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Big in Japan: Man works himself to death, company compensates wife
Ever hear the joke about the Japanese man who worked himself to death?
Guess what? It's not a joke...
According to the Associated Press (AP), last week a court in Japan ordered the Toyota Motor Corporation to pay compensation to a woman who argued that her husband died from overwork.
According to woman's lawyer, Kenichi Uchino (the departed) had been working overtime as a middle manager at a Toyota factory when he suddenly collapsed and died in February of 2002.
He was just 30 years old.
Before dying, Mr. Uchino had logged 80 hours of overtime a month for a sustained period of six months, and had logged 114 extra hours the month he died.
Sadly, Mr. Uchino is anything but an isolated case. In fact, the Japanese even have a word for punching the clock until you drop.
Working yourself to death is known in Japanese as kar?shi (???), which directly translates to "death from overwork."
Known in medical circles as occupational sudden death, the major medical causes of kar?shi are believed to be stress-induced heart attack and stroke.
Depressed yet? Keep reading as the story gets worse.
Gallery: Japanese Food
Sources indicate that the first recorded case of karōshi was in 1969 following the death by stroke of a 29-year-old man in the shipping department of Japan's largest newspaper company.
However, karōshi was not officially recognized until 1987 when a large number of business executives started dropping like flies during the glory days of the famous "Bubble Economy."
Following an intense media campaign, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor began to publish annual statistics on karōshi.
Out of morbid curiosity, would you like to hear the statistics for 2006?
Of course you do!
Last year, an estimated 355 workers fell severely ill or died from overwork. This is the highest recorded figure on record, and is sadly a 7.6 percent increase from 2005.
In 147 of these reported cases, individuals died of either strokes or heart attacks.
It gets worse.
A separate 819 workers reported suffering work-induced mental illness. In 176 of these reported cases, workers killed themselves or attempted to do so.
And now back to the original story...
Not surprisingly, karōshi lawsuits are on the rise throughout Japan, and relatives of the deceased have been increasingly awarded compensation payments.
In fact, the protocol has even been streamlined!
Before compensation can be awarded, a specially designated inspection office must acknowledge that the death was work-related. However, this can take several years, and a precedent has been set for court cases to bounce around various judicial systems.
Here is the clincher:
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour also reports that the leading cause of karōshi is the practice of voluntary undocumented unpaid overtime, which is known as sabisu-zangyo. Just to clarify, that means that Japanese workers are choosing to work longer hours without documenting their time or seeking compensation.
On that note, it's nearing midnight here in Tokyo, and suddenly I feel as if I've worked enough for the day...
** All photos were taken by the Associated Press (AP) **
Gallery: Japanese Fashion
Filed under: Business, Asia, Japan, Big in Japan
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Megano Dec 6th 2007 10:09PM
I love this blog!
lol Dec 10th 2007 4:38PM
i say lol, its the dumbest thing.. if he was working too hard he could've just stopped. instead he dies. but sympathies to whoever knew him
Waco Man Dec 10th 2007 5:36PM
Of course, things like smoking (which the man is shown doing) and other factors (diet, ancestry, lifestyle) were accounted for. Give me a Break! These lawsuits are as frivolous as the "McDonald's Made Me Fat" lawsuits!
Will Dec 11th 2007 5:34PM
my mom works 70 hour weeks I hope nothing bad happens to her like this guy
OzH Dec 10th 2007 7:23AM
How heartbreaking! It makes me wonder if the Japanese ever feel happiness :-(.
DAVID Dec 10th 2007 2:38PM
I KNOW SOME AMERICANS THAT WILL NEVER DIE FROM KAROSHI!!!!!!!!!!!
georgia Dec 10th 2007 5:02PM
hey now that is funny!...David
Dr Al Dec 10th 2007 2:40PM
80 hours a month overtime? That's a typical month for me. I better slow down!
Fred Dec 10th 2007 4:34PM
Dr Al said...
80 hours a month overtime? That's a typical month for me. I better slow down!
Dr Al: So you work 40 hours straight time and another 20 hours plus? Guess what, I believe you. I used to do the same for many years until I ran on the fumes of stress. Yeah, I made good $ but my health suffered.
Derek Dec 10th 2007 7:45PM
During my last deployment to Iraq I worked at least 128 hours of overtime (based on the standard 40 hour work week) every month for a full year. It is a wonder I did not die from that. Then again, the Army will tell you that you are a soldier 24/7. My best wishes go out to all the servicemembers who are still serving over there. Stay safe.
kapunakeo Dec 10th 2007 4:25PM
The Toyota Corporation should have management restrictions to prevent this from happening. Next time you a buy a Toyota hybrid or Lexus just think about how many people may have died or killed themselves from over-exhaustion making your "energy" saving car.
Susan Dec 10th 2007 2:46PM
Sadly, this sounds just like my husband but we are in the good ol' USA.
Sparkles Dec 10th 2007 3:17PM
This sounds just like my dh too. He is a salaried employee so there is no compensation for ot. he has 6 unused vacation days that he is going to lose too. He won't take any time off before the end of the year. His bosses love him. He never calls in sick, is never late, and never leaves the office until everything is done. It's going to kill him. His employer will send a beautiful flower arrangement.
USABorn Dec 11th 2007 5:23AM
I can agree w/Sparkles on the no extra pay for most salaried employees.I was a supervisor for MANY years and was never paid extra but I had to stay to make sure the work was done and had to put up with all the grief & aggravation the regular employees didn't have to put up with.They worked alot of OT and some made more than I did when we compared W-2s.My spouse & I both work hard for the house with the big yard, 2.5 children,2 vehicles and pets.We took our first vacation together this year since we've been married since we could never get the same weeks off.One or the other would take the kids on vacations to beaches,theme parks and visit family in other states.We're happy & our kids grew up to be well behaved,well adjusted & happy but it would have been more fun to spend more time together as a family like my parents did with us growing up.We made sure they have plenty of good memories and still more to come.Times are different today.I won't complain about politics,past or present wars or another Country's beliefs since there are enough idiots on here doing that.We both also come from military backgrounds,not just Fathers or Uncles but brothers & sisters as well,all branches covered between both our families together.As always some people have to complain or they're not happy.That's why there will never be peace and acceptance amongst our neighbors in this Country.Predudice,bigotry & ignorance is not what the USA is supposed to stand for.And the major majorityof all of us all have a family history that traces back to other countries unless you are a Native American Indian.My prayers go out to that man's family and others like them,no matter what country they come from.God Bless America,we have a long way to grow.
Pat Dec 10th 2007 3:26PM
Is it possible to golf yourself to death? I think not.
tempts Dec 10th 2007 3:04PM
I feel that way sometimes too. I am 27 and don't foresee a long happy life for myself. I can sympathize even though I'm not dead yet
jeff Dec 10th 2007 3:48PM
very interesting!
Wyatt Dec 10th 2007 3:54PM
Maybe he would have lived alittle longer without the cig stuck in his hand!
chris Dec 10th 2007 3:35PM
Thats not nothing 80 hours over in a month. Kroger in Louisville KY forced there warehouse workers 70+ hours a week for 13 months straight and were told if you dont like it quit. So you can't blame the company he could have quit at anytime.
dr. sausage Dec 10th 2007 8:54PM
TO QUIT IN JAPAN IS A MAJOR DISHONOR.IT'S BEYOND OUR COMPREHENSION. I THINK THE BUSHIDO CODE COMES INTO PLAY HERE.