New law urges overworked Japan Inc. to rethink work styles

Working late, falling asleep on trains due to exhaustion and getting drunk to release tension from work might still be the typical image of Japan's "salarymen."The country is notorious for a culture of overwork. Employees who stay late are still praised for hard work while others are frowned upon for leaving before their bosses. Many feel guilty for even taking paid holidays. "Karoshi," a Japanese word meaning death from overwork, is now known worldwide.In a bid to change long-held working behaviors in Japan, a new labor reform law was introduced in late June, setting a legal cap on overtim…READ FULL ARTICLE