Japanese workers suffering from work-induced mental health disorders hit new high: reports

The number of people suffering from mental health disorders due to overworking in Japan hit a new record high of 883, according to reports.

The recorded numbers are up by 173 cases from the previous year, Nippon.com reported, citing a whitepaper released in 2024.

According to the paper, these latest numbers include 79 cases of suicide and attempted suicide, as well as 216 cases of work-related brain or heart conditions.

Average working hours in Japan

These findings on overworking come as the total annual number of working hours per employee hit 1,636 in 2023, up by three hours compared to the previous year.

The average working hours go up for full-time employees, hitting 1,962 hours. For part-time workers, it totalled 952 hours, according to the report.

The paper also found that 8.4% of employees worked more than 60 hours a week in Japan, while the transportation and postal services industry recorded the highest rate of working over 60 hours (18.5%). Other industries where employees worked more than 60 hours a week include:

• Accommodation and food service
• Education and learning support
• Lifestyle services and entertainment
• Public services
• Construction

Reversing the overwork culture

Despite these findings, the report also found a marginal increase in the average number of leave days taken by Japanese employees.

In 2022, an average of 10.9 days of annual paid leave were used by employees, the fourth year in a row that it had been above 10 days.

Japan's workforce has long struggled with a culture of overworking themselves to death - dubbed as karōshi in the country - which the government has been trying to reverse in the past years.

Last year, Japan's Health Ministry called on employers to ensure that employees get enough sleep, urging them to set up minimum hours of rest and recuperation between shifts.