The next big topic in this series is one I get asked about constantly: work-life balance in Japan, especially when it comes to overtime — and how COVID changed (or didn’t change) those norms. My answers are a mix of my own experience and what I’ve seen from coworkers and friends over the years.
Do I have a good work-life balance?
At my current company, yes — overall, my work-life balance is pretty good.
But the truth is, in Japan it really depends on:
- the company
- the industry
- your role
- and honestly… luck
Right now I work a nine-hour day including lunch, and most days I finish on time. We work hard, but no one expects us to stay super late or sacrifice weekends. The only time I was called in on a Saturday was for a one-off urgent meeting a few years ago.
Pre-COVID, I had a three-hour round-trip commute, which definitely impacted my balance. Now I mostly work from home, which has been life-changing. I also set clear boundaries early when I joined this company, and I think that helped shape the expectations around my schedule.
That being said… at my past companies, work-life balance was rough. Overtime was expected, not optional, and there were days I was told to come in early and leave late simply because “that’s what everyone does.”
So yes — it depends heavily on where you land.
How does overtime work? Is it mandatory or controlled?
Japan does have labor laws about overtime, but how companies handle it can vary wildly. Some things I’ve seen in my own contracts include:
- Base salary that “includes” a certain amount of overtime
- Overtime paid only after a specific time (rare and usually tied to flex-time systems)
- Standard overtime paid immediately after work hours end
In most companies, you won’t know the exact overtime system until you see the contract — but during interviews you can ask about work culture and expectations.
Only one of my companies required manager approval before logging overtime, but that was because people were abusing the flex system.
Overall?
Overtime is still pretty normalized in Japanese work culture, but the degree really depends on the workplace. Some companies still value “face time,” while others are slowly moving toward efficiency over hours spent at your desk.
Did COVID change Japan’s view on work-life balance?
Honestly… not really.
While some countries shifted massively toward remote work, Japan didn’t change as much as you might expect. There were a lot of barriers that made WFH difficult:
- outdated systems
- reliance on paper documents
- hanko (seal) requirements
- office-based servers
- company culture
Some larger companies simply couldn’t pivot quickly.
My company was flexible because my job can be done with just a laptop, so I’ve been remote since March 2020. But whether this continues long-term? I’m not sure. Given traditional work culture here, I do expect to return to the office more regularly once things fully settle.
Final Thoughts
Work-life balance in Japan is improving, but it’s far from universal.
Overtime still exists, but how much you actually feel it depends heavily on your company and industry.
*Revised November 2025 for Grammar and Context
nihonchique 
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