Working in Japan: Culture and Etiquette

Japan’s work culture is known around the world for being hardworking, respectful, and… well, a little intense. But there’s way more to it than just long hours and bowing!
Let’s take a look at what makes Japan’s workplace unique. Some things might surprise you, and others might really impress you.

🕐 Punctuality Is Everything

If your shift starts at 10:00, showing up at 10:00 is already considered late. In Japan, being on time means getting there 5–10 minutes early. It’s a simple way to show respect for others’ time—and it tells people you’re reliable.

👉 Even trains in Japan arrive to the minute, so people expect the same level of punctuality from their coworkers.

🧑‍💼 Respect Is Built Into Everything

Japanese work culture is built on respect, hierarchy, and keeping things harmonious. You'll often hear words like:
Senpai (先輩) = senior colleague
Kōhai (後輩) = junior colleague

Senpai guide and support their kōhai, while kōhai return the favor by helping their senpai. It’s a two-way street, all about mutual responsibility and keeping the team running smoothly.

You’ll also notice super polite speech—called keigo (敬語)—being used in emails, meetings, and phone calls. And yep, bowing (お辞儀 / おじぎ) is still a big deal in professional settings.

🤝 Group First, Individual Second

In some countries, speaking out or pitching bold personal ideas is encouraged. In Japan, though, the focus is on teamwork and group harmony (和 / wa). Most decisions are made by consensus, and openly disagreeing in a meeting might come off as disruptive.

That doesn’t mean your opinion doesn’t matter—it just means how you say things matters a lot.

📊 Japan’s Job Scene: Quick Look

Japan’s job market in 2025? Still going strong!

• Unemployment is super low at 2.5%
• Around 98% of new grads are landing jobs
• More seniors (65+) are staying in the workforce, keeping things moving

👵 Retirement technically starts at 65, but a lot of people retire around 60 and keep working part-time. Everyone aged 20–59 pays into the National Pension System (国民年金 / kokumin nenkin), and once you hit 65, you get monthly payments based on how much you contributed.

But here’s the issue: Japan’s having fewer babies. Only 727,000 were born in 2023. That means fewer young workers in the future—and more pressure on the pension system.

Japan will need to be creative in its approach to work and retirement to keep up. Let’s see how it all unfolds!

Your Sensei,
Hikari 👩🏻‍🏫