With Japan’s Birth Rate in Crisis, Tokyo Bets on the Four-Day Workweek

Japan’s rigid work culture is at odds with the demographic challenges threatening its future. With birth rates plummeting and labor shortages mounting, Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government is taking decisive action: introducing a four-day workweek tailored to support child-rearing.

Work revolution is coming to Tokyo. Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government has taken the initiative to address the urgent need to modernize working conditions in Japan, a country facing demographic challenges and an alarming labor shortage.

According to The Japan Times, this progressive approach, led by Governor Yuriko Koike, is set to begin in April 2025 and aims to modernize work-life balance, particularly for women.

Incentivizing the birth rate through flexible working hours. Governor Koike’s proposal highlights the need for flexibility in the workplace, especially for women who often face a choice between their careers and family life.

“We will continue to review work styles flexibly to ensure that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to life events such as childbirth or child-rearing,” Koike said.

More time for childcare. The initiative introduces partial childcare leave, enabling employees to reduce their daily work hours by up to two hours to accommodate parenting responsibilities.

Additionally, the existing flextime system, which currently grants one extra day off every four weeks, will undergo a significant reform. Starting in April 2025, eligible employees with children under three—traditionally women—will receive one additional day off per week, effectively transitioning to a four-day workweek.

“Empowering women, a goal in which our country has lagged far behind the rest of the world, remains a pressing issue,” Governor Koike stated during the proposal’s unveiling.

Local and regional success stories. While national trials of the four-day workweek have faced resistance, regional and local adaptations are gaining traction.

Prefectures like Ibaraki and Chiba have already implemented similar measures, and Miyagi plans to expand its shortened workweek policy to all public employees by 2026.

Policies to support children and parenting. Japan’s declining birth rate has reached a critical point, prompting the government to introduce a comprehensive suite of economic, social, and labor reforms. Among these measures are flexible working hours for both fathers and mothers of children under three, designed to ease the burden of balancing work and family life.

Governor Koike underscored the importance of additional initiatives, including expanding childcare facilities to ensure continuous care for children under three. These policies aim to foster a more equitable environment where both men and women can effectively balance personal and professional responsibilities. “Addressing this issue is essential for building a future in which everyone can thrive,” Koike stated, highlighting the broader societal benefits of these reforms.

Image | Yoel Winkler (Unsplash)

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