To work is a noble mission for everybody 2017/03/31
In Japan recently it has become a hot issue how to reform work style. A young talented office lady who worked at the biggest advertising company died from overwork.
Drivers who work at home delivery service companies have to work long hours without proper interval or rest due to rapidly increasing cargos together with shortage of drivers.
With such social background, reformation of work style has been considered as essential and urgent.
The government set up in October 2016 a committee of experts to discuss and make up a plan for reformation.
The committee has been discussing about various aspects of work style such as control of overtime, improvement of working conditions for non-permanent workers, changing jobs, utilizing women and older workers together with foreigners and so on.
In Christian world, labor has been considered as punishment caused by original sin.
On the contrary, in Japan working has been considered as a noble mission for everybody and precious opportunity for human cultivation. According to the oldest history book “Kojiki”, Amaterasu Omikami, the founder of Imperial family worked at a patty field and wove clothe. In Japan leaders must lead people by working at the front.
It is necessary to make or revise conditions and rules to protect worker’s health and easy life.
However it does not fit with Japanese traditional sense of value on working to consider working as a necessary evil instead of precious opportunity.
Japanese GDP among world total GDP has been dropping sharply in recent 20 years from 17% to under 6%. It is time for us to work as hard as our predecessors did.
Emperor at a patty field in Imperial house
