Have you ever thought that the modern world has become so damn small? No, the size of the planet has remained the same as before, but our perception of this size has changed significantly. Take Japan, for example. If a hundred years ago it would have taken you weeks just to get there, today planes shorten the journey to hours, and numerous video bloggers make any travel unnecessary at all.

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The author of the video is an American living and working in Japan and she shares some unusual local work customs

Woman highlighting work rules in Japan, smiling and pointing with a finger.

Image credits:the.hito.bito

The first one is that you shouldn’t leave the office before your boss – even when the working day is officially over

So, Megan says that working in a Japanese company is associated with the need to observe many different traditions and customs, and she gives three of them. The first is that you cannot leaveworkbefore your boss leaves the office.

Yes, that’s right. While we’re used to the fact that the working day has fixed limits, and working overtime is something out of the ordinary, in Japan, it happens literally at every step. And, as the original poster (OP) says, she has even heard rumors that trains don’t run at night here so that employees don’t stay late at work.

Cartoon warning poster in Japan advising against rushing onto trains, depicting a distressed commuter.

Woman holding a card, highlighting work rules in Japan.

The second – when someone else gives you their business card, you should take it with two hands, giving a slight bow

Next, the second unwritten rule that Megan talks about is the art of giving and taking business cards. So, listen and remember carefully. If a Japanese person gives you their business card, you need to take it with both hands, while giving a polite 30-degree bow. And God forbid you then put this card in your pocket!

Japanese work chart with icons for trees, houses, animals, and groceries, showing cultural work rules.

People clinking glasses in Japan, highlighting work rules with drinks on a wooden table.

Finally, the author says, companies have regular questionnaires regarding employees’ health

Finally, the third custom is regular questionnaires about the employee’smedical statusthat must be filled out, and which look quite unusual. For example, a superficial study of the pictograms allows us to assume that the employee may be allergic to cats, dogs… or even houses?

To an American, Megan continues, it seems rather strange for a company to know detailed information about her health, but the local tradition remains a tradition. And since you’re in Japan, you should respect Japanese customs, right?

Woman exhausted at work, highlighting Japan’s oppressive work rules.

Image credits:Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Japan has really built a huge economy with its work ethics – but it nevertheless causes serious health issues for many employees

Japanese office workers in a meeting, with laptops and documents on the table.

“95 percent of my cases used to be middle-aged men in white-collar jobs, but now about 20 percent are women,” Pulitzer CenterquotesHiroshi Kawahito, a Japanese workplace accident lawyer. This quote dates back to 2016, and the situation is unlikely to have changed for the better now.

People crossing a busy street in Japan, showcasing cultural and work dynamics in an urban setting.

Image credits:Cory Schadt / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Statistical data proves that the vast majority of  Japanese employees today feel insecure and stressed at work

You can watch the original video here

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Thanks! Check out the results:Gabija Saveiskyte

Justinas Keturka

Work & Money