The Tokyo government has announced the introduction of a four-day work week for civil servants, starting in April 2025.
The decision is aimed at addressing the low birth rate and improving the balance between work and personal life.
According to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, the move is intended to provide greater flexibility in work schedules, allowing people to balance their careers with important life moments, such as the birth and upbringing of children. Fridays will now be reserved for personal matters, including family building.
The Japanese government is also introducing additional support measures. Parents of schoolchildren will be able to exchange part of their salary for the ability to leave work earlier. Additionally, in 2023, the procedure for men to take paternity leave was simplified.
Japan is facing a serious demographic crisis. For example, in the village of Ichinono, where fewer than 60 people live, there is only one child, and to remind people of the past, locals have placed mannequins of children around the village.
