[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"siteSettings":3,"post-work-in-japan-and-italy":24},{"data":4,"sourceMap":-1},{"headerPages":5,"settings":9},[6],{"slug":7,"title":8},"about","About",{"contactEmail":10,"faviconUrl":11,"heroDescription":12,"heroImage":13,"heroTitle":18,"ogImageUrl":19,"seoDescription":20,"seoTitle":21,"siteAuthor":22,"siteName":21,"socialLinks":23},"matsushita_sei@kindai.ac.jp","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fzbxc2ul2\u002Fproduction\u002Fbd8e5c871dc32af558af4cdabe8efda12a8066c1-32x32.png","Share your stories, thoughts, and insights while studying at Kindai University, Osaka, Japan.",{"_type":14,"asset":15},"image",{"_ref":16,"_type":17},"image-e5476b326a4484e8c912f842b742f8be4de00edf-2993x1995-jpg","reference","Go Global.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fzbxc2ul2\u002Fproduction\u002Fc032be9c0b341a63d784449e3db69c83fdb2b4c0-2848x1504.jpg","This is an English-language media platform run by students and staff at Kindai University in Osaka, Japan. Here, exchange students and local students share stories, reflections, and insights about campus life and their experiences in Japan.","Kindai Global Media","Global Education Center, Kindai University",null,{"data":25,"sourceMap":-1},{"_id":26,"author":27,"body":34,"group":318,"image":23,"imageUrl":23,"publishedAt":322,"title":323,"visibility":324},"6b19d3b1-d106-44b8-8cdb-7454e55ca806",{"avatar":23,"description":28,"fullName":29,"name":30,"slug":31},"","Giulia Di Costanzo","Giulia ",{"_type":32,"current":33},"slug","2697303038u-4ooi",[35,46,54,71,94,102,107,114,130,146,154,178,194,203,211,227,235,243,252,263,273,283,293,303,311],{"_key":36,"_type":37,"children":38,"markDefs":44,"style":45},"c866353571c6","block",[39],{"_key":40,"_type":41,"marks":42,"text":43},"c866353571c60","span",[],"Japan is a collectivist country which prioritizes harmony and hierarchy, it’s a matter of fact that these values influence their work experience. The video clearly showed that mentality and how challenging it could be to work in Japan.",[],"normal",{"_key":47,"_type":37,"children":48,"markDefs":53,"style":45},"21aaa9da4bd8",[49],{"_key":50,"_type":41,"marks":51,"text":52},"21aaa9da4bd80",[],"They have a monotonous routine that leads them to work all day without any rest. Their day starts early in the morning, breakfasts are usually skipped and they spend at least an hour on public transportation to reach their workplace. During working hours, not only do they have to worry about their tasks and duties, but they also have to provide assistance to their coworkers, especially if they are the youngest. After an exhausting day at the company, characterized by writing emails, attending meetings and completing various activities all over the city, more work awaits them at home. They have little to no time to cultivate their hobbies and passion as fatigue takes over.",[],{"_key":55,"_type":37,"children":56,"markDefs":70,"style":45},"49374e67a964",[57,61,66],{"_key":58,"_type":41,"marks":59,"text":60},"49374e67a9640",[],"An alarming factor is the increasing number of deaths from ",{"_key":62,"_type":41,"marks":63,"text":65},"49374e67a9641",[64],"em","karoshi",{"_key":67,"_type":41,"marks":68,"text":69},"49374e67a9642",[],". Deaths are both caused by physical problems and psychological problems. The main reasons are: stress, fatigue, abnormal sleep schedule, social isolation, oppression and so on.",[],{"_key":72,"_type":37,"children":73,"markDefs":93,"style":45},"f13a956115de",[74,78,82,86,89],{"_key":75,"_type":41,"marks":76,"text":77},"f13a956115de0",[],"Thanks to the ",{"_key":79,"_type":41,"marks":80,"text":81},"f13a956115de1",[64],"Labor Standards Act",{"_key":83,"_type":41,"marks":84,"text":85},"f13a956115de2",[]," some changes were made to favor the physical and mental health of working people, despite this ",{"_key":87,"_type":41,"marks":88,"text":65},"f13a956115de3",[64],{"_key":90,"_type":41,"marks":91,"text":92},"f13a956115de4",[]," is still a present issue. The matter is addressed in Chapter IV, Article 32. In this section it is written that an employer must not have workers work more than 40 hours per week, and more than 8 hours per day for each day of the week. Even though the law itself introduces a maximum limit on working hours, the data clearly shows that these modifications are not enough.",[],{"_key":95,"_type":37,"children":96,"markDefs":101,"style":45},"f854574b3ede",[97],{"_key":98,"_type":41,"marks":99,"text":100},"f854574b3ede0",[],"When we discussed in class about how many working hours we would be willing to work in a week, the differences between occidental and oriental cultures were evident. But looking through the “Country Comparison Tool”, I noticed that Italy and Japan do not differ so much from each other. My attention was dragged by two of the data shown: Motivation towards Achievement and Success plus Long Term Orientation.",[],{"_key":103,"_type":14,"alt":104,"asset":105},"1078838133a5","Country Comparison Tool",{"_ref":106,"_type":17},"image-80aebba6965684e04f31c66871cc052c993e0055-1099x423-png",{"_key":108,"_type":37,"children":109,"markDefs":113,"style":45},"27242ce4795e",[110],{"_key":111,"_type":41,"marks":112,"text":28},"27242ce4795e0",[],[],{"_key":115,"_type":37,"children":116,"markDefs":129,"style":45},"0b1f04d5c093",[117,121,125],{"_key":118,"_type":41,"marks":119,"text":120},"0b1f04d5c0930",[],"As the graphic shows Japan is strongly future oriented, with high motivation over job opportunities and long term orientation. To quote what we said in class, Japanese workers “dream” to work for the same organization all of their life, due the fact that seniority is a key factor always taken into account. That’s why there is a technical term called ",{"_key":122,"_type":41,"marks":123,"text":124},"0b1f04d5c0931",[64],"shūshin koyō",{"_key":126,"_type":41,"marks":127,"text":128},"0b1f04d5c0932",[],", which refers to lifetime employment. Because of that, dismissals are heavily discouraged by state policies.",[],{"_key":131,"_type":37,"children":132,"markDefs":145,"style":45},"dd063d4b708e",[133,137,141],{"_key":134,"_type":41,"marks":135,"text":136},"dd063d4b708e0",[],"Under the ",{"_key":138,"_type":41,"marks":139,"text":140},"dd063d4b708e1",[64],"Act on the Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies",{"_key":142,"_type":41,"marks":143,"text":144},"dd063d4b708e2",[],", workers can only be dismissed if serious and declared issues arise within the workplace.",[],{"_key":147,"_type":37,"children":148,"markDefs":153,"style":45},"6901f738e275",[149],{"_key":150,"_type":41,"marks":151,"text":152},"6901f738e2750",[],"In Italy, on the other hand, this certainty is not secured by laws, plus unemployment is a recurring problem among new graduates.",[],{"_key":155,"_type":37,"children":156,"markDefs":177,"style":45},"0eafdd79a80c",[157,161,165,169,173],{"_key":158,"_type":41,"marks":159,"text":160},"0eafdd79a80c0",[],"The",{"_key":162,"_type":41,"marks":163,"text":164},"0eafdd79a80c1",[64]," Ansa",{"_key":166,"_type":41,"marks":167,"text":168},"0eafdd79a80c2",[]," results showed that only 71.8% of Italian graduates between the age of 20 and 34 have access to job opportunities, while in Japan the percentage is a lot higher, reaching 98% as “Japan’s Today\" confirmed. Therefore in Japan there is a system called ",{"_key":170,"_type":41,"marks":171,"text":172},"0eafdd79a80c3",[64],"shinsotsu-ikkatsu-saiyō",{"_key":174,"_type":41,"marks":175,"text":176},"0eafdd79a80c4",[],", which helps freshly graduated students to find a job while still in university.",[],{"_key":179,"_type":37,"children":180,"markDefs":193,"style":45},"7012a5e3c64c",[181,185,189],{"_key":182,"_type":41,"marks":183,"text":184},"7012a5e3c64c0",[],"In Italy a persistent issue related to few vacant job positions is the retirement age. Since young people have difficulties finding a job, the retirement age substantially increases. The",{"_key":186,"_type":41,"marks":187,"text":188},"7012a5e3c64c1",[64]," INPS",{"_key":190,"_type":41,"marks":191,"text":192},"7012a5e3c64c2",[]," posted that in Italy the retiring age is set at 67 y.o, but by the time it will go even higher.",[],{"_key":195,"_type":37,"children":196,"markDefs":201,"style":202},"108a85b365ae",[197],{"_key":198,"_type":41,"marks":199,"text":200},"108a85b365ae0",[],"The old-age pension will be postponed to 67 years and one month in 2027 and to 67 years and three months in 2028, while the early pension will require 42 years and 11 months for men, 41 years and 11 months for women in 2027 and 43 years and one month for men, 42 years and one month for women in 2028.",[],"blockquote",{"_key":204,"_type":37,"children":205,"markDefs":210,"style":45},"55d330419a48",[206],{"_key":207,"_type":41,"marks":208,"text":209},"55d330419a480",[],"This is an extremely concerning prediction adding the fact that natality is decreasing faster every year.",[],{"_key":212,"_type":37,"children":213,"markDefs":226,"style":45},"3b92855afd72",[214,218,222],{"_key":215,"_type":41,"marks":216,"text":217},"3b92855afd720",[],"Japan's legal minimum mandatory retirement age is 60, but companies must provide employment security until age 65, with ongoing pushes to support employment up to age 70. Under the ",{"_key":219,"_type":41,"marks":220,"text":221},"3b92855afd721",[64],"Act on Stabilization of Employment of Elderly Persons",{"_key":223,"_type":41,"marks":224,"text":225},"3b92855afd722",[]," (ASEEP), companies cannot set a mandatory retirement age lower than 60. It is a common phenomenon to see many elderly people still working in Japan. They take pride in their job and are more than willing to continue working even after reaching the retirement age.",[],{"_key":228,"_type":37,"children":229,"markDefs":234,"style":45},"499b62dcb228",[230],{"_key":231,"_type":41,"marks":232,"text":233},"499b62dcb2280",[],"To conclude I think that both Italy and Japan are facing various problems related to social and cultural issues that obviously interfere with job opportunities and work environment. Some changes have been made but it’s not enough. The Japanese government should prioritize the health of their people, while Italy should increase the number of job opportunities for young people to gradually decrease the retirement age.",[],{"_key":236,"_type":37,"children":237,"markDefs":242,"style":45},"a7e26529ca8d",[238],{"_key":239,"_type":41,"marks":240,"text":241},"a7e26529ca8d0",[],"Giulia Di Costanzo, 2697303038.",[],{"_key":244,"_type":37,"children":245,"markDefs":250,"style":251},"0554bafa22c9",[246],{"_key":247,"_type":41,"marks":248,"text":249},"0554bafa22c90",[],"References:",[],"h2",{"_key":253,"_type":37,"children":254,"markDefs":260,"style":45},"cc26d858a1d5",[255],{"_key":256,"_type":41,"marks":257,"text":259},"cc26d858a1d50",[258],"a0d73c03a3b3","https:\u002F\u002Flaws.e-gov.go.jp\u002Flaw\u002F341AC0000000132",[261],{"_key":258,"_type":262,"href":259},"link",{"_key":264,"_type":37,"children":265,"markDefs":271,"style":45},"87d336657305",[266],{"_key":267,"_type":41,"marks":268,"text":270},"87d3366573050",[269],"4c47c19127c6","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp\u002Fen\u002Flaws\u002Fview\u002F3567\u002Fen",[272],{"_key":269,"_type":262,"href":270},{"_key":274,"_type":37,"children":275,"markDefs":281,"style":45},"b49c6a3fbac8",[276],{"_key":277,"_type":41,"marks":278,"text":280},"b49c6a3fbac80",[279],"4428eb87e04a","https:\u002F\u002Fjapantoday.com\u002Fcategory\u002Fbusiness\u002Fjapan's-university-graduate-employment-rate-remains-at-98",[282],{"_key":279,"_type":262,"href":280},{"_key":284,"_type":37,"children":285,"markDefs":291,"style":45},"bf3dd97fdc9f",[286],{"_key":287,"_type":41,"marks":288,"text":290},"bf3dd97fdc9f0",[289],"d5708d51ac12","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inps.it\u002Fit\u002Fit\u002Finps-comunica\u002Fnotizie\u002Fdettaglio-news-page.news.2026.03.pensioni-requisiti-aggiornati-per-il-2027-e-il-2028.html",[292],{"_key":289,"_type":262,"href":290},{"_key":294,"_type":37,"children":295,"markDefs":301,"style":45},"e4f39c062437",[296],{"_key":297,"_type":41,"marks":298,"text":300},"e4f39c0624370",[299],"26d31c158b0f","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.jil.go.jp\u002Fenglish\u002Fevents\u002Fseminar\u002F20250326\u002Fdocuments\u002FJapan.pdf",[302],{"_key":299,"_type":262,"href":300},{"_key":304,"_type":37,"children":305,"markDefs":310,"style":45},"aefa5d7e8796",[306],{"_key":307,"_type":41,"marks":308,"text":309},"aefa5d7e87960",[],"\n",[],{"_key":312,"_type":37,"children":313,"markDefs":317,"style":45},"cf6a0686a7c5",[314],{"_key":315,"_type":41,"marks":316,"text":309},"cf6a0686a7c50",[],[],{"name":319,"slug":320},"Intercultural Dimensions & Understanding (Fall 2026)",{"_type":32,"current":321},"intercultural-dimensions-and-understanding-f2026","2026-10-04T23:44:40.697Z","Work in Japan and Italy","private"]