Tokyo is testing a new approach to address Japan’s rapidly aging population and declining birth rates, as young people delay having children due to work-related pressures. According to Fortune, Japan is considering introducing a four-day work week to tackle these challenges, reports Adyrna.
The initiative will allow employees in Tokyo to work just four days a week. This reform aims to reduce the burden on women and increase birth rates as the aging population grows at an alarming pace. Under the program, employees will also have the option to take partial childcare leave, which will shorten their workday by two hours.
“We are reevaluating flexible work models to ensure that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to life events such as childbirth and child-rearing,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said during a session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly this week.
Japan’s birth rate has been declining for the eighth consecutive year. In the first half of 2024, the country’s birth rate hit a record low, with just 350,000 births—a 5.7% decrease compared to the same period last year. In Tokyo, the fertility rate dropped to a historic low of 0.99 children per woman, far below the replacement rate of 2.1 needed to maintain population stability.
For decades, the Japanese government has implemented various measures to boost birth rates, such as subsidies for daycare, extended parental leave, and even launching matchmaking apps. However, these efforts have had little impact due to Japan’s rigid work culture and the disproportionate burden placed on women.
Research suggests that shorter work weeks can lead to more equitable distribution of household responsibilities and improve quality of life. Trials in six countries have shown that men spend more time with their children and participate more in domestic tasks. This could be a significant step forward in Japan, where women perform five times more unpaid labor than men.
“A four-day work week could be effective, but it’s not a universal solution for all industries or countries,” explained labor expert Julia Hobsbawm.
