Japan Moves to 4-Day Workweek as India Discusses 90-Hour Schedules

While India debates marathon work hours, Japan takes a human-first approach, rolling out a four-day work policy to address social and demographic concerns.

Japan embraces the global shift toward a four-day workweek, aiming to reshape work-life balance.

As global conversations on work culture evolve, Japan has embraced a progressive shift—implementing a four-day workweek to boost work-life balance and support its ageing population. In contrast, a growing chorus in India has advocated longer working hours, even proposing 70 to 90-hour weeks to accelerate national growth.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government recently introduced this policy to help working parents better balance professional and personal responsibilities. Governor Yuriko Koike emphasized that no one—especially women—should have to choose between a career and starting a family. "We want a society where life events like childbirth don’t disrupt careers," she told the Tokyo Assembly.

India's Call for Longer Work Hours

Back home, corporate leaders like Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan have sparked debate by urging Indian professionals to extend their work commitments. Murthy previously called for 70-hour workweeks, while Subrahmanyan took it further, suggesting 90 hours might be necessary for India’s development.

These statements have drawn both support and criticism, highlighting a growing rift in how different countries approach productivity and wellbeing.

Japan’s Demographic Crisis at the Core

Behind Japan’s shift lies a deeper issue: a rapidly ageing society and falling birth rates. The nation’s fertility rate stands at just 1.2—well below the replacement level of 2.1. In the first half of 2024 alone, only 350,074 births were recorded, a 5.7% decline from the same period in 2023.

The shrinking workforce is pushing policymakers to think beyond traditional employment models. Research shows that shorter workweeks encourage men to share domestic responsibilities more equally. In trials, men on four-day schedules spent 22% more time with children and 23% more on household chores.

Global Trend Toward Shorter Workweeks

Japan isn’t alone. More than 200 British firms representing over 5,000 employees have adopted four-day workweeks. Nordic countries like Norway, Denmark, and Austria lead with average workweeks of just 26 to 28 hours.

Meanwhile, countries like Yemen, with only 25.9 hours per week on average, show that reduced hours aren’t just a Western concept. However, other nations like Bhutan and Sudan still average over 50 hours a week, showing global diversity in labor practices.

As the world navigates how to align productivity with human wellbeing, Japan’s experiment offers a glimpse into the future—one where fewer hours might actually lead to better outcomes for both people and economies.