Japan’s work culture is infamous for its intensity—so much so that there’s a specific word for death to overwork: karoshi. This cultural phenomenon has cast a long shadow over the nation’s traditionally work-centric culture for decades. But change is in the air. A significant number of workers are finding the courage to say, “enough is enough,” and they’re doing so in increasingly unconventional ways. From enlisting resignation agencies to crafting creative resignation letters, these bold acts signal a way of defiance, a quiet revolution against the grind.
What’s driving this workplace revolution? According to experts, Japan’s notoriously rigid corporate culture, where loyalty and endurance are often prized over work-life balance and personal well-being. For many Japanese workers, the simple act of handing in a resignation letter feels like an unfathomable challenge. Enter resignation agencies: a discreet, professional, and judgment-free way to reclaim control over one’s career and mental well-being.
According to MyNavi Corp., nearly 1 in 5 Japanese workers in their 20s used resignation agencies to help them quit their jobs.
This survey, which included employees ages 20-50 who quit jobs between June 2023 and June 2024, reveals a striking generational divide in the use of resignation agencies in Japan. Nearly 18.6% in their 20s, 17.6% in their 30s, and 17.3% in their 40s, turned to those services, while only 4.4% of those in their 50s did the same. This indicates that younger workers are more inclined to prioritize their mental well-being and seek alternatives, while older employees tend to remain in roles longer, even under poor work conditions.
The most common cited reason for using resignation agencies, at 40.7% was that companies outright refused to let employees quit. Other reasons included fear of workplace retaliation or a workplace culture that discouraged employees from quitting independently.
The survey also examined the prevalence of resignation agencies from a manager’s perspective. Between January and June 2024, 23.2% reported that they had employees who used resignation agencies. The trend was most prominent in sectors like insurance, finance and IT—industries often associated with high stress and demanding work environments.
The Rise of Resignation Agencies in Japan
For decades, Japan has grappled with the culture of karoshi. Across industries, Japanese workers recound grueling hours, intense pressure from superiors, and a pervasive expectation to prioritize the employer above all else. These exploitative employers have earned a grim nickname: “black firms.”
Since 2017, labor offices across Japan have flagged over 270 such businesses on a nationwide blacklist. Yet, the human cost of karoshi remains staggering.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 54 individuals were granted workers’ compensation in 2022 after succumbing to work-related brain and heart diseases. While this figure marks a decline from the 160 cases recorded two decades ago, another troubling trend has emerged: a surge in claims related to stress. These claims skyrocketed to 2,683 in 2022, a stark increase from just 341 two decades earlier.
The personal stories linked to these numbers are heartbreaking. In 2017, Miwa Sado, a 31-year-old political reporter for NHK, Japan’s national broadcaster, died of heart failure after logging 159 hours of overtime in a single month. Fast forward five years, and there’s this 26-year-old medic in Kobe, who couldn’t handle the stress anymore, after pulling more than 200 overtime hours in a single month.
These incidents highlight how Japan needs to shake things up with a better workplace culture that also prioritizes work-life balance. Change is evident, but with more and more people saying their mental health is in the dumps because of too much work, it’s clear the battle against overwork is far from over.
Karoshi and the General Shifts in Work-Life Balance Priorities
Experts note that there has been a generational shift in attitudes towards work-life balance. With a shrinking workforce caused by an aging population and declining birth rates, younger employers now wield more influence in the workplace than previous generations. Many reject the traditional mindset of karoshi, simply because they’re told to endure any job, no matter how taxing. They’re quick to bounce if the job isn’t what they expected.
What’s interesting is that the younger workforce in Japan isn’t keen on the awkwardness of saying “I quit” face-to-face. Instead, they prefer resignation agencies to handle the conversation, a trend partly attributed to the social disconnect fostered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Experts caution against using resignation agencies in Japan, advocating instead for open dialogue to preserve professional relationships. Despite reservations, these services continue to grow in Japan, some resignation agencies even introducing a half-price deal for returning customers seeking help with a second resignation. This growing reliance on resignation agencies reflects a broader cultural shift, where younger workers are redefining their relationship with the workplace—and how they leave it.
