Reasons NOT to Work in Japan
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ธ.ค. 2024
- Hey guys! Welcome back to my channel!
So I finally quit my corporate job in Japan after working as a salaryman for the past 3 years!
This is possibly the most nerve-wracking video that I’ve made, and I rambled a lot and ended up talking too fast here lol
But hopefully, you can get something out of this video!
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I knew a Japanese guy in the same position as you, he was an English speaker with education in a British university and he was unhappy with the working system, long hours and poor salary, so he found the sweet spot by staying in Japan but being hired by a western foreign company.
That's a pro gamer move right there!
:O That's actually pretty interesting! I hope he's happy with what he's doing now
The western companies stick to a mon -fri, 40hr week mainly? No wacky hours?
i would love to do that, where i work i am sure it could be a possibility somehow due to it being a worldwide company to some degree. but i wouldnt know how the working day would pan out, whether i would have to work during the night in japan to be able to work with my team on GMT
@@xtxt9135 probably still have to work over time and stuff but less than at a Japanese company. Probably don’t have to go out drinking every night. I live in New Zealand and my dad does 1-2 hours unpaid over time everyday.
I think that most of your subscribers, at least me, would watch any kind of content you produce because you're naturally entertaining and seem to make the most out of every content idea. Keep going strong!
nah brah, I'm here for the japanese hookup guides.
This comment is 100% true omg
yes I agree
I agree with Nathan.
I'm here because I think he's hot.
For non-japanese people that want to work in japan:
1. Have experience
2. work for a western company (no overtime, no weird rules etc)
For Japanese people:
1. be a fresh graduate
2. work for 2-3 years in a Japanese company
3. leave and work in wester company
Seeing these comments about working in Western companies makes me think if that ends up becoming a trend amongst the youth to work at Western companies then the traditional Japanese companies will have to change their rules to attract the youth back again.
@@techcop519 Sadly, that's the only way to do it and to force Japanese companies to change. Some of them are changing but they are doing that very slowly, lack of CVs should speed up this process.
For the 1st part, true as long as your superiors are not Japanese. Otherwise, not much different from working in a Japanese company.
@@hydrazine799 for both parts it's true even when your manager is Japanese. Why? Well, it's very simple if your manager is forcing some over hours and things like that there is a high chance that his manager isn't Japanese or the people department isn't Japanese. This way they can quickly "fix" the problematic manager and adjust him to a new reality :)
how/where do i find western companies in Japan
"You should work to live, not live to work"
Certain countries have developed strange work cultures, taking pride in just the time they spend at work, and not about how effective they actually are.
I think the Japanese see that as a kind of humility though: not taking credit for their own performance, but recognizing that the work they do is a team effort.
I worked there, when I was tired and didnt work overtime with no additional salary, manager asked if how my tasks going before I left the office. That made me soooo disapointed as its not reasonable to me
@@alexanderfretheim5720 They have been experiencing the pitfalls of this mindset for the last 30 years. Constant recession, no new companies or innovations, no social mobility, a declining birthrate and aging population because there is no incentive to start a family in such a terrible environment, etc.
I lived in Germany most of my life and we also have this strange relationship with our work with the same results. Depression, low birth rate, pressure from your bosses, no gratitude. Your just a Number in the System and everyone loves you until your Performance decreases and no one cares what happened to you. Than you will be switched out. Working overtime is also very common. As soon as i started my first Job ever i Was told that 60- 70 hours a week would be normal and necessary for my development to get the Position i wanted, plus you need to be 100% efficient every hour. At least we have a lot of vacation compared to other countries and yes the laws are changing, but we live in a World of modern slavery where " live to work" seems to be common.
@@aoikemono6414 I think you're making a lot of assumptions here. Is it actually that Japanese work ethic/company culture that is causing the bad outcomes you state? I would suggest that it's more the product of Japan's government rather than Japan's business culture. In particular, the extreme (and often very predatory) mercantilism of Japan tends to lead to too many resources being taken up by long established industrial companies, while also preventing useful competition that could balance the market, while the extreme environmentalism of Japan (which an episode of Cowboy Bebop famously spoofed with a hippie Californicated version of Al Qaeda run by "mom") creates an extreme regulatory risk averseness that discourages new investment and leaves potential entrepreneurs constantly walking on eggshells. Insofar as Japan's culture contributes to it, I think it's more the curious lack of a real banking tradition in Japan: unlike Europe and North America, which benefit from two great banking peoples (the Jews and the Scots), India/Bangladesh, which has its own banking tradition, or China, Taiwan and Singapore/Indochina which, thanks to the Late Great British Empire, ALSO benefit from the Scottish banking tradition, Japanese society doesn't really have a great tradition of developing wealth through moneylending, which means there isn't really a lot of Venture Capital available and also means it can be hard to get enough inflation.
In other words, I don't think it's so much that the Japanese can't innovate (in fact, half of my occupations theory originated in Japan) as that they can't fund their innovation, because of a combination of no Venture Capital, no available resources and no tolerance for risk, especially regulatory risk.
Shunchan's videos are like a monthly salary you get it only once a month but the happiness when you get is fascinating
Quality over quantity 👌🏼
but I'll pay you weekly (OR BIWEEKLY) because i'm a nice CEO😎
@@SHUNchanjp can I get a vacation? Ur vids are just too much for me to handle (bc it's really good)(ngl)
And they get over in minutes just like your salary...
@@SHUNchanjp yes I'll pay you, as long as you don't think to subscribe to another youtuber... is what a shrewd japanese CEO would say.
(TM&C applied)
i've worked for a Philippine company and it was the lowest paying job i've ever had, but it was also the most happiest days of my working carrier,
but as my child grew I need more money to sustain my family, I ended up jumping towards a Japanese company, though my salary was tripled, I was starting to lose myself, I started to become easily irritated, I ate tons of food due to stress, gained twice my weight, and looked twice older as the stress kept building up from long hours and heavy work load, it even came to a point where fighting with my wife became a daily routine, till one day I hit my son for some stupid reason (i forgot) and a fight broke with my wife, while she cried and asked me "who are you?", that was the time that I finally realized how heavy my current situation really is, I sent a resignation notice right after that incident. It took me quite a while to go back to work since the pandemic hit during the time I quit, so I did freelancing for a while, then as time pass by, the heavy feeling I had every morning when I wake up was gone, I smiled more often, I no longer crave for food and my sleep was back to normal. I'm writing this not to discourage people to work for Japanese companies, but to let them prepare themselves if they ever decide to work for one, for me I was just not suited for it.
Konami is in the city I live in and I've heard horror stories. I work for myself and can close deals anywhere on the planet. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Filipino don't give small pay, we give strongest money in da world 🇵🇭🇵🇭💪💪💪💪 Stronger than US Dollar. Philippine Peso is world currency.
@@Ariverfish😂 You must be being sarcastic, right?
@@chris.productionsHe's not joking. that's how fake news spread to their country. Filipinos who believe in what their governement tells them is the perfect example of being a fool and guillable. poor countrymen, day by day they lose their own country.
@@Ariverfishyou are one toopid moth
This video resonates with me so much. I've quitted my office job (a Japanese company, not because of overtime but because I couldn't see myself grow any further) for more than half a year now and still figuring out my next step. I was so scared that I was alone it this but now seeing you in the same situation I feel less scared and lonely. Thank you for sharing, hope we will figure things out soon!
and you made feel less scared too! がんばりましょう！！
I'm sorry to hear, brave your self
I might very well go through the same thing eventually. Good luck to all of us.
@@danielwhyatt3278 good luck and wish us all the best! :)
@@danielwhyatt3278 Aim for a non-Japanese foreign company in Japan with a good pay. Odds of them having a better work culture is very high, but.. finding them on the other hand might be a bit hard but if you do find them, the payoff is going to be amazing.
I find you in a very unique niche of Japanese TH-camr. You're a Japanese national who grew up in Japan and produces fluent English content. Almost every other TH-camr living in Japan (whom I watch) is a foreigner who moved to Japan as an adult and even after years of living in Japan, will always view Japan through a foreigner's lens. Wishing you the best in your TH-cam. Don't be afraid to explore new topics!
There's also Yuta and Shogo and probably others so he's not the only one.
Don't forget Nobita the japan
Filthy Frank too lol.
Haha. Ironically he is viewing Japan through a foreigner's lens as we speak! Maybe it's because you can find his complaints more authentic, even though they are frequently the same as all the other foreigners, because he is native? Straight from the horse's mouth!
@@aoikemono6414 "he is viewing japan through a foreigner's lense as we speak"
is there something wrong with pointing out flaws in a socio-economic system?
I worked in Tokyo for a year and the experience was smooth. Everything was convenient, organized, but days were long. I came home feeling so empty, that I was a part of a giant economic machine that was Tokyo. I understood why there was alcohol available on every corner at 7-11s and Lawsons. Any acquaintances I met were too busy to meet up, so I had to frequent the bars just to be around people. The country is great if you aren't a slave to a company. It seems that the entire Japanese labor market is systemically coercive, but at the same time, employees are more or less taken care of, except for these "black companies" I have heard about. Thinking about semi-retiring in Japan soon now that the borders should be opening up to tourists, but I don't think I could work there again, maybe just teach a bit of English. People who fetishize Japan have a lot to learn about the inner-workings of the country. Great sacrifices are needed to keep the tiny country so rich, safe, clean, and quiet. Still, I find there was something spiritual about my experience there, the nature worship that might be from Shinto culture looked like it was still alive in Japan. Despite the country's faults I'm planning on going back and perhaps for good if I can sort out a visa. Thanks for sparking discussion Shunchan and anyone bored enough to read this comment.
I wasn't bored reading your comment. I appreciate you sharing your experience. :)
It doesn’t help that in japan you are taught from a young age not to question the superiors or the rules. People run themselves into the ground because it’s “the right thing to do”
Working culture really differs between different places in the world.
In my country, Sweden, you're basically looked down on if you work overtime too much (how much is "too much" differs between work places), and the employer and your fellow employees might start worrying about you. Also, usually you're not paid for overtime, but there are exceptions to this, mostly if there's an unplanned crisis that has anything to do with safety, for example if you work in IT and a security hole is discovered, then your employer might have some of the employees work overtime, and they're paid extra for it.
You are paid more if you work at "uncomfortable hours" though, this is not the same as working overtime, this is when your scheduled working during the night, on weekends, or on holidays, so this is mostly for facilities that have to be open or operative during non-usual working hours, for example the ER.
In Sweden there's also this thing where you're encouraged to leave your job at the workplace, to not bring it home. Things like turning off your job phone (if you have one) when you're going home from work, or to not look at e-mails after going home from work, etc. A lot of people still bring their work home, but you might be looked down on. I've heard colleagues being asked by an unamused boss why said colleague sent someone an e-mail after work-hours.
Another thing is that in Sweden people might get hired before finishing their degree. This is super common and also quite dangerous for the future. Basically, many companies, especially if you've studied any STEM subject, might hire you even if you have a few courses left, especially if you've finished your thesis but have a few exams you have to retake. A lot of people think they'll be able to retake those exams while working, and this might work for a few people, but the majority never retake those exams. Then, when they quit their job, because they want to work at another place, no one wants to hire them because they didn't finish their degree. So, they have to go back to university to finish their degree, or continue working on the company they started off with.
This is very true. The getting hired before finishing your degree problem depends on what your job is though. For example, if you are a programmer they wont care of you finished your degree if you are good at it. But in other type of work it's very important to finish the degree.
There's also a dislike for overworkers because they set the bar too high and don't want to be expected to perform at those levels. Like "please stop working so hard or it will reflect badly on the rest of us". I have heard that from friends working as teachers.
@@jerymarika You’re right, but I also think the “dislike” for overworkers is because the employer/boss is worried about their employees’ mental health.
So Sweden is very very progressive as always.
Interesting! Thanks for the insight into your country. It's a lot different to Australia. Many people seek overtime, which pays very well, and here we are overpaid (in my opinion). People in general have too much money and this fosters apathy, poor health, covetesness (spelling?) and lack of respect for the environment, as people just throw things away without a thought. It also makes it difficult for people with less money to get people to do things for them (eg tradesmen) or even other skilled people as everyone wants too much money for doing things as it it's accepted that people will just pay that price. BTW, my brother is married to a Swede and she is not popular in our family. My brother said early on that she "hates Australia" and we could tell that she doesn't like Australians much either. Which is fair I suppose, as there certainly is some low-life, feral, undesirables in our country. But not all of us!
@@SqueamishNerd yes I agree :D
"If it doesn't feed your soul, stop doing it." If something makes you unhappy, find a way to change the situation. (If you're able to.)
Good for you for stepping out of your comfort zone to try something new! Many times great things come from stepping outside our comfort zones. Leaping into the unknown.
As an American, I really enjoy your cultural perspective on Japan. I am exposed to a lot of Japanese culture but it is through an American or Western host usually, so I feel that the information is superficial or subjective to a Western view. I think what makes your channel unique is your dual perspectives on the Western and Eastern world, and I would be very interested to continue watching that sort of content, if you are having trouble figuring out your channel! You could talk about anything and I would be fascinated, how businesses run, what mannerisms should be used, etc. Thanks for the content.
You really hit the nail with employers 'dyeing' new entrants with the company's hue. I absolutely hated that with my last job, that they were trying so hard to remould my personality in line with the vision of the company, and that it went against everything I represented or stood for. Quitting earlier this year was one of the most liberating steps I've ever taken in my life. Well done!
Wow, I am so sorry to hear that :(
Moulding employees into what a company wants just reeks of inefficiency and redundancy. Haven't they heard of "leopard can't change its spots"?
To build a team that suits a company, they should have just filtered for suitable candidates during the hiring process and just get those who fits the company culture. That is the whole point of interviewing candidates; to find people who are a good fit for the company. To have to waste time to forcefully change employees personality is just plain stupid.
Yeah, when you work in such a place every morning that you come you start to feel the dread and anxiety, But when you quit you feel a weight lifted from you, like you can breathe better, life has meaning, and even when you are Job Hunting you are hopeful. at least I felt like that when I did quit.
I worked in a school that was trying to move internationally with an immersion program. It was moving in the right direction, but SO MANY JAPANESE TEACHERS HATED IT. One teacher even quit until the person in charge of this change himself resigned. Then she came back when everything was "back to normal". You're right that the laws are changing but the people's mindsets are not.
Could we have more context? Why were the Japanese teachers so upset?
@@danieldo545 Context? Watch Shun's video about everything he says about Japanese companies, then throw it out the window. That's the context. The Japanese teachers were upset that there was "positive" (at least in the eyes of people who are more globally aware) change. Being able to leave work ON TIME. Getting your one hour break after 8 hours of work (a legal requirement btw). Being able to have an actual summer vacation and not "you need to use your measly 10 annual leave days so you can have a summer break". Creating a more relaxed environment with short, concise meetings - not reading off a damn 13 page document all together and calling it a "meeting". The Japanese teachers hated this. They thought this was them being lazy. How dare we are able to leave work on time, while they (the J-teachers) had to stay behind? How dare we not have 3 hour long meetings to read off a 13 page document??
(spoiler alert: they don't NEED to stay behind - there's literally nothing stopping them from doing the same work TOMORROW)
Sorry if I sound like a bitch right now because recalling all of this still pisses me off.
Why are you think that something was the “right direction”?
@@Rusu421 you're telling me teachers getting the breaks they deserve and working smarter (not harder) is not something in the "right direction"?? Are you telling me you enjoy running out of paid holidays to use because it just so happens that your daughter/son/family is sick, so now you have to take leave unpaid? Or if there's a death in the family half way across the country, you aren't allowed to take it because you ran out of paid holidays to use?? And that you enjoy sitting at work doing NOTHING (absolutely nothing) because being at work is seen as "hard working" and not like, you know... encouraging people to work faster and smarter and more efficient so they can go home earlier???????? Seriously?
@@kansaibeyond I'm still confused. J-teachers were upset that their work environments and routines were becoming more 'efficient'? Was it the overtime pay that the J-teachers really wanted? Did they just want to come home late every night to stay away from their families? Are they depressed masochists?
I don't understand their logic.
I lived in Japan for about 10 years.
What I really didnt like the most was how even if you are absolutely right, you can get into trouble if you speak up.
And I dont even mean correcting or embarrassing someone in front of a crowd.
Basically just politely stating that what he/she said may not be correct.
I think Japan is a nice country but it's terrible to live in.
I felt that sincerely.
could you share an example of that with us? was it in the work place that this happened?
Because its a taboo and keeping that has shaped Japan today
Reading the room thingy
Is this just in work settings or everywhere else too?
Aw, best of luck to you, Shun! Figuring this stuff out isn't easy in the slightest (I'm still working on that, myself), but when you know it's time to make a change, then it's time to make the change! Hang in there! 👏👏👏
It is similar in Korea. My boyfriend is korean and we now live together in Berlin. He told me that he had to work long hours, than had to go to drinking sessions with colleagues and manager afterwards (You cannot skip these) and got barely any sleep. Plus they don’t get much holiday days in Korea. He loves his country but never wants to move back due to the bad working environments.
I'm moving to Japan because Japanese girls don't shave their pussy and that makes me really sad. Instead of complaining I' m going to educate the girls.
Another topic is "overqualification". My brother is a senior engineer for the American manufacturer of medical products. Prior this current job, he struggled to find the job despite his extensive knowledge in the material engineering and skills in solving the technical problems. Several companies felt that he was too "overqualified" so they couldn't hire him. During one interview, my brother asked point-blank the interviewer why "overqualification" was considered undesirable. The interviewer explained metaphorically that it would be hard to fill the cup that's already full. Geesh. Anyway, my brother is one of the most coveted employees at the company because of his uncanny abilities to figure things out quickly.
wow never heard that before...
it sounds like such a cool reason you could ever get rejected for tho tbh🤣
So they made up bs and would have to pay his wirth, he deserves appearently fully.
@@marocat4749 That's something I have suspected for a long time. Thankfully, his employer set his income higher than what is normally set for other engineers as to "hold onto him".
That happened to my dad many years ago, we lived in a small city and my dad was an architect but for various reasons he had been travelling all over the country in different projects and just had tons of experience, not just with construction, but with plumbing, electricity, project management, etc. After all that travelling, he tried finding a job at local companies, but he too was deemed overqualified, so he had to look for a job at a big city because locally no one could pay what he was worth.
Some companies, especially smaller ones, just can't pay for an overqualified employee because they all operate on a budget. Companies "know" how much X, Y or Z positions are worth and much they can bargain, they can offer more or less depending on the individual, but that's accounted for on their budget. A truly overqualified person is either a) outside their budget completely, b) someone that is qualified for a higher position than they're asking, c) someone so qualified that could threaten their immediate boss's position, or d) a combination of all of the above.
I'm glad your brother managed to get a job, because it really hurts the hardest when you're turned away from a job, not because you're not competent enough, but because you're just too good. It feels as though everything you've done to build up your career is hindering your success.
Overqualified basically means "We are not willing pay you as much as you deserve". This usually happens when you apply for a job that's way below your level of education and/or experience. Even if you would accept the lower pay and conditions and wouldn't be visibly bored/unhappy about the work, you'd still probably constantly outperform all your lower-qualified/inexperienced colleagues which would make _them_ look bad, so you'd basically still stick out like a sore thumb and your department would be that much harder to manage. Companies don't need that kind of headache and morale issues.
Wow, I never heard about "The fixed overtime payment" at all. Not a single blogger that lives in Japan ever talked about that (at least those whom I personally watch). Thank you for clarifying that! Keep up good work!
And that’s why Shun-Chan is genuine. No fluff.
That's what a salary is though. It's a yearly pay, divided up into checks once or twice a month, that never changes no matter how much you work in a day. Hourly is where you get paid by the hour, so all overtime is paid for.
Usually managers get salaries and anyone not a manager is hourly.
In the U.S. it just referred to as exempt vs non-exempt status when it comes to overtime pay
@@lainiwakura1776 in the UK most people who are full time have a salary which is just thier base hours, usually between 35 and 45 hours per week. then overtime is optional, but due to this, you can get a delay in the payment for overtime as it wasnt pre-planned into your wages for that month . the same applies to those who work to an hourly rate such as part time.
@@lainiwakura1776 In Poland you get paid overtime separately or you get those hours back as time off minimum 1 to 1 or with a bonus 1 to 1.5. The rules are complicated and also depend on when overtime happens like during holidays you get a rate of 1 to 2 etc. but planning overtime or working overtime constantly is illegal in Poland and your boss would be liable for making you work more than your contract.
I'm not a suitable candidate for Japan because I
* prefer to have personal choices
* prefer to follow individual freedom
* prefer to speak to the point
And I
* refuse to drink alcohol
* refuse to work like a robot overtime
* refuse to be like a servant of the boss
Whether one likes it or not, I am not going to change myself for others.
I know you're not sure about doing TH-cam full time, but I honestly believe that you have a charisma to do it! I can't imagine how difficult it is for TH-camrs to keep their audience engaged, but considering the ratio between the number of your subscribers and the number of videos you've uploaded, I think people obviously like you and enjoy your content!
Regardless, best of luck! ❤️ It takes a lot of courage to break from the mold, but I think you'll be happier for it :)
Shun's content is based off his life experiences though, dipping out of that to make videos full time wouldn't be a great move.
@@NShomebase Looks as though we'll have to agree to disagree :)
Shun, happy for your next journey. Thanks for your awesome content! Sending love from Texas!
TEXAS!! I miss the food there ❤️👍
This is so accurate. I had experienced working in Tokyo in a big client company and I would say that was the worse job situation I ever experienced in my entire life.
I even literally started to lose my hair due to so much stress at work, in addition to that are my daily train station experience sometime I even witness suicides in stations. gosh, just by recalling it makes me nauseous. I came back to my home country, although I was given a big offer to stay longer in Japan I didn't accept it because those times I realize most on how I should treasure myself better specially my health. I was still 25 at that time but I felt like I was 40 lmao
What is your country if you don't mind me asking?
Where is your home country?
fr fr no freedom tho
wow that sounds terrible... ok i think the jury is in, japan is officially a bad place to work.
@@Sage_Lucas seems like his from the Philippines,
Thank you for speaking up!! I am leaving Japan because I can’t stand the working system here, but I think it is great that young people like you talk about it, hopefully that will produce some serious change
I had a Japanese ex coworker (I quit, he didn’t) said that he didn’t see a future for him in Japan. So he quit his salaryman job and got a work holiday visa. He’s been working in Japanese restaurants in UK, New Zealand, Canada, and US. He says he’s happy being out of the country but doesn’t mind visiting every now and then.
@@thotslayer9914 My ex coworker is Japanese. I’m American.
@@thotslayer9914 Yes.
My Japanese friend warns this all the time, she says Japan is a great place to travel, but not for work
I love Japan and my stay there was glorious, I want to go back every year and visit every inch. As a doctor I met a hospital director who actually offered me a job! But then in another moment of the conversation he said "I get one day off a Sunday every month", and that's when I said, nah, I'm good.
just curious are you a doctor ?
@@Doctorrivers777 “-as a doctor”
Im pretty sure u wud have to take a japanese test prior that has a 95% failure rate
@@rambo9875 yeah, i know, but still, imagine going trough the task or learning Japanese and German (doctors there have to learn some German for some special notes they do), and actually passing those tests just so you can rest one day a month.
@@ICharlyl Having worked closely with Japanese, I can admit Japanese work ethic is stupid!
Germans and Belgians have them beat by LIGHTNING YEARS!!! They actually go straight to the point, think methodically and practically and try to comprehend a problem instead of wasting hours trying to "understand" what the issue actually is. Amount of hours spent at work without being compensated for it, is stupid!
Same thing happened to me over 20 years ago. I was on an upward career path within a prominent American entertainment company (think a large, talking rodent) but got sick of the politics and games so gave it up for a freelance career. My income dropped considerably, but it was so nice being able to pick who I wanted to work with and which projects I would pursue. It hasn’t always been easy, and Covid pretty much forced me into semi-retirement, but I don’t regret my decision one bit. Life is short. We’ve got to take control of our own well-being and happiness. Best of luck to you!
*Coughs*dis…*coughs* ney…
:O
Workplace politics are the worst.
thanks for explanation. as a non-Japanese I was able to work in Japan (IT) and somehow have relied on 基本情報処理技術試験 as the newbie card. I also met lots of Japanese university fresh-grad colleagues and most of the time, the salary will be mentioned in off-work nomikai, after 3 years I went back to my home country and continued working in IT industry. then after 7 years (10 years since Japan experience), I was able to get in touch with my previous employer that surprisingly offered the same figures in the contract. I politely declined as now as the salary was no way near with current and I only have to work at home. It was really weird and just got the light of that when I saw your video. Now I miss my Japanese friends and hopefully can visit back and have a lenghty talk in nomikai once more. good luck and I wish you more success!
job policy, number one reason to not live in japan. as well as some racist and manipulating people who will reject or use you.
For my case, I come back to my country after 1 year working in Japan, and 4 years after, I goes back to Japan, my salary is almost triple 🤔
Shun-kun, being a salaryman in Japan 🇯🇵 is like being a K-12 teacher in the USA 🇺🇸. We stop getting paid at 40 hours a week, but I guarantee that we put in 50-60 hours a week. I stopped teaching in June 2021 after 11 years.
What's a K-12 teacher? I'm not from America so I have no idea
@@valeriagomez1982 Kindergarten through 12th grade. 👍🏻
@@matthewjay660 oh :000
Not just U.S I think teachers in almost places are hella underpaid...in my country teachers have to do outside tutoring and stuff . They cannot really survive on their salaries even when our cost of living is not expensive
@@anhtho7042 omg, I didn't knew. Thanks for the information, really.
Sadly, this is what seems to happen to every Japanese person I've ever known that lived outside of Japan (mainly in the West) for too long; you start to question things too much (which isn't a bad thing), and it leads to this situation. One piece of advice if you want to work in the West again: Share your LinkedIn profile in the description, and if you don't have one, make one (and then share it in the description).
It's crazy considering how ridiculous things are in the West too. With more machines doing jobs you'd think the wealth would be spread throughout the community but no, it's still that top 1% that continue gathering all the wealth and everybody else working like dogs. Even 8 hours a day is absolutely ridiculous. The whole system needs a serious overhaul and it won't happen until people hit breaking point.
@@Maddolis You're absolutely right, and it annoys the heck out of me when I think about it. Trying to improve things as much as I can in my own little way.
West of what? 🤔
@@Halcon_Sierreno The western hemisphere of the world.
@@HartleySan So does that mean that Germans are Orientals since they lie to the east of the prime meridian? 🤔
I'm currently working for toyota here, I can say I have a pretty good work life balance. I'm a technician and I work for assembling the interior/dashboard of the car. Sometimes we change and work on other electronics, it's pretty easy if you ask me. I'm pretty happy with my current situation, I hope everyone finds a job they are happy and comfortable
Thats awesome but if youre Japanese, you'll know that Toyota is one of the very few "white companies" in Japana, most people here say that 99% of all Japanese companies are black
Nice try, Toyota PR manager ;)
whoa, you're very lucky to get a good work schedule in a japanese company. gl my g
found the toyota PR manager
Agreed. I also worked as a salaryman for 3 years just for the experience. It was exactly what I had imagined. A modern slave system, peer pressure, bs bureaucracy, and incompetent middle managers on a power trip.
That's sales around the globe LOL.
I appreciate you sharing this, I’ve heard about a lot of these before. It’s mind boggling some of the work practices that’re the norm there. You did good. Also you’ve got a great fashion sense, love the suit & the sweater
I love how you gave a balanced and detailed explanation that captures the mindset of both worlds, in combination of your own story, without degrading any culture. You have a way of explaining ideas and perspectives to others in a easy way:) Looking forward to more videos like this and good luck on fulfilling your dreams!
In my experience in white collar America, the only time my pay has annually increased >1% was by getting a different job. Company loyalty is one-way. I’ve been laid off alongside people who have been with a company for 15+ years.
the crazy thing is that in Japan, folks are starting to get laid off now, too. Forever jobs are drying up, yet young people are expected to continue to behave as if their job still is guaranteed. Companies are just starting to only bring them on as contract workers so they can scale the workforce up and down as they need to...like the west.
@@ChristopherCricketWallace They should continue to move to that direction untill the workers minds also change though being royal and wirk diligently is different.
That last reason really hit home with me! I work as a software engineer and my first job felt really behind on the tech they've used but I was pressured to stay by everyone I knew. Looking around I even saw plenty of people who have stayed for 20 or 40 years which scared me since alot of the skills I felt I was learning didn't feel transferrable as much as it was company specific. I'm much happier now having left and working for a company where I feel more room to grow and contribute.
late but, is working as an SE pretty good in JP? I'm too scared to work there but it's where I'd be most comfortable with outside my country and I've been told companies are either their too old fashioned or that there are barely any opportunities
You’re an independent thinker in a societal setup like that… and this quality will take you to a whole new level one day! Keep it up!!
I'm very grateful for conversations like this. Even though there is a low barrier for entry once you're inside it can feel as if you're trapped. Japanese companies always tell us they want flexible employees but it's time for us demand more flexible employers.
Congratulations on getting outta the rat race, Shun! My recommendation is to save up enough money to start your own business. Free thinkers don't do too well being put in boxes. Also, don't compare yourself to other youtubers. They play the game of getting views with clickbait and other sketchy practices. You provide honest, genuine perspectives on a very unique part of the world in fantastic english. Your value is in the fact that you are a free thinker who is unwilling to compromise your value system to make a quick buck. There aren't many youtubers that do that, because a culture of disingenuousness pervades on social media. So follow your heart, and think about those business models while you build your savings. Focus on ROI (return on investment) early on, and just do it! There is no fail, only learning what doesn't work at that moment.
One reason: Low Pay.
My Vietnamese cousin was the boss in the IT department who managed his Japanese employees at Fujitsu. His pay was 30,000 USD per year but it was still damn low for an elite manager position. In Vietnam, foreign corporations pay higher for this type of position. Of course, he also suffers discrimination from jealous Japanese underlings and bosses because he was among many Vietnamese in Japan gain elite positions at Japanese companies. Nevertheless, the main reason that most white-collar Vietnamese workers always abandon Japan, in the end, is always due to low pay, low career progression. My cousin now works for Intel in Vietnam with a salary of around 50,000 USD and his side business in entrepreneurship possibly boosts his total salary up to 100,000 USD as well. Japan highly hates entrepreneurship and free-market enterprise because all opportunities are reserved for LDP elites and political dynasties. Foreigners won't find any opportunity in a free market there unless Kishida starts his "New Capitalism" and reforms immigration laws as he has promised recently.
That's not a problem with free markets, that's a Japan's cultural problem.
Even in the video, if they fix their wages wage to hours, it will avoid that over hours problem, more hours on the job? Get payed more, less hours? Get payed less, this gives you and the employer the power to negotiate your hours rather than you work blindly while your employer doesn't care.
Also, you Vietnamese cousin is WAAAAAAAY above the Vietnamese average earnings, even in the Jaoanese company, you know that right?
But to be honest, i do not recommend being cheap service labor for first world companies, as one myself, is pretty easy to get abusive, the earnings are great compared to third country rates(mine is Brazil, and i work for an US company), but in the end... It's just better to pack everything and be a average joe that country (like i'm doing moving to New Zealand), it's less stress and the earnings are way better.
But your cousin still very talented, getting overseas job is not easy and making over $30k USD in a third world country is even harder.
But again, free markets are not bad, we need more of it in the world actually, you know, so less people need to submit to moving overseas for better opportunities because they home country sucks because of centralized power and economy.
(But we do need cultural changes, but there is no government that can actually solves this, usually, they screw the pouch and make it worst)
@@lucasbispodossantos5074 30k yearly is shit in Japan, this is a factory worker yearly salary (considering gross salary, net should drop to 20k max). You survive with 30k in Tokyo/Osaka tbh.
Keep making lots of videos man! One of the biggest appealing aspects from an overseas foreign perspective is that slice of life in Japan feeling. Capturing the essence of slice of life in Japan, like interviewing people about what they do in life, touring an old highschool and meeting your old teachers, stuff like that. You could walk up the street in Tokyo somewhere and talk about what each store is about and what the sell, maybe a story about a store, and that'd bring in 100k views haha.
I really love how you have a dual perspective of Japanese and US societal norms/issues. I think anything you put out, content wise, is going to be successful. It’s also a huge statement to straight up quit your job because you’re over it. Seeing people do that not only in the US, but also in Japan, is such a mood that I’m here for.
Just realize, Americans are more likely to quit their job over a minor inconvenience than a Japanese. Americans Iove to complain and Japanese are more resilient. That said, Americans are more productive, and are better at thinking out of the box
This video was very insightful. Thank you for sharing about how the workplace system in japan was like for you.
I really enjoy your videos (watching for the first time). I look forward to watching more of your videos!
Thanks a lot for making this channel man there are a lot of Japanese ppl that jump on this everyone loves Japan train on and make mindless videos but your channel is really unique it's hard to find a Japanese being so honest and natural about his life in Japan and also being critical with stuff at times instead of everything is kawaii
Also your humour, topics and your English are perfect keep that please ^_^
Ummm no? I only see foreigners fetishizing Japan and hence making excessively positive videos on Japan.
Most Japanese youtubers that cater to us foreigners are very open about this shit such as Nobita from Japan.
@@samuraijosh1595 that's so true and most of Japanese TH-camrs that target English speaking community tend to over criticize the same old issues as they know it gets more views which is another issue, just the opposite of fetish foreign TH-camrs.
On my first longer trip abroad, a teacher told us, that it might be hard to fit back into your original life after spending a long(er) time abroad... after a decade and 3 countries more, it seems to be true for me. And with the suboptimal work-life system in Japan, yeah, you probably made the right call. I hope you can go and explore, and you can continue your youtube side-career from anywhere. I believe that most of your users are more interested in you now, than just your content about Japan. Good luck!
Japan is a great country to visit and experience in chunks. On the other hand it is a soul crushing experience to live there for both nationals and foreigners.
I lived there 2 years and I confirm. Go for vacations not living
Are you a robot? Y'know how many similar comments like this i've read in other websites for the past few months and years now? It's getting annoying now. We all know Japan is the best place to spend your extra time and money in your bank account but that doesn't make them "GREAT COUNTRY" like your bot comment saying here.
you said PERFECT!! short and sweet! , every person i met who's in their 30's they arrived there a few years ago with big eyes and big dreams, after maybe 3-4-6 years, their feelings changed, from i want to live there to ,..." i cant wait to GTFO!! and go back to California or wherever others are from, its a very CROWDED lonely place!
@@crazypresci I'm moving to Japan because Japanese girls don't shave their pussy and that makes me really sad. Instead of complaining I' m
going to educate the girls.
@@mikederasmo7621 a crowded lonely place. Damn, that's so true
Hi, Shun, congratulations on your big move! It would be so interesting to have a video about that situation in Japan, for instance: someone leaves a "forever" job. So, there is any kind of protection from the government, there is any help, what are the possibilities, it is easy to find a job to survive while thinking about next move, etc, etc. How do other people, generally speaking, see this kind of decision in a society that "expects" you to be in the same job "forever"? Thank you!!
WOW, these are really good questions!! I wonder about unemployment here and how that works actually, or if it exists
Nobita from Japan did a really good video on this.
I've been working for 23 years as a salary man, half of it in NA and the the rest in Asia. A few years back, I had a break down while trying to balance full time work and schooling. Ended up not leaving my apartment for two months. I doubted everything and it was so painful so I'm glad you took the leap. My only advice to anyone is don't work because of a salary or think they should be entitled to open doors due to certain qualifications - you'll never be happy. Building character is more important, so work at a place where you and your company (or for a group of individuals) strive for the same goals. If you can't wake up everyday feeling like you need to get to work, then it's the wrong job.
I quit my job after 3 years working for a Japanese company. I found it very difficult to work with them.
I think the hate foreigners at their work place
Honestly I'm relieved of how open and free thinking you are. its not a trait i see in japanese people and its scary.
Good luck, Shun! I gifted myself Bokksu for Christmas this year and immediately decided to use your code over the dozens of other TH-camrs I watch because I know it would help you out more! I think you should try to do something with tourism since you know English so well and I think it might be more fulfilling for you to engage with more foreigners ☺️
ur the best!😊
Meanwhile here in the Philippines, you need at least 2 or 3 years experience or know someone inside the company, to get hire. Companies here don't want to waste their money on training newly graduates.Imagine even a janitor or a cashier need to have at least a year or two in college or uni? TF.
Japanese population is shrinking due to a low birth rate so there are more jobs than applicants. Due to conservative laws the Philippines population is growing faster than it's economy. Therefore there are more applicants than jobs. Hence the importance of ofw.
Job Poster : We're looking for a Computer Technician
Me : *Knows about computer hardware and also graduated from a IT course*
Job Poster : With at least 3 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Me : Understandable, have a great day.
So we need an experience to get an experience?
A janitor and cashier needs a 2 year exp in college? Really?!
@@ryokohonda4619 It's just an exaggeration, for now. Low-paying/minimum salary jobs such as service crew in Food Industry are easier to get because those companies are willing risk and train their new recruits unlike jobs with Average or above Average salary are MOST OF THE TIME needed an experienced individual for the job because they don't want to waste their resources train individuals that doesn't produced guaranteed results.
This is pretty much how employment works here in Philippines...
Edit: typo
Really, I would love that my country had this new graduate employment system. I spent almost 2 years after graduating in the same minimum wage job I did during University because no one would hire someone without experience on the field.
Finally I got one job a few months ago, but is freelance and not in IT (what I graduated on). So if they fire me for any reason, I will be back to square one.
This was fun to watch & educational at the same time. I never thought Japanese would have a work system like that. I'm from the Philippines as an IT Graduate, transferring from one Company to another. Ranging from a Technical Support to System/Network Administrator. Now I love my job plus it's Home base!. You just got to trust your instinct! Good luck on you bruh!
You are a great creator because you are genuine
Half Japanese & half British college student here. I agree that in Japan employers judge graduates on their potential as opposed to their experience which is a good thing, but that is not exclusive to the Japanese system. In the UK there are many routes you can take once you graduate, and some positions require more specialist experience than others. However many employers also highly value student's transferable skills gained from university as it is unlikely many graduates have a lot of real life work experience.
Another thing that I find completely crazy is how most companies in Japan got an age limit to their job offers. Many want employees not a month older than 40 and the younger the better. I really agree with you that they want a canvas as blank as possible so that they can shape that person into whatever they like. And it is actually illegal to discriminate in Japan over age like this, yet majority of companies, including the big ones, still write the age range/limit! Nuts!
and Simultaneous recruiting of new graduates.
I think they still put a age limit because Japanese people are known to not speak up or standup for themselves. They follow the rules and in survival mode. So this further enables companies to feel it's okay to do that. Omg if I was there though, if it takes 5 years lawsuit to happen I will make it happen
In my country, Indonesia, more extreme, the age limit to get a job is 30 years, even there are many companies uses a maximum 25-year-old rules. So many people here complain but the government doesn't care.
Congratulations,it's great you realised all this and prepared to move on,good luck and have fun doing so!
I know a lot of younger people who feel they have much more freedom to build a career doing what they want than in decades past--so things ARE changing, if you look past the traditional career 'rail' that leads from college straight into a major corporation.
By the way, I'd be happy to hire you if you're interested in working in a bar in Toyama.
I greatly admire your decision, I'm over 60 and retired, I lived in fear of losing my job and was afraid to leave my area for employment, take more chances when your young and don't be afraid of making mistakes
Good luck
Your words are great. Thank you sir.👍
I'm so happy for you. Many people endure very tense work schedules for years before they realize how detrimental it can be to their physical and emotional health.
I'm happy for you! I know for sure it's no easy choice. I was in a similar position. I felt I couldn't just sacrifice my life for work even though that's what everyone around was doing and accepted as normal. I decided Germany was a good place to move to because of their strict labor laws and went with it. Got a job after doing a Master's at an age that my peers back home would consider to be "too old". but hey, I have work-life balance now and always have energies for hobbies and interests instead of being a zombie for my old company. Everyone's different. I used to beat myself up by thinking "everyone's doing it. how come it's only you that feels so strongly against working your life away huh??" now I know that basically that's nonsense and YOU know what YOU'RE feeling. I feel you. It's not easy to go against the social norm. I sincerely hope you find what's best for you :) and check out Germany if you're interested 😁 (for the record I studied and work in English here and it's no problem at all for a white-collar job)
I'm struggling to choose between Japan and Germany....🙄🙄. On one hand, Germany seems to be really good at treating its workers like respectable human beings to some extent...but I'm not interested in Germany's culture or language or Germany as a place (not a lot of exciting places, right?), meanwhile, I'm interested in everything related to Japan except...its work culture.
Better work-life balance is clearly more important right? Right? 🤣🤣
@@samuraijosh1595 I would say so 🤣 I love Japanese culture as well. Learned the language when I was a kid even. Before Covid I would visit once a year and just have a relaxing holiday there, which was not possible before I moved to Germany due to lack of holidays... so ironic😂
@@samuraijosh1595 Simple, work in German save up money and have a full month trip to Japan every year. Just like me. Just not in German
Great insight into Japenese work culture. Thank you for the effort in making this vid.
40+ yr old from Canada who quit a salary career position due to the mental health toll a life of pursuing what I was incorrectly taught would be where I found my fulfillment.
You HAVE to do something though, a Grackle bird graciously taught me that lesson.
I hope you find what the purpose that drives on your survival is. Realizing that's a step means you're on the right path, bro.
One love, good vibes
What I always liked about YOUR channel, is that there's actual content here. Personal experience and your own analysis. Not just funny faces, gimmicks or reaction vids. It's the closest thing to actually living in Japan, for those of us that occasionally feel tempted... That said, if you want a break, look into Canada some time! (Same as US but much simpler for visas!).
The seniority thing is really the thing that keeps hitting me. Not in salary but Everytime I meet someone new at work or a new partner in Japan. I look very young, like. I look like a freshmen in college even though I'm early 30s , so meetings always start really awkwardly, as though they assume I'm new or don't know what I'm doing because of my appearance...
I guess that’s both a good thing and a bad thing at the same time.
I have the same problem. I look young and am short.
Yup. I'm 31. Look maybe 25 or less.
@@bagzhansadvakassov1093 theres not a big difference between 25 and 31 honestly...
Very interesting video! Thank you! Just came back from a vacation in Japan and LOVED it.
Holy crap. Huge respect for your decision. I lived and worked in Japan too and I am so surprised that you've made a move.
I can 100% understand where you're coming from, I've left to work in another country. I'm even more impressed you acknowledged the benefits of working in Japan too, which I never really thought of. I wish you the best of luck and health in your next adventure.
You really said everything I thought about the working system in Japan. The downsides are huuuuge. But the big big advantage is that you can get a job in any field, doesn't matter your degree. That's crazy haha here in Germany we need to get a piece of paper that states we visited a course/class/University/school for ANYTHING, probably even for cleaning toilets
Yeah but there's also the fact that we spend 5-6-7-8 years on a topic because we are interested in it and want to work in that field and then (mostly) proceed to work in it. I think I'd die if I spent 6 years studying Computer Science and found myself working, say, Marketing (Utmost respect to the marketing'ers out there, just an example!).
@@dracuella true for some. I never knew what I want to do for a living but am bound to one field now. I'd rather job hop and try different fields. But after a certain age, even unpaid trainings just don't work anymore.
@@Joy54 well I heard that degress are not important in Germany .Only skill matters and there are many institutions or training centers where you can enhance your skill after schooling.
@@thunderblow4333 you are wrong here. This was true decades ago but not anymore.
@@canisinumbra sad! I thought Germany is doing better than other countries.
Just came across your channel really informative and thank you for giving us an insight into Japan’s work life. Glad to hear you followed your dreams. Greetings from the 🇬🇧
As a Foreigner at a Language school in Tokyo im kinding riding on a similar path so I follow your logic almost completely… I know exactly what I’m signing up for… but still disheartened at the same time.
I love Japanese culture and, on several occasions in my life, I toyed with the idea of working in Japan as a software engineer. A few months ago I had a chance to speak to a local recruiter and was shocked to learn that a senior developer job in a major Japanese investment bank, one of the most coveted and best paid positions around, was only paying around $100,000 USD a year. And this was Tokyo. An equivalent position in London or New York would be easily attract 50% to 75% more base salary, excluding bonuses.
I was told that IT and software development are among the lowest paid industries in Japan, and precisely for the reason you mention: talented IT people usually like to change every few years because they need new challenges. In corporate Japan, they would be likely considered disloyal and unproductive, when the opposite is true.
Not true. Depends where you work.
@@gn7867 Tech startups treat their developers differently?
Not true IT jobs are amongst the highest paid jobs in Japan. Salaries however, are much lower in Japan as a whole compared to salaries in the US and the UK. I also work in IT in SoCal and I’ve been recruited by several companies in Japan and their comp and bonus structures are usually 30 - 40% lower.
@@cboy0394 I know salaries tend to be higher in those prestigious centuries-old conglomerates, even if what you actually do is just accounting or sales. A lot of technical and creative jobs, including IT, easily get exported to Korea, China, the Philippines or Vietnam. Even if the salary is OK compared to other profession, from what I read and the people I talked to, it's difficult to be in a happy place.
really? lowest paid? IT and Software development and web designer are ones of the highest paying job in my country because we dont have enough people in these sector. You could easily get a job with basic knowledge of web designing and coding and the salary will be higher than average in our currency of course.
So happy to hear and see your perspectives. I followed you on IG (while watching) I also did quit my corporate job so that I can work from home and be a virtual person. Ike sou!
I also just quit my job (working in retail as a cashier) after 3 years with the same company, so I can definitely relate. For me, the reasons I quit were mainly related to wages (way to low to live off of), turnover (I watched dozens of colleagues quit over the years), and distance (my commute on foot took over an hour). It was a tough decision, but I'm looking forward to taking some time for myself and considering what other options are available. Anyway, I want to wish you good luck on your search!
Friends don't let friends work retail. You CAN do better for yourself!
im working retail currently but im also lookin for a better job elsewhere in japan, my coworkers and my boss are really friendly but above that, the corporate isnt. ridiculously few holidays and chance of promotion being real low for a gaijin
Do what you feel is right for you. The japanese work environment has many problems that need to be fixed, but bc Japan is very traditional these problems might never disappear.
You did the right thing and I wish you success with what you are planning to do.
Japan actually has many changes in all areas of society, fairly constantly; if you think a decade or two is pretty quick. Much had changed since 2011, let alone 2001, or even 1971 or 1961. Japan is not as traditional as you might believe and the working conditions are not unchangeable. They can change and Japanese people as well as other working foreigners here will make that happen. Surely if you watch the legal space, by 2031 there will be more than a few changes. Surely changes will only be catching up to places like Germany but others will surpass. I mean as an American working here I can say that overall, Japan is much better for workers rights of all nationalities than America.
@@gavriloking5637 but that doesn't mean a lot, since the US has a long way ahead of it as well
i worked in japan as Mechanical Engineer from 2014 - 2019. yes my salary did not increase even I'm hard working and taking this over time hours. so i decided to quit my job and transfer into western company as a welder. I'm in good situation now lol. this guy has legit opinion.
Hey do you work from Japan now? Or did you move to a western country for it?
Thank you. That cleared up some issues I wasn't clear on.
Seems like many in your generation world wide are questioning the traditional order of things and are seeking a new and better way of working. I think this transformation is important and am looking forward to continue watching it develop.
Great video man, makes a lot of sense and is really unfortunate to hear so many people are trapped in that cycle. I left a financial planning company for similar reasons after 5 years. The world is just too big and connected to waste time making someone else rich. We could all die at any moment.
This is actually a good and valuable insight in how the system works if its a consistent thing and not just a thing happening to you and your circle
Been working for a Japanese company outside Japan for 5 years now and it's funny how what you are describing is what I actually observed. Thanks for sharing us this video, it's sure insightful for a non-Japanese like me.
It sounds like starting your own company with the culture you desire is the way to go. Of course that's easier said than done, but it's also not impossible. I'm rooting for you dude!
Yeah, and maybe that baby step would be the better way to introduce a new system in the culture. But of course as you said it is easier said than done.
Most likely wont work out as simply other companies in that vicinity will beat him in terms of pretty much everything where he will be forced to take more drastic measures to survive himself with a similar stressful culture just to stay afloat.
I can say working in Japan is different. I have so much stress here, everyday is tiring, I’m complaining more than ever 😢
Thanks for your perspective! After living in Japan for nearly 20 years and talking to many “salarymen” and “salarywomen” from various ages (and interacting with my Japanese relatives), it seems accurate. The “nenkojoretsu” (age hierarchy) which restricts freedom of speech and action, and justifies bullying and abuse by those that are even just one year older than you for your entire life HAS GOT TO STOP. It’s a remnant of Confucianism and Japanese (as well as Koreans) must shed this outrageous, outdated feudal mentality.
In Japan, there are many instances of younger people bullying older people.
I have NEVER been bullied by an older person in Japan.
Not much to do with Confucianism, rather a political/social remnant of edo period.
That's not the issue. The issue is the way they adopted modern capitalism. This post-industrial society causes mental health issues even in the West. Social rules makes life easier and less stressful, but lack of balance in work life is destructive
As if bullying and abuse don't happen in Western companies too lol. Also, judging by your comment, you don't really know much about Confucianism... You should read the Analects of Confucius, you might find them very enlightening actually.
@@Perceval777 They are not institutionalized in western companies. You can report bullying and abuse so that they stop for they are not considered normal unlike in Korea and Japan. See the difference now? And yes Confucianism has a lot to do with it, as it does promote blind acceptance of an elder than you person to be authority, regardless of whether that person actually should be considered an authority.
My wife being Japanese once told me, that her now late father who also were a salary man, had tuaght her that during the day salarymen earned their pay and at night (the overtime) was when they earned their money. I have kept this in my mind ever since, now that I'm a salaryman too!
Fascinating to hear the working culture over at Japan. I personally had the luxury in my own country to job hop as a fresh graduate. It's been less than a year and I've been in 3 companies and I just completed an interview for the next company chasing a better position title. My salary has been really decent and currently earning above average than the market salary for the position. I would consider myself an extremely fortunate individual :)
Are you from the US?
@@tasfiahnabani8719 I’m from Australia :)
@@wubwub4099 I'm omw to Australia 😂
hey man power to you. Things sound very rough over there with working to be honest. I've even wanted to quit engineering work all together here but the real question is, what to do after.
i hear you, man. I love the work; but HATE the job.
I’m with you there. It’s always the worry of what to do after that’s the biggest thing. And if you don’t know if you can actually get the position, if you have to go back into education to get some sort of new qualifications or whether the job might just be as bad as the current one but in a different way, I can really hold you back.
Walking from jobs has been some of the hardest and best decisions of my life. One I look back on now, and wish I'd made a different choice, but honestly, I knew I didn't have the skills to progress there. Most though, I look back at now, and it was a good choice. 20s is a great time to set yourself up for happiness later. Whatever happiness means to you.
I wish you the best results with however you choose to go forward.
Have worked for part time(the hours are near full time)during university and full time after graduation in total 7 years and burned out and also questioned about my life, left for foreign countries to do what I truly wanted to do and see the outside of world. I appreciate I learned work ethic and stamina to focus on things I love, but happy to be in Europe now even though I have ti face other struggles. I loved visiting my family and travelling in Japan a lot last year though ❤
Thanks again for sharing! I work for a Japanese multinational in Europe, maybe you can try that? Someone with your language skills would be a great link between local EU or US HQ and the Japanese HQ. Some of our Japanese expats never leave :)
I've lived in Japan for 5 years during my university degree. I've always thought that I'd stay and work in Japan after I graduate.
During my 2nd year I had to start baito at a yakinikuya in order to pay my living expenses. While I did out of necessity, it turned out to be one of THE BEST things that had happened to me while my period in Japan. It helped me develop my Japanese to levels I wouldn't otherwise, it obviously helped my financial situations, it build my work ethic and thought me a lot of things about Japanese work culture (don't get late! LOL, like ever!) and most importantly of all due to the nature of the work I was able to meet a variety of customers from different professional fields.
I've chatted with customers from banks, TV, doctors, lawyers and professional sport players. It gave me quite the insight into how the environment in these industries feels.
As I was about to graduate, I understood some important points about Japanese work environment and work ethic, which I wouldn't agree with. For example, I felt that there are too much meetings happening, too much time waste overall. The social pressure to stay and do afterhours, or don't leave work to see family, because boss/senpai hasn't left the office yet. I see that, I understand it in the context of the Japanese culture and I just couldn't agree with it.
One thing I appreciate though was that WORK STAYS AT THE OFFICE/workplace.
I heard that recently ( past 5 years or so), things are changing. For example saying "No" to a casual nomikai (not bounenkai) is ok in some companies. But I see what Shuncyan shares here as a possibility - that in the nowadays COVID-19 world, dragging all this extra work home would make you feel like a slave indeed.
I hope things change for the better.
Ive had a similiar experience but in Korea. I studied there and was like „yup this is the place where I want to live“. I wasnt allowed to work with my studying visa unfortunately. After talking with my friends who were already working I realized how messed up the workig culture is. All the dinner after works were mandatory, long vacations are not commen and in academic fields it was even worse.
TLDR, I left the country.. I loved living there but if I work there, I wont have time for living. So whats the point of staying :(
during my college I was always study until late at night. So I thought it would be okay if I worked overtime like I did in my uni. However, the reality hits me when I worked my first job. For almost six months always had overtime on daily basis, sometimes even took my weekend and somehow there's no end to it. I lost contact with my friends, feeling lonely. That is I am still work here in Indonesia, and I am sure it would be much more in Japan. You guys are hard worker, I salute you and sympathise you.
You’re fantastic Shunchan! It’s so courageous of you to quit a full-time job to pursue your real happiness. Not many people have that kind of conviction. Happy to watch your videos. Also, you look quite good in a suit! (The men in my life only wear a suit for special occasions so it really doesn’t have the same meaning to me as a salary man.)
I used to work in the Philippines and dodged a bullet when I rejected an offer for a big Japanese corporation. Some of my friends who grabbed that offer fell into the group you described that fear of not being employable in other companies.
You've got editing and creative skills and I'm speaking as a retired Advertising professional from NYC with over 20 years of experience. Heck, you've got 40x more subscribers than my small channel so that should be a good gauge as to your abilities. Keep it up Shun.
i guess but if every one is the super star where do all the supporting actors come from? a corporate mindset might be old fashioned but we don't have luxury air travel anymore - we do have companies who lay off people approaching retirement and quiet hiring. there is the trade off -don't have kids
This video made me remember something I heard many years ago, I don't know from where, but it was about just how much Japanese people work and when they work with Swedish companies they could be frustrated during the summer (June, July, August) just because that is the time of the year Sweden pretty much... shut down... it's summer holiday time and with our 4-7 weeks paid vacation and more or less everyone takes it at once... it's easy to see why.
Honestly that sounds great
may i know if the university in sweden use swedish language or English
Wow
As working goes one thing i have noticed in three different countries I've worked in. Companies will squeeze everything you got from you and even if you die you will simply be replaced. It doesn't matter how much work you do what matter is no one sees you idling often, as long as company schedule is being met no one cares how much you work compared to your workmates. People who "spy" for bosses and suck up to them will always advance in workplace compared to people who work and mind their own business. Only when company is doing poorly and has to let some people go will they really look into performance.
Yeah and honestly you don't need to worry about that. Jobs are way easier to get than you think, especially if you aren't picky. (Remember: if it's too far below your level, you don't even have to put it on your resume, in fact you're encouraged not to, which eliminates 95% of your accountability to that employer.) Just be responsible with money and even when you lose your job you'll get back on your feet again before there are any serious consequences.
Thank you so much for sharing your insights ! The story your shared sounds pretty much like corporate cultures in Taiwan, where many people still hysterically
embrace the incredibly long working hours, along with the thought of seniority-based system.
I personally think in the next 5 to 10 years, the number of freelancers across developed countries across Asia will be consistently on the rise because of that. Anyway, thanks for the video !
Good, cause if nothing changes, all of your skilled programmers will be here in EU lol. Btw people from your countries are sometimes even looked down upon because of this culture, basically Europeans are afraid that people who worked in Japan / Korea / China / Taiwan etc. are taught to focus on long working hours, instead of productivity and would not understand our working culture. While Europeans in IT work less than 40 hours (lot of my collegues work 32-36 hours per week) and working 50+ hours is something shameful, not appreciated. Basically it is shame for your employer that he forces you to work that much, shame on you that you have to work that much to do your job and shame on the government for letting that happen. In my country it would actually be illegal in lot of cases and my employer does not even allow me and my colleagues to have net overtime. I can work for 60 hours one week, but then I have to work 20 hours the next week so at the end of the year I do not have any overtime on average.
As someone who has worked more than 60 hours a week for years, I have to add, that it is highly ineffective to work that much, at least as a programmer. You don't get more done, when you're constantly overworked, you're always out of breath so to speak, you don't have the concentration for the work you do, you're consantly making mistakes, that you then have to correct with more time, than if you would have done it with high concentration in the first place. So its a constant loop of getting things done quickly because of tight project plans, and then correcting those Projects because there are too much errors in it, because you're constantly overworked.
Everyone of the higher ups in a company who thinks that is a good idea, is not very bright. Higher ups often think, if I do 60-100 hours a week, so the others can. Problem is, those Executives have a loooot of meetings every day, they write a lot of mails, a lot of Excel and Presentations they do, they give a lot of Orders to lower tiers, thats not the same work as someone who does 10 hour shifts as a programmer or a engineer or someone who is brewing beer for example.
As someone who has worked more than 60 hours a week for years
====> As someone with a brain, I have to tell you you lack boundaries!! Learn to set them, I hope you changed the way you view work, because anything remotely IT related, 40 hours is a bare max! Hell even working 8 hours straight causes a person to "go in overdrive". Thank goodness for Covid and home office!
Bro the quality of your videos and content are amazing. Keep it up.
This is am amazing video and I love hearing your perspective. I didn't fully "believe" what I had heard about the grind in East Asia before I moved and started working here, and let me tell you, coming from a western country it is a very very hard and fast shift to face the sheer amount of work expected of you. I like to consider myself a high energy and hardworking person but overtime hours 5 days a week with little to no PTO is brutal on all of us! I work as a private school teacher in Korea btw.
Also ur cute nice cardigan
great video. It tackles and explain the Japanese work culture more in details, and it answers a lot of questions. I love Japan, but I could never work in this typical Japanese companies.