Employee worked for six months straight without day off
The suicide of a 7-Eleven manager in Oita Prefecture has been officially recognised as a work-related incident after findings that he worked for six months without a single day off.
The decision was made following an investigation by the labour standards inspection office, with the certification issued on November 6, 2024.
The man died in July 2022, leaving behind a suicide note in which he described the emotional toll of his job.
"Long hours with no breaks are the norm," he wrote, as quoted by The Asahi Shimbun. "No matter how hard I work to fill shifts, it’s just too hard for me."
He also noted: "Being a convenience store manager is simply another way of being taken advantage of.”
The labour standards inspection office found that the man had not taken a single day off in the six months before his severe depression, which he developed the day before he committed suicide.
According to the office, the man continued working to ensure the "smooth operation of the 24-hour store, including filling in (for other staff) on their shifts." He also did it to ensure the "store was staffed, including for late-night work."
The problems stemmed from the manager's assignment to a new 7-Eleven store that was opened by his employer, where he did not have sufficient staff or managerial support.
This left the manager without any choice but to take on all store responsibilities, including filling in for absent workers and working late-night shifts.
"Around the time he was appointed manager of the store, his duties increased… and he could no longer take time off," his widow said, as quoted by The Asahi Shimbun.
She added that her husband eventually started losing his appetite and would start yelling in his sleep.
According to the news outlet, the store's work rules dictated at least one day off each week, but a separate agreement allowed employees to work five holidays per month, removing any limits on consecutive workdays.
The store owner claimed that overwork had a role in the manager's death, but the labour office rejected it for not having sufficient evidence. It then ruled that the manager's condition was a result of his work.
The widow of the manager called for greater accountability from the head office of 7-Eleven Japan, which has about 20,000 franchise stores.
"I would like to see the head office do a better job of instructing and educating its franchisees that it is not right for workers at convenience stores, even those that are open 24/7, to work for six months without taking a day off at all," the widow said.
But the head office, citing the number of franchises, said it is "physically and objectively impossible" for them to check each employee's work status individually.
The head office did not comment on the labour standard inspection office's decision, saying it was not aware of its decision.
However, a spokesperson told The Asahi Shimbun that store operations are based on a clear division of roles between member stores and the head office.
"The management of human resources, including hiring, training and labour management, is the responsibility of member stores," the spokesperson said.
