3 days a week, week off! This country’s initiative to improve the birth rate

Due to the declining birth rate in Japan’s capital Tokyo, a new initiative has been launched to improve the fertility rate. From next year, the rule of 4 working days will be implemented in the office. This means that now Japanese people will have to work only 4 days a week. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has announced that starting in April next year, employees will have the option to take three days off a week.

Overtime work culture became the reason for decline in birth rate!

In the last few years, it has been seen that people leave their career midway due to the upbringing of their children. This is also considered a major reason behind people not having children. Due to the policies of the last few years, the country’s fertility rate has declined significantly. The local administration is adopting many new methods to improve it.

Japanese couples will get a boost

Governor Koike said that during this time we will bring flexibility in working methods and ensure that no one has to leave their career to give birth or take care of a child. This initiative will be launched to encourage Japanese couples to have children.

According to the Tokyo administration, the scheme will also help parents whose children are in primary school. They will have the option to work less. This will lead to a balanced cut in their salary.

What is Japan’s birth rate?

• Now talking about Japan’s birth rate, last year only 727,277 births were recorded in Japan. It is said that Japan’s birth rate fell due to the overtime work culture.
• Which forces women to choose between career and family. According to World Bank data, gender employment inequality in Japan is higher than in other wealthy countries, with women’s participation at 55% and men’s at 72%.
• The four-day workweek framework was piloted globally by 4 Day Week Global in 2022. More than 90% of the employees involved expressed their desire to maintain this schedule. Other Asian countries such as Singapore have also placed emphasis on offering flexible working hours.
• It is noteworthy that the four-day workday was also adopted globally by 4Day Week Global, in which 90 percent of the employees expressed their desire to maintain this schedule. Other Asian countries such as Singapore have also placed emphasis on working hours.