Working hours in Japan. Is there a vacation in Japan? Retirement in Japan

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Japan has always stood out from the list of countries that are distinguished by high rates of economic development. This eastern state successfully fights against any crises and cataclysms. This happens, among other things, thanks to the hard work, as well as the diligence of its citizens. Purposefulness, ideology and responsibility are brought up in Japan from a very early age. It is no coincidence that the management systems developed in this country are recognized throughout the world as the most effective, which is why they are used as a benchmark in many large enterprises.

Features of employment

Immigrants who come to Japan have to join the inflated requirements of the employer and the peculiar national mentality. For those who do not wish to do this, the company quickly finds a replacement.

Japanese most often get a job for life. That is, having come to the enterprise as a young man, they are in his staff until their retirement. If you want to find a job in another company, the new employer will take into account the time of the previous continuous contract.

Japan is considered a country fairly closed to immigrants. Indeed, when applying for a highly paid prestigious job, you will need not only to be a true professional, but also to have a fairly high level of knowledge of the Japanese language. But, of course, when considering candidates for a vacant position, preference will always be given to the indigenous people of the country. In order to get a job in Japan, you will need to prove your extraordinary abilities. And for this, documents confirming a high level of professionalism will obviously not be enough. It is recommended to prepare the brightest self-created projects in advance by translating them into Japanese so that they can be presented.

Ranking of professions

What specialists does the labor market of the Land of the Rising Sun need today? Jobs in Japan can be easily found:

1. IT specialists. It is quite easy to explain the demand for such professions in a country that is a leader in the development of electronic technologies. However, an immigrant should already prepare in advance for a big competition. The fact is that Japan has a lot of its own professionals. The most sought-after jobs in this category are project managers and developers.
2. Designers and architects. It is enough just to get a job in Japanese companies and good specialists from this field. Moreover, employers are happy to attract professionals from among immigrants for cooperation. It should be noted that this is one of the fewcategories of professionals, deserving such favorable treatment.
3. Professionals in the field of trade. The most popular speci alty in this category are sales managers. Japanese firms and sales representatives, freight forwarders and other workers in this field are invited. However, it should be borne in mind that in order to fill a vacancy, you will need not only work experience in your speci alty, but also an excellent command of Japanese.
4. Managing staff. Such employees form the backbone of Japanese business. The fact is that obtaining the evolutionary results of economic development is impossible without proper planning of the forces and time of workers. In this regard, Japanese employers highly value specialists in recruitment, planning and management. However, it should be borne in mind that in this area, the indigenous people of the country are still easier to navigate. But at the same time, foreign experience in implementing modern management systems may also be of interest to the employer.
5. Specialists in marketing and PR. Advertising is the engine of progress. The Japanese do not neglect this rule either. In addition to project managers, managers working in this direction are in demand in the country. However, only a person who, in addition to experience, will be fluent in Japanese will be able to work in the advertising field.
6. Electronics engineers. For Japanese employers, specialists who are able to work in the production of household appliances, road vehicles, shipbuilding and instrument making are of particular value.
7. Productionstaff. Many large Japanese companies operating in the food and pharmaceutical industries, machine tool building and mechanical engineering need such specialists. So far, in this country, full automation of production is a prospect for the future. That is why immigrants will always be able to find work for themselves in any factory. Here, as a rule, technicians and operators for automated production lines are required. However, despite the fact that specialists in this category can quite successfully find employment in the country, it is necessary to clarify the requirements that the employer imposes on candidates. They are often required to have a technical degree.
8. Consultants and teachers. These specialists are also in demand in the state. Here you can even get a job as a teacher of the Russian language. But lately there have been a lot of applicants for such a vacancy, so you have to wait for a suitable place for years. English teachers can get jobs in Japan without any problems. However, if their place of work is educational institutions, then a teaching license will be required from the specialist.
9. Accountants and financiers. No organization can do without these workers. That is why they are also included in the category of the most in-demand professions in Japan. But knowledge of the language for people who decide to apply for such a vacancy is a prerequisite.
10. Pharmacists and medical workers. This category of specialists in Japan is considered one of the most privileged. Most clinics in the country are private. Thanks toAs a result, a medical worker's salary in Japan is approaching 760,000 yen in one month. In terms of dollars, this amount will be 6400. However, it is almost impossible for an immigrant to get a job as a doctor in this country. The fact is that diplomas from other countries confirming the receipt of this profession are not quoted in Japan. To obtain permission to work as a doctor, you will need to graduate from a medical school directly in this country.

Work mentality

Every resident of Japan certainly follows the traditions that have developed in the country over many centuries. If we consider the attitude of the indigenous population of the country to work, then it can be noted that it has certain qualities. Among them are politeness and loy alty, personal responsibility, as well as the ability to work effectively within a certain work team.

The main goal of the Japanese is to benefit the company, while working as a kind of cog in one well-coordinated large mechanism. Individuality in this country is not welcome. Those loners who are guided by the principle "my hut is on the edge" have no chance of success. Highly educated, but at the same time ambitious people are less valuable personnel for management than those who, although not so educated, are patient and open to compromise. Why is this happening? Yes, simply because the Japanese do not believe that money can be given to people in simple ways. He who does not work hard, they will not respect.

By the way,many Europeans complain that their lives are practically spent at work. But is it? How long is the working day in Japan? This should be clarified in advance by those who decided to take one of the vacancies in this country.

Start of the working day

Japanese people start their daily routine with a trip. They hurry to the place of work, using, as a rule, public transport. Most residents of this state refuse to use a car. They do this to save money. After all, the maintenance of a personal car will cost them about 10 thousand dollars. And that's just for one month! And is it worth it to use a private car in a country that has the best public transport system on our planet?

However, in large cities, the Japanese pay for such savings with tedious trips to work in cars filled with 200% of their estimated capacity. Nevertheless, such a morning ritual does not at all cause irritation among the natives of the country, which they would have taken out on a neighbor.

Coming to work

Japanese workdays begin with a kind of ritual. It includes more than just greetings to superiors and colleagues. The ritual of starting the day includes the joint chanting of various inspiring sayings and slogans by employees. Only after that you can start performing production tasks.

What time does the working day start in Japan? Officially, most companies in the country have the same schedule. It provides for the start of the working day at 9 a.m., and itsthe end is at 18:00. However, most Japanese people arrive at their workplace at least half an hour earlier. It is believed that the employee needs time to tune in to work.

Currently, many corporations have introduced a system of temporary cards. What does she represent? Each employee has a special card. It must be lowered into the device installed in front of the entrance upon arrival at work and at the time of leaving it. The card reflects the time that affects wages in Japan. Some firms deduct one hour of work for being 1 minute late. There are corporations when in this case the employee will not be given a salary for the whole day.

Workdays

How long is the working day in Japan? Officially 8 o'clock. There is also a lunch break in the country. Its duration is 1 hour. Thus, the standard work contract specifies 40 hours per week.

However, the length of the working day in Japan, as a rule, exceeds these limits. This is influenced by another tradition of the inhabitants of the country. The fact is that climbing the career ladder is of great importance for them. And climbing these steps, as a rule, does not depend at all on the qualifications and ingenuity of the employee, but on the amount of time during which he does not leave his chair. It is because of this that the length of the working day in Japan is far from official. Employees are often delayedcompleting assignments in the evenings. In this regard, the duration of the working day in Japan sometimes reaches 12 hours. Moreover, the inhabitants of the country do this mainly on their own initiative. In addition, despite the fact that the working week in Japan lasts only five days, employees come to the company on Saturdays. And it is also most often their own desire.

A bit of history

The beginning of the increase in the average working day in Japan was facilitated by the rather low wages that the population of the country received in the 1970s. Employees did everything to increase their earnings. That is why they sought to get extra money for overtime hours. This trend continued into the 1980s. And this despite the fact that a period has come when Japan entered the list of the most highly developed economic countries, taking second place there. The inhabitants of the country did not change the established tradition in the late 1990s. At this time, the length of the working day in Japan was long due to the outbreak of the crisis. In order to successfully overcome it, companies began to carry out internal reforms, rebuilding their organizational system. At the same time, workers stayed at work, trying not to get laid off. At the same time, companies began to hire temporary employees working without any guarantees and bonuses. Such a move made the existence of people in the state even more unbearable.

Today, no one is embarrassed by the length of the working day of 12 or more hours. As a rule, no one forces people to lingerin the evenings, but they feel they have to.

Karoshi

It's not uncommon for workers in Japan to stay at their jobs, fearful of being thought of as overworked professionals. Moreover, in solving any production problem, a resident of this country strives to be a necessary link in one common chain of a corporation. The main thing for him is to work in such a way that the working group, of which he is a member, completes the task assigned to it within the minimum time and in the optimal mode. This is one of the reasons for the emergence of overtime. In addition, each employee, showing solidarity with his colleagues, seeks to provide them with all possible assistance, which, in his opinion, they really need. This is how overtime passes in Japanese companies, which today is not paid.

Such a hectic schedule means that the country often experiences death due to overwork or suicide. And all this happens right at the workplace. A similar phenomenon in Japan even got its name - "karoshi", it is considered the official reason for the death of a person.

Unusual tradition

Tense working conditions in Japan require some relaxation. This led to the emergence of an unusual tradition, which in the country is called "inemuri". It represents a dream or a kind of quiet hour during work. During this time, the person continues to remain upright. In this case, a dream for a Japanese isnot just a sign of hard work. It indicates the employee's hard work and dedication.

However, those who just got a job should not try to fall asleep on it. Inemuri is the privilege of superiors. An employee does not have the right to sleep in front of a more qualified colleague. The only exceptions are processing that takes place after the end of the official working day. At this time, a person can sleep for 20 minutes, but with the condition that he continues intensive work after his awakening.

Vacations

As you can see, the Japanese are literally working hard. Their daily routine and work system for Europeans seem simply inhumane. After reading these facts, the question immediately arises: “Is there a vacation in Japan?”. Officially yes. According to the legislation in force in the country, it lasts 10 days and must be provided once a year. However, having studied the Japanese mentality, one can understand that the Japanese will not rest for such a long time. And indeed it is. It is not customary for residents of the country to fully use their vacation. This does not allow them to do the existing traditions. In the culture of the country it is considered: using days of rest, a person by this indicates that he is lazy and does not support the work of the whole team.

The Japanese compensate for their holidays with national holidays, of which there are quite a lot in the country.

Wage level

What is the wage in Japan? Its level will directlydepend on the position of the employee and his profession. So, an immigrant who has taken one of the vacancies, at the initial stage, must count on a salary that is less than that of the indigenous population. It can be from 1400 to 1800 dollars within a month. Over time, a skilled worker will receive more. His average salary will be $2,650.

Lawyers, lawyers, pilots and doctors with extensive experience, receive in Japan from 10 to 12 thousand dollars. Even the most highly developed European countries cannot boast of such a monthly salary.

Retirement

Japan's social safety net has been in place since 1942. It allows people to retire when they reach 65 years of age. This rule applies to both genders.

Pensions in Japan are paid from the Social Security Fund. To date, his assets reach 170 trillion yen.

The average social pension in Japan is $700. Professional is calculated on the basis of the system in which the person worked. Thus, civil servants receive, being retired, 2/5 of their previous salary. For other employees, the amount of payments is determined based on the amount they have accumulated. It consists of monthly deductions from the salary (5%). The employer also contributes to the savings fund of a particular person. The company also makes monthly contributions to the pension fund of its employee.