🗓️ Imagine working just four days a week, with three full days for yourself. This "4-day work week" is rapidly gaining momentum in Japan. Starting April 2025, Tokyo and national government employees can choose this option. While only 7.5% of companies have adopted it so far, major corporations are joining in, signaling a potential shift in Japan's notorious work culture.
What Is Japan's 4-Day Work Week? Three Implementation Models
The 4-day work week (週休3日制/shūkyū mikka-sei) means having three days off per week instead of the standard two. Since being included in the government's 2021 economic policy guidelines, adoption has steadily increased among companies and local governments.
There are three main implementation models.
The Salary-Maintained Model reduces working hours while keeping pay unchanged. Employees work 32 hours instead of 40, with no salary cut. This is ideal for workers but requires significant productivity improvements from companies.
The Total Hours-Maintained Model extends daily work hours from 8 to 10, maintaining 40 hours across 4 days. Since pay remains the same, this is the most commonly adopted approach among Japanese companies.
The Salary-Reduced Model cuts pay proportionally to reduced work days. Working 4 days means receiving roughly 80% of the original salary. According to a Mynavi survey, nearly 80% of workers said they would not want to use this option.
2025: A Turning Point for Government Adoption
2025 marks a pivotal year for Japan's 4-day work week movement.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched its selective 4-day work week in April 2025, utilizing a flextime system. Governor Yuriko Koike stated, "We aim to create a society where no one has to give up their career due to life events like childbirth or childcare."
National government employees also gained access to a 4-day work week option starting April 2025. Previously limited to employees with childcare or nursing care responsibilities, the program now extends to all staff.
At the prefectural level, Ibaraki, Chiba, Hyogo, Osaka, and Nara have already implemented the system. Miyagi plans to introduce it during fiscal 2025, while Aichi targets January 2026. According to Asahi Shimbun, 16 prefectures are actively working toward adopting the 4-day work week.
Major Corporate Adoption Cases
Private sector adoption is accelerating, led by major corporations.
ZOZO introduced a "no pay cut 4-day work week" for some departments in 2021. Employees work 10 hours × 4 days to maintain total hours, with the option to switch every six months.
Fast Retailing (Uniqlo) offers regional employees a 4-day schedule using a modified labor time system. The 10-hour × 4-day format maintains salary levels.
Sagawa Express implemented a 4-day work week at some locations to address driver shortages. The system maintains pay parity with 5-day schedules while allowing side jobs.
Panasonic launched 3-day and 4-day work week options in 2022, but adoption remains low—only about 150 of 63,000 eligible employees have opted in. Analysts attribute this to Japan's deeply ingrained culture equating long hours with loyalty.
Recruit has achieved what it calls "approximately 3 days off per week," providing 145 annual holidays excluding paid leave, reflecting its company-wide commitment to flexible work.
Benefits and Challenges
Benefits for Employees
Improved work-life balance is the primary benefit. Workers gain time for family, self-development, side jobs, caregiving, and personal pursuits. Reduced commuting also decreases fatigue and stress.
Mynavi's research shows that younger generations prioritize personal time over salary increases, making the 4-day work week a compelling recruitment advantage for companies.
Benefits for Employers
The system helps attract and retain talented employees. As labor shortages intensify due to Japan's aging population, companies offering flexible work arrangements become more attractive to job seekers. It also promotes awareness of productivity improvement and operational efficiency.
Microsoft Japan's one-month 4-day work week experiment in 2019 saw productivity increase by 40% and significant reductions in electricity consumption.
Challenges and Concerns
Several challenges have emerged with implementation.
Communication gaps are a primary concern. Fewer opportunities for team members to gather can lead to information silos and relationship difficulties.
For salary-reduced models, income reduction is a significant deterrent. For hours-maintained models, longer daily work hours may be burdensome, especially for employees with childcare responsibilities.
Additionally, customer-facing roles like sales may find the system difficult to implement, potentially creating perceptions of unfairness within organizations.
Barriers to Widespread Adoption
According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 2023 survey, only 7.5% of Japanese companies offer three or more days off per week. While the government recommends adoption, there are no plans to mandate it—the decision remains with individual companies.
The slow uptake reflects Japan's deep-rooted overwork culture, which has given rise to "karoshi" (death from overwork)—a phenomenon claiming at least 54 lives annually according to government reports. The mindset equating long hours with dedication to one's company creates psychological barriers to choosing reduced work schedules.
However, as the World Economic Forum report notes, flexible work arrangements are becoming essential for talent acquisition as labor shortages worsen. The large-scale implementation by Tokyo and national government agencies is expected to create a ripple effect encouraging private sector adoption.
Japan's Work Culture: A Gradual Shift
Japan's work culture transformation is happening gradually. The country famous for its intense work ethic is slowly recognizing that productivity doesn't require presence. Remote work during the pandemic accelerated this realization, though 70% of Japanese companies have since discontinued remote work options.
The concept of "hatarakikata kaikaku" (innovating how we work) continues to evolve. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare now offers free consulting, grants, and success stories to encourage businesses to adopt flexible arrangements.
What About Your Country?
In Japan, the 4-day work week is gradually gaining ground, but many still say "I wouldn't use it if my salary decreased" or "long hours are just normal here." Work style reform requires not just new policies, but a fundamental shift in societal attitudes.
How is the 4-day work week discussed in your country? Are more companies adopting it? We'd love to hear about your country's work culture and perspectives on work-life balance!
References
Reactions in Japan
I'm so jealous of the 4-day work week. But my company will definitely never adopt it. It's just a dream for small businesses.
The 4-day work week started in Tokyo Metropolitan Government, but few people are actually applying. Honestly, we worry about what others think.
As a working mother, a 4-day work week is truly a blessing. Being able to attend my child's events on weekdays is huge.
If my salary drops to 80% for a 4-day week, I'd rather just work 5 days. I've got bills to pay.
We're considering implementing a 4-day work week, but it's tricky for sales roles. Balancing customer service is the challenge.
Honestly, working 5 days a week is just too much. I hope a 4-day work week becomes the standard.
They say productivity increases with a 4-day week, but in manufacturing like ours, the shop floor wouldn't function. Consider industry differences.
With approximately 3 days off per week and 145 annual holidays, I was anxious at first, but I've developed a habit of focused work and efficiency improved.
Working 5 days while caring for my parents was tough. The 4-day week lets me accompany them to hospital visits. It's a lifesaver.
When I was a company employee, even getting 2 days off was uncertain. A 4-day work week is amazing progress. Jealous.
Learning that national government employees can choose a 4-day week made civil service more attractive. Might add it to my job search list.
Even if my team members choose a 4-day week, the workload doesn't change. It just increases the burden on those who don't.
I'm using the 4-day work week, and 10-hour days can be tough. But the value of a 3-day weekend is irreplaceable.
I hope this spreads to small businesses in rural areas, not just Tokyo. Don't make it a privilege only for big cities.
I'm prioritizing companies with 4-day work weeks in my job search. I don't want to go back to working 5 full days.
Looking at the UK's 4-day work week trial results, productivity didn't drop—it actually increased. It's great to see Japan moving in this direction.
Germany has also started 4-day work week trials. But we don't have Japan's 'long hours = virtue' culture, so adoption barriers might be lower here.
In the US, some tech companies have adopted it, but it's not mainstream yet. Japan's major corporations and government moving forward is noteworthy.
France has a legal 35-hour work week, but that's different from a 4-day week. Japan's approach is interesting to watch.
Spain is also running a 4-day work week pilot program. Considering Japan's 'karoshi' problem, this change could literally save lives.
In Poland, a 4-day work week is still a pipe dream. I hope advanced countries like Japan setting precedents will encourage others to follow.
There's discussion about a 4-day work week in Singapore too, but no government-led initiatives like Japan. Tokyo's approach is worth studying.
Remote work became common in Australia, but 4-day weeks are still rare. If Japan's work culture changes, it's huge global news.
Korea has similar long working hours issues as Japan. Japan's 4-day work week movement might influence Korea too.
There's hardly any discussion about 4-day work weeks in Brazil. If Japan succeeds, it could spread to emerging economies.
Sweden experimented with 6-hour workdays. Different approach from 4-day weeks, but same goal. Japan's choice is fascinating.
Portugal is popular with digital nomads, but local companies haven't adopted 4-day weeks. Japan's approach of starting with civil servants is smart.
China's 996 culture (9am-9pm, 6 days) is controversial, while Japan moves toward 4-day weeks. Opposite directions—fascinating contrast.
Unilever New Zealand is known for successful 4-day work week implementation. Glad to see Japan following suit.
A 4-day work week sounds great, but doesn't it just cram the same work into 4 days? That's my concern.