Tokyo's four-day work week: A bold step to boost birth rate
Tokyo is implementing a four-day workweek for its employees to support young families and increase the birth rate. These changes will take effect in April. Japan is facing a demographic crisis.
Tokyo plans to introduce a four-day work week for its employees, aiming to support young families and improve the country's low birth rate. NBC News reports that starting in April, employees will enjoy three days off each week.
Tokyo tackles the demographic crisis
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike announced that the new work rules aim to provide a flexible lifestyle approach so that no one has to give up their career due to life events such as childbirth or childcare. Last year, the birth rate in Japan fell to 1.2 children per woman, one of the lowest in the world.
Additionally, the new policy allows parents of elementary school children to finish work early in exchange for part of their salary.
The introduction of a four-day workweek aims to improve work-life balance, as confirmed by global studies from 2022, in which participants reported improvements in physical and mental health and greater life satisfaction.
