One of Japan's main problems is a demographic crisis, which has caused the average age of the population to rise to 49.9 years. To try to solve this difficult situation, Tokyo will introduce a four-day work week, reports Fortune.
In April, the Tokyo government, one of the country’s largest employers, will allow employees to work just four days a week. It will also introduce a “partial parental leave” policy, allowing some employees to reduce their workday by two hours. The changes are intended to help parents balance work and childcare.
"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," said Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko.
The need for such changes became even more urgent in 2024, when Japan’s birth rate hit a record low. From January to June, the country registered 350,074 births, a 5.7% drop from the same period last year. Japan’s total fertility rate, which measures the number of children a woman has in her lifetime, was 1.2 in 2023, and Tokyo’s was even lower at 0.99. To maintain a stable population, the rate needs to be around 2.1.
Japan is not the only country facing similar problems. According to the New Yorker, by 2100, 97% of the world's countries will have a birth rate below replacement level, the number of births needed to maintain a stable population. In fact, Japan doesn't even rank first in terms of demographic crisis: in first place is South Korea, where more strollers were sold for dogs than for children in 2024.
Although Japan has long been trying to combat its low birth rate, its efforts have so far been largely ineffective. The country even launched its own dating app, but it has not had much of an impact. At the same time, the move to a four-day workweek could have a real positive impact, as it would help address some of the problems associated with Japan's work culture.
Women now do five times more housework than men, including caring for children and elderly relatives. More than half of women say they are hesitant to have more children because it would significantly increase their workload around the house. Previous studies have shown that, thanks to the shortened workweek, men are spending 22% more time on childcare and 23% more time on housework.