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Muscat Daily
25-05-2025
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Why Japan's Gen Z is ‘quiet quitting' work
Tokyo, Japan – In a nation that has long been synonymous with working hard and showing unswerving loyalty to an employer, more and more Japanese people are 'quiet quitting' their jobs. A term originally coined in the United States in 2022 for people who are disengaged and just do the bare minimum of work, 'quiet quitting' has taken on a slightly different meaning in Japan – and one that would arguably make legions of toiling 'salarymen' shudder. A growing number of Japanese are choosing to clock in at work exactly on time and leave as soon as they can. They are not looking for praise or promotion from their seniors. They are unbothered by the prospect of better pay if it means more work, while performance-related bonuses also fail to inspire them. According to a study of 3,000 workers aged 20 to 59 conducted by the Mynavi Career Research Lab, a Tokyo-based employment research agency, some 45% say they are doing the bare minimum in their jobs. Significantly, employees in their 20s are most likely to admit to being 'quiet quitters'. The quest for more 'me time' There are many reasons why Japanese workers are no longer giving their all for their companies. For 26-year-old Issei, the answer is straightforward: He wants more time to pursue the things he enjoys. 'I don't hate my job and I know I have to work to pay my rent and bills, but I would much rather be meeting up with my friends, traveling or listening to live music,' said Issei, who asked that his family name not be provided. 'I know that my grandfather and even my parents' generation thought they had no choice but to work hard and earn more money, but I do not understand that way of thinking,' he said. 'I think it is better to balance work and the things I want to do away from the office and I believe that most of my friends feel that way as well.' The Mynavi study concluded that being able to have more 'me time' was the primary motivation for most people who admitted to 'quiet quitting'. Others said they believed the amount of work they were putting in was appropriate for the pay they were receiving and that they were 'satisfied' with their level of input and still gained a sense of accomplishment at work. Others said they were doing the bare minimum to get by because they felt their contribution to the company was not appreciated or they had no interest in promotion or advancing their career. 'A lot of young people saw their parents sacrifice their lives to a company, putting in many, many hours of overtime and effectively giving up on their private life,' said Sumie Kawakami, a social sciences lecturer at Yamanashi Gakuin University and a certified career consultant. 'They have figured out that is not what they want.' 'In the past, an employer would pay a fair wage and provide benefits so people stayed with the same company all the way until retirement,' she told DW. 'But that is no longer the case; companies are trying to cut costs, not all staff are on full contracts and pay while bonuses are not as generous as they were,' she added. Change of attitudes 'People see that and do not feel obliged to sacrifice themselves for the company,' she said. Attitudes have also changed as a result of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted some to question their priorities. A new generation of young adults started 'finding it difficult to accept the concept of lifetime commitment to one company', Kawakami said. Izumi Tsuji, a professor of the sociology of culture at Tokyo's Chuo University, said his experiences around young people have led him to the same conclusions. 'There is a huge change in the attitudes towards work among young people and my generation of people in their 50s,' he said. 'In the past, workers were extremely loyal to their employers, worked long hours, put in unpaid overtime and did not look to switch companies,' he said. 'In return, they and their families were provided for until they retired.' Today, young people want to 'concentrate on their hobbies, to be freer and to have a better work-life balance', he said. Tsuji sees the shift as a welcome change after decades of intense demands placed on workers by corporate Japan. 'It has to be a good thing,' Tsuji said. 'People were too loyal to their companies in the past and they had no life outside the office. Now, if they have lots more free time then maybe they will be spending more money and helping the economy or, even more importantly, meeting a partner and having a family. And that is important because the population is shrinking.' DW
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Man spends £12,480 to become a dog and practices rolling, sitting and paw
A dog superfan has taken his obsession so far that he decided to ditch his life to become canine. Spending thousands of pounds to make it happen, he's also created a human zoo to offer a unique experience A man who spent more than £12,000 to become a life-size dog has announced that his human zoo is still open for business, after previously worrying that he wouldn't get enough bookings. The Japanese man, who goes by the name Toco the dog, can often be spotted rolling on the floor and greeting confused passers-by in the park. He has since raked in a following of over 73,000 people on YouTube. Toco had been living his dream of turning canine for several years, but despite his efforts to transform into his favourite breed, he still wasn't satisfied. He took his ambitions one step further by announcing that he would open a facility called the Tokotoko Zoo. For £250, visitors can dress up as an Alaskan Malamute, with hyper-realistic costumes with jaws that can open and close. However, his bookings were not looking good at the start of this month. Toco wrote on social media: "Our opening day is Sunday, May 4, but if we do not receive any reservations by Saturday, April 19, we will close the store." Man who lives in £12,000 dog suit could be forced to close 'human zoo' But things have since turned around with the zoo website issuing an update, stating that it will next open in the summer. "Our next business day is scheduled for after July. We will contact you as soon as it is confirmed," the notice said. It was his lifelong dream to turn into a dog, and a talented costume company made his unusual request happen. Toco bought a realistic border collie costume from Zeppet, a Japanese agency known for creating sculptures and models for movies. It reportedly took Zeppet 40 days to make the costume, as Toco kept adding improvements to make it perfect. "I made it a collie because it looks real when I put it on," Toco told Japanese news outlet Mynavi. "My favourite is quadrupedal animals, especially cute ones. Among them, I thought that a big animal close to me would be good, considering that it would be a realistic model, so I decided to make it a dog. I met such a condition and made a collie, my favourite breed of dog." When Toco was asked if he could move his limbs freely, he said that he is able to with resistance. He also explained that if he moves too much, he won't look like a realistic dog. A Zeppet employee spoke about how the team found a way to create the skeleton structure of a dog, and spent a lot of time studying it. They said at the time: "In addition, we collect photographs taken from various angles so that the beautiful coat of the collie can be reproduced and devised so that the coat will flow naturally." Toco, who has his own YouTube channel, shared a now-viral video of himself in the costume, titled: 'I tried to become a collie'. He can be seen rolling over for belly rubs, pretending to sit and lifting his paws. Zeppet also shared a selection of images of the costume on Twitter, racking up thousands of likes and retweets. Toco is still encouraging people to book a trip to his zoo. The website states: "Have you ever wanted to be an animal? Have you ever imagined yourself as something other than yourself and felt excited? We offer a service that can help make that wish come true, even if only a little, by having you wear a costume."
DW
23-05-2025
- Business
- DW
Why Japan's Gen Z is 'quiet quitting' work – DW – 05/23/2025
It is a far cry from their parents' generation, but 20-something Japanese are happy to sacrifice a career and better pay for an improved work-life balance. In a nation that has long been synonymous with working hard and showing unswerving loyalty to an employer, more and more Japanese people are "quiet quitting" their jobs. Originally a term coined in the United States in 2022 for unproductive staff being reassigned to another role instead of being fired, "quiet quitting" has taken on a slightly different meaning in Japan — one that would arguably make legions of toiling "salarymen" shudder. A growing number of Japanese are choosing to clock in at work exactly on time and leave as soon as they are able to. They are not looking for acclaim for their work or promotion. They appear to be indifferent to greater pay if it means more work and performance-related bonuses mean nothing to them. According to a study of 3,000 workers aged 20 to 59 conducted by the Mynavi Career Research Lab, a Tokyo-based employment research agency, fully 45% say they are doing the bare minimum in their jobs. Significantly, employees in their 20s are most likely to admit to being "quiet quitters." Spending time on personal interests There are many reasons why Japanese workers are no longer giving their all for the company. For 26-year-old Issei, the answer is straightforward: He wants more time to pursue the things he enjoys doing instead of a job that he needs to earn an income. "I don't hate my job and I know I have to work to pay my rent and bills, but I would much rather be meeting up with my friends, traveling or listening to live music," said Issei, who asked that his family name not be provided. "I know that my grandfather and even my parents' generation thought they had no choice but to work hard and earn more money, but I do not understand that way of thinking," he said. "I think it is better to balance work and the things I want to do away from the office and I believe that most of my friends feel that way as well." 'In the past, workers were extremely loyal to their employers, worked long hours, put in unpaid overtime and did not look to switch companies' Image: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP The Mynavi study concluded that being able to have more "me time" was the primary motivation for most people who admitted to "quiet quitting." Others said they believed the amount of work they were putting in was appropriate for the pay they were receiving and that they were "satisfied" with their level of input and were still able to gain a sense of accomplishment at work. Others said they were doing the bare minimum to get by because they felt their contribution to the company was not appreciated or they had no interest in promotion or advancing their career. "A lot of young people saw their parents sacrifice their lives to a company, put in many, many hours of overtime and effectively give up a private life and they have figured out that is not what they want," said Sumie Kawakami, a social sciences lecturer at Yamanashi Gakuin University and a certified career consultant. "Also, in the past, an employer would pay a fair wage and provide benefits so people stayed with the same company all the way until retirement," she told DW. "But that is no longer the case; companies are trying to cut costs, not all staff are on full contracts and pay and bonuses are not as generous as they were," she added. No longer sacrificing for the company "People see that and do not feel obliged to sacrifice themselves for the company," she said. Attitudes have changed as a result of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, with a new generation of young adults "finding it difficult to accept the concept of lifetime commitment to one company," Kawakami said. Izumi Tsuji, a professor of the sociology of culture at Tokyo's Chuo University, said his experiences around young people have led him to the same conclusions. "There is a huge change in the attitudes towards work among young people and my generation of people in their 50s," he said. "In the past, workers were extremely loyal to their employers, worked long hours, put in unpaid overtime and did not look to switch companies," he said. "In return, they and their families were provided for until they retired." Today, young people want to "concentrate on their hobbies, to be freer and to have a better work-life balance," he said. Young German women find strength in sumo To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Tsuji sees the shift as a welcome change after decades of intense demands placed on workers by corporate Japan. "It has to be a good thing," Tsuji said. "People were too loyal to their companies in the past and they had no life outside the office. Now, if they have lots more free time then maybe they will be spending more money and helping the economy or, even more importantly, meeting a partner and having a family. And that is important because the population is shrinking." Kawakami agrees, and adds another reason why "quiet quitting" is good for the well-being of millions of Japanese employees. Death by overwork "I welcome this change because older generations of workers would give 150% to their companies but the price they paid was 'karoshi'," she said, the Japanese term for death brought on by overwork. In 1998, there were 32,863 suicides in Japan with many linked to brutally long working hours and workplace pressures. The total figure for suicides remained above the 30,000 threshold for the next 14 years, but has been gradually declining since. In 2024, some 20,320 people died by their own hand, the second-lowest figure since 1978, when statistics were first compiled. "Young people no longer feel that they have no choice but to stay in a job where they are not happy or to spend more time on themselves," Kawakami said. "The result is happier people." Editor's note: If you are suffering from serious emotional strain or suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek professional help. You can find information on where to find such help, no matter where you live in the world, at this website: K-pop dance in Germany: what's behind its rise? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Edited by: Keith Walker
Japan Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Finances are tight for dual-income households, too, survey finds
Almost half of full-time workers whose spouses are working say they are struggling financially, according to a survey released Thursday by job-matching company Mynavi. The survey, which was conducted on married workers in dual-income households, found that 46% of them feel financially strained. Respondents reported an average household income of ¥8.06 million ($55,500), but said their ideal income would be ¥11.26 million — a gap of ¥3.2 million. The study, which collected responses in November from 3,000 men and women between the ages of 20 and 59, highlighted the economic stress felt by many working couples, even though 85.8% of respondents said their partner had a full-time, salaried position. Financial anxiety was more pronounced among households with children, whose average income was higher, at ¥9.01 million, but still fell short of the desired ¥12.47 million. Respondents who said they were struggling financially reported an average household income of ¥7.17 million — around ¥1.7 million lower than those who said they were not experiencing hardship. In addition to income stress, the survey explored how couples managed their finances and household responsibilities. A total of 28.8% of respondents reported using an 'allowance system' of setting aside a fixed amount each month for them to spend for themselves. The system was most common among couples in their 50s, with the rate of usage rising to 31.2% in that age group. The data also exposed stark gender disparities in domestic labor and career advancement. On average, men reported working 18.8 hours of overtime per month, compared with 9.5 hours for women. However, women spent significantly more time on housework — 2.5 hours per day, compared with 1.4 hours for men. When asked about their career standing, 56.1% of respondents said they did not hold a managerial title. The gender divide was pronounced: 71% of women said they had no title, versus 47.8% of men. Only around 30% of respondents — or 33.6% of men and 24.2% of women — said they wanted a promotion. Some respondents cited personal ambition as a reason for wanting to move up the career ladder, but others were hesitant to be promoted, expressing concern about the potential 'bigger workloads and more responsibilities without meaningful rewards,' as one man in his 20s put it. One woman in her 20s stated she had no interest in climbing the corporate ladder after watching her supervisors being 'overwhelmed and underpaid.' 'Differences in ambition or income levels between men and women are not necessarily the result of individual ability or mindset,' said Akari Asahina, a researcher at Mynavi's Career Research Lab. 'They are often rooted in uneven divisions of labor at home and deep-seated unconscious biases in society.' Japan had about 13 million dual-income households in 2024, according to government data, and the number is expected to grow. Asahina said the economic anxiety among these households underscores the need to reassess expectations — not just about money, but about the way people live and work.
11-05-2025
- Business
Quiet Quitting on the Rise in Japan
A survey in Japan has found a rising trend of people 'quiet quitting' their jobs, where workers simply do as instructed, with no sign of motivation or wanting to get ahead in their careers. Employment information provider Mynavi, which conducted the survey in November 2024, found that out of the 3,000 valid responses received from full-time employees aged from 20 to 59, 44.5% stated they were quiet quitting. Workers in their twenties had the highest percentage of quiet quitters at 46.7%. However, there were more than 40% in all age groups, indicating that this is a widespread trend across generations. Of those who stated they were quiet quitters, 57.4% felt they were gaining something from it. The most common perceived advantage was the 'sense of having one's own time' at 23.0%, followed by 'it feels the right amount of work for the amount of pay' with 13.3%. When quiet quitters were asked if they intended to carry on as they were, the most common answer, at 29.7%, was that they wanted to 'continue permanently.' When tallied together with those who said 'for as long as possible' and 'would somewhat like to,' the percentage of respondents intending to keep quiet quitting rose to 70.4%. There was some difference in thinking by age though, as while 73.5% of people in their forties intending to 'continue,' 35.4% of those in their twenties stated they 'didn't want to continue.' Among the reasons for why people started quiet quitting were 'there is no rewarding work at my current workplace' or that 'my work isn't appreciated, even if I bring it up in work evaluation meetings.' Others based their decision more on a sense of values, such as it being 'a good balance between the amount of work and pay' and 'I'm not interested in advancing my career.' When mid-career recruiters were asked their opinion on quiet quitting, 38.9% were 'in favor,' 6.8 percentage points higher than the 32.1% who stated they were 'against.' Stating that 'working styles that don't require career advancement also need to be considered' and 'some types of work cannot be done without those type of personnel,' it indicated that recruiters were more readily accepting of the situation. (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)
