The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is set to implement a four-day workweek for its employees starting in April 2025, aiming to address Japan's declining fertility rates and promote work-life balance. Governor Yuriko Koike unveiled the plan, which also includes new policies to support working parents. The initiative is part of a broader effort to help alleviate pressures on families and reduce the gender gap in the workforce.
Starting in April 2025, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will offer its employees a new work schedule—three days off each week. This move is part of a broader strategy to address Japan’s declining birth rates by improving work-life balance, particularly for working parents. Alongside the four-day workweek, a separate policy will allow parents of elementary school children in grades one to three to reduce their working hours in exchange for a proportional salary cut.
“We will review work styles … with flexibility, ensuring no one has to give up their career due to life events such as childbirth or childcare,” said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, in a policy address on Wednesday. “Now is the time for Tokyo to take the initiative to protect and enhance the lives, livelihoods, and economy of our people during these challenging times for the nation.”
Japan’s Fertility Crisis and the Need for Change
Japan is currently facing a fertility crisis, with its birth rate dropping to a record low of 1.2 children per woman, far below the replacement rate of 2.1. In 2023, the nation saw only 727,277 births, with Tokyo's birth rate sinking even further to 0.99. This demographic decline has caused significant concern, as it is expected to lead to a population reduction from 128 million in 2008 to an estimated 86.7 million by 2060.
In response, the government has introduced various policies, including incentivising childbearing and encouraging men to take paternity leave. However, experts argue that Japan's demanding work culture is a major factor driving down birth rates. Long hours and high workplace pressure often force workers, especially women, to choose between their careers and family life. This issue is compounded by Japan's substantial gender gap in labour force participation—55% of women participate in the workforce compared to 72% of men, according to World Bank data.
The Work-Life Balance Struggle
Japan's rigorous work culture, known for long hours and “karoshi” (death by overwork), has long been a barrier to balancing career and family. Women, in particular, are under pressure to choose between career advancement and motherhood, with many finding the cost of raising children, coupled with their unequal share of domestic duties, too high a price. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports that women in Japan perform five times more unpaid domestic work than men, and many women who had fewer children than they wanted cited the increased burden of housework as a deterrent.
A four-day workweek could provide a much-needed solution, offering families more time together and reducing the pressure on working parents. As Koike stated, the goal is to ensure that no one has to give up their career due to childbirth or childcare, with the added benefit of helping improve fertility rates.
Global Success of Shortened Workweeks
The idea of a four-day workweek has gained traction globally, with companies in Western nations beginning to experiment with compressed work schedules as a way to enhance employee well-being and attract talent seeking a better work-life balance. A 2022 global study by 4 Day Week Global involved trials in six countries, where over 90% of participating employees reported improvements in physical and mental health, reduced stress, and better work-life integration. The trials showed that men also took on a greater share of household responsibilities, spending 22% more time on childcare and 23% more on housework.
Peter Miscovich, a global future of work expert at JLL, highlighted the benefits of shorter workweeks, saying, “The upside from all of that has been less stress, less burnout, better rest, better sleep, less cost to the employee, higher levels of focus and concentration during the working hours, and in some cases, greater commitment to the organisation as a result.”
These positive results suggest that Japan’s move toward a four-day workweek could alleviate some of the burdens of working parents and potentially boost the country’s low fertility rate.
Cultural Shifts and Challenges Ahead
While the four-day workweek has proven successful in other parts of the world, its adoption in Japan presents significant cultural challenges. In Japanese corporate culture, long hours are often equated with loyalty to the company, and shifting away from this norm will require a deep cultural transformation. Despite the potential benefits of a shorter workweek, it may take time for Japanese companies to fully embrace the idea.
Tokyo’s initiative comes at a critical time for the nation, which has seen its population steadily decline since 2008. In addition to its fertility policies, Japan is pushing for measures to create a more family-friendly society. Earlier this year, Singapore introduced new regulations requiring companies to consider employee requests for flexible working arrangements, including four-day workweeks.
As Tokyo moves forward with its plans, the success of these policies could set a precedent for other cities in Japan and beyond, encouraging broader adoption of family-friendly work policies and offering new solutions to global work-life balance challenges.
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