Research indicates that implementing four-day work weeks can have positive effects on employee mental well-being, increase overall productivity, and even reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these benefits, the city government of Tokyo has decided to introduce three-day weekends for state employees with a specific goal in mind: to provide additional free time for individuals to focus on starting families.
The governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, unveiled this new policy during a regular session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on December 3rd. In her address, Gov. Koike emphasized that while the flexible work schedules will be available to all employees, the primary objective is to support potential new mothers in balancing work and family responsibilities.
“We are committed to adapting work structures to ensure that women do not have to compromise their careers due to significant life events such as childbirth or raising children,” Koike stated, as reported by The Japan Times. She further added, “Empowering women, a goal that has been lagging behind in comparison to other countries, has been a longstanding issue in our nation.”
The implementation of the four-day work week in Tokyo is scheduled for April 2025, and additional initiatives are being developed to enhance the availability of nursery schools and support options for egg freezing, as highlighted in a report by Business Insider.
This announcement from Gov. Koike is part of a broader trend towards family-friendly workplace policies in Tokyo and across Japan. The capital city, with a population exceeding 14 million, passed legislation in May mandating companies to offer flexible scheduling options for parents with young children, including remote work and reduced hours. Other regions such as Ibaraki, Miyagi, and Chiba are also gearing up to introduce similar four-day work week arrangements for their municipal employees.
Japan has been grappling with labor shortages due to a declining birth rate and an aging population for a considerable period. The country boasts the highest average age globally, with approximately one in ten individuals aged over 80 years. In 2023, Japan’s Health and Welfare Ministry recorded the eighth consecutive year of decreasing birth rates, with only 758,631 newborns in a population of 124.62 million. At the time, then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the situation as a “major crisis” for Japan. In addition to the surge in family-oriented, four-day work week policies, many companies are investing in automation technologies, such as self-driving trains, to compensate for the dwindling workforce.
A report by the International Monetary Fund in 2024 identifies late marriages, gender wage disparities, high living costs, and childcare expenses as significant obstacles for prospective families. Critics suggest that addressing Japan’s stringent immigration policies and tackling deep-rooted issues related to culture, social class, and ethnicity could offer simpler solutions.
