# Japan’s Overwork Crisis Deepens as Mental Health-Linked Suicides Hit Record High

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/japan/241789-japans-overwork-crisis-deepens-as-mental-health-linked-suicides-hit-record-high
- Published: 2025-08-30T10:23:00+07:00
- Author: J. Allan

Japan is facing a renewed reckoning with its long-standing overwork crisis, as new
government data reveals a sharp increase in work-related mental health issues and
suicides.

## Key takeaways

 * Work-related mental health cases in Japan hit a record high in 2024, with 89 
   suicides or attempts officially linked to overwork.
 * Despite past reforms, exploitative practices like forced overtime, harassment,
   and timecard manipulation persist in major companies.
 * Experts warn that meaningful change requires cultural transformation and stronger
   enforcement, not just legal limits.

According to the [Ministry of Health](https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h02473/),
Labour and Welfare, a record 1,304 cases of work-related illnesses were officially
recognized in fiscal year 2024, up 196 from the previous year, with 89 cases involving
suicide or attempted suicide tied to workplace stress.

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These alarming figures have reignited public and legal scrutiny over Japan’s corporate
culture, which critics say continues to foster toxic work environments despite decades
of warnings and government reforms.

## From Exhaustion to Despair

The rise in work-related mental health claims is largely attributed to high-pressure
work environments, poor oversight, and institutionalized harassment. Power harassment
from superiors remains the most common cause of psychological breakdowns, followed
by sudden increases in workload, abusive client behavior, and sexual harassment.

> “This is not just a labor issue,  it’s a public health emergency,” said Yusuke
> Kasagi, a Tokyo-based workplace accident attorney who has handled more than 150
> cases tied to overwork and mental distress. “The system is failing workers who
> are pushed past their limits in silence.”

The issue of karōshi (death from overwork) and karojisatsu (suicide from overwork)
is not new. But mental health-related deaths are now outpacing those caused by physical
exhaustion. In contrast to the heart attacks and strokes that dominated early karōshi
cases, suicide has become the most frequent outcome in recent years.

## The Legacy of Matsuri Takahashi

The 2015 suicide of Matsuri Takahashi, a 24-year-old employee at advertising giant
Dentsu Inc., shocked the nation and symbolized the cost of Japan’s punishing work
culture. In the weeks before her death, Takahashi posted disturbing messages to 
social media, including, “It’s 4 a.m. My body is trembling. I’m going to die. I’m
so tired.”

An investigation by Tokyo’s Labor Standards Bureau revealed she had worked over 
100 hours of overtime in a single month, a clear case of karōshi. Her death led 
to the 2018 Work Style Reform Act, which limited overtime to 45 hours per month.
However, critics argue that the reforms are ineffective in practice.

> “Supervisors told her to falsify her reported work hours,” said Yukimi Takahashi,
> Matsuri’s mother, who has since become an anti-karōshi advocate. “Nothing has 
> changed fundamentally. The culture of silence and blind obedience continues”.

## Black Companies and the ‘Demon Rules’

Takahashi’s former employer, Dentsu, has long been labeled a “black company”,  a
term used to describe firms with exploitative practices. According to Yukimi, Dentsu
enforced what it called “The Ten Demon Rules,” one of which stated: _“If you get
a project, don’t let it go, even if you die.”_

New hires were pressured to mimic the grueling hours of their seniors, often working
past 4 a.m. Supervisors reportedly instructed staff to underreport overtime to avoid
triggering legal oversight.

Despite the Work Style Reform Act, undercover reports and viral content continue
to expose companies with extreme work cultures. In one recent viral video, a young
Japanese office worker documented an 18-hour workday, prompting global outrage.

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## Structural Weaknesses and a Shrinking Workforce

One of the major drivers of this crisis is Japan’s shrinking workforce. With declining
birth rates and an aging population, fewer workers are expected to do more. This
imbalance is especially visible in industries like construction, where long hours
and staff shortages are pushing employees beyond breaking point.

Kasagi recalls a 2021 case involving a young construction manager who took his own
life after taking on multiple roles during a delayed rebar project. “He was acting
as the site manager, material handler, liaison, and client coordinator, it was an
impossible load,” Kasagi said.

Even workers on U.S. military bases in Japan are reporting similar patterns. One
woman working in naval ship repair said the number of ships they serviced increased,
but staffing levels remained the same, leading to chronic burnout.

## Labor Unions Called Out for Inaction

Labor unions have also come under fire. Kasagi notes that in more than a decade 
of handling overwork cases, not a single union had filed a protest or grievance 
on behalf of a victim.

“In many ways, Japan’s economic rise was built on a quiet agreement between corporations
and unions to avoid confrontation,” he said. “But workers are paying the price for
that compliance.”

## Is Change Possible?

Some legal experts are proposing technological interventions, such as AI-based work
tracking systems and video monitoring, to enforce labor laws and prevent timecard
fraud. However, real change may require a cultural shift, one that challenges the
myth of the ideal, self-sacrificing employee.

> “There is no job more important than life itself,” said Yukimi Takahashi. “It’s
> the responsibility of the next generation to stand up against these practices.
> Otherwise, more young people will die in silence, just like my daughter.”