perfect either, but there are many different jobs you can find that are lenient.
@@ambiarock590that’s because you have not experienced Australian work culture, for majority of the places I worked at overtime is taken very seriously, u need to get it approved by the department because they’ll have to compensate you by law
Australia has a govt agency specifically for dealing with workplaces called “Fair Work”
I really wish we can fire people easier (with proper evidence of incompetence or incompatibility) because there are people who not only are incompetent but, really toxic for the organization as a whole
Same problem in the UK, especially in the public sector.
sometimes toxic employees are worse than incompetent employees
People should be able to end a relationship for any reason. Forced consent isn't consent.
"toxic" as "disrupting the harmony of workplace"?
@@edisonchin2463 yes
As an ex alcoholic the drinking after work seems like a very bad rule and also might pressure people into drinking and could ruin there life. Also I have heard a lot of these after work drinks in Japan can cause problems and sexual allegations.
boys will be boys
Yeah, I was wondering what those companies thought if you were a recovering alcoholic or you have religious reasons not to drink. Do they still force you?
@@lightninjohn5651 Thankfully not. Or you can go but order non-alcoholic drinks. I've known quite a few Japanese co-workers who don't drink. It's uncommon but not rare.
In asia, alcoholism is seen as weakness or less of an issue.... Problem solved? 😂
@@lightninjohn5651 Wasabi is correct but who do you think you are? you still have to participate
For number 6 it’s kinda similar in the US but mainly in corporations. You can’t just say you’re fired, you have to make a list of documents for legitimate reasons for termination of an employee. So to put it simply yeah you can say you’re fired to an employee but without the documents there is a high risk for a wrongful termination lawsuit.
For decades I've heard about Japan's low birth rate, and how concerned they are about it.
When your average salaryman is either overworked, leaving work late, or stumbling home drunk from mandatory drinking parties, it's a WONDER why he isn't going on dates, getting married, or having kids. Let alone actually spending TIME with said family if he has one.
Other countries are approaching that threshold. When people have to work more and more hours to make ends meet, and when both men and women have to work like this, it's no surprise no one wants to have kids. Capitalism in action, everyone. Exciting times!
@@NinthSettleryou as an american (if you are) actually work more than japanese. You also commit suicide more than them as well. This is not even counting the hours of illegal workers. if you do that then america's work per capita would start to look more like a third world country's work hours.
It's not mandatory to drink on those parties tho, right?
@@NinthSettler funnily enough one of the consequences of letting women work. The salary is halved because now you have double the workers, so instead of one person having to work his ass to maintain a family, now you can't do that because salary is too low, you need both parents doing it.
@@ghjklkop7868i suppose it would be no problem for your boss to fire you if you dont (even tho i think you're right), making it "mandatory", and considering the work culture of there, i assume bosses and employers are not held accountable for any wrongdoings. I bet its worse in china
Considering the video mentions you cant fire employees unless its a major issue, they could simply say you have 0 synergy in the work team. If everyone sees it at etiquette they wont have a problem.
People in japan need to stop being afraid of being "disrespectful" in their work places
I think being "disrespectful" is a major reason for firing you in Japan 😂
read This World is Worth Fighting For
How dare you trying to tell what japanese peopl need to do!
YOU'RE DISRESPECTFUL!
But seriously, yeah they realy need to chill out since it has been proven that their work ethic isn't more efficient.
Sadly they realy see it as insulting if you give your outside view of their work ethics since "you're not japanese so you shouldn't voice your opinion on it" ,even if you dance around it and try to voice it in the most respectful way possible.
Japanese people are very nice in person, but oh boy when they go online..........
I’m pretty sure that IS what the majority of them want to do, but the huge problem is.. their society will literally treat them as an outcast if they do that. (I’m exaggerating it a little, but still u get the idea.)
@@nileredsexperiment834It's because of conformity being extremely normal in Japan, is that right?
When I was 11, my father was offered to work in Japan and I was so excited at the prospect of growing up in Tokyo and spending my life there. He refused to offer.
20 years later, I think he made the right decision as I would not survive this kind lf environment since I'm very argumentative if I feel something is unfair 😅
My first thought was that this reminds me of how someone described the soviet union: "good place to grow up, terrible place to live as an adult", but then I remembered how vicious schooling can be in east asia...
But I don't think you'd be argumentative if you grew up in all that, at least not for sure. That kind of life style is a "you don't know how bad you feel", uncomfortably numb kind of thing for a lot of people.
Tbf this is "japanese companies" in Japan.
These are also held against foreign workers a lot less. But also depending on your foreign ethnicity, you might hit a ceiling in the company
-You have to come an hour before work starts
-So you want me to work an extra hour? You're paying me for it, right?
Crickets.
When I found out about what work life is generally like in Japan, it really made me reconsider actually attempting to move and live there myself... I don't think I could handle it XD On top of just general social stuff there too that I find weird and would probably break half the taboos without even meaning to...
Still want to go visit though!
The cycle needs to broken somehow.
4:14 Sora really felt that one and u can see it in his eyes xD
The one about the "mandatory drinking" and "leaving before your boss" would actually enrage me so much, they would HAVE to fire me!
I do agree that going out with your coworkers can be a great idea for team-building, especially if you are a new worker, but from time to time and not compulsory. And the last one about the boss - is just insane
dont ever work in japan then, simple, either way. Some people, myself including myself agree with some of these rules actually.
@@いちごくん-l6dcûk
@@いちごくん-l6d No job is anywhere near as important as you seem to think
@@THICCTHICCTHICC Indeed, from what I have heard it seems the best (or one of the best) work etiquettes is in Germany. Work hard, but after 8 hours you are done. Take you time to relax after work. In case of crisis employers will rather shorten work hours/wages then to fire employee, which means people will not lose their jobs and employers will not lose experienced workers(so after crisis they can ramp back up without problems). Strong unions can do wonders.
@@THICCTHICCTHICC Wellll idk if that's true for mission critical roles that people heavily depend on.
Your videos are like a magic! Don't stop doing you man. Great channel 👍🏼.
I’m at the end of a 4 month study abroad in Japan right now and there’s a lot of this type of pointless, frustrating stuff that I can’t say I’ll miss