why do japanese men stay longer at work than with their family?

Question

just wondering why most working men in japan spend more time at work than with their family . normally working hours in an office that i work is only until 5pm , however almost everybody stays until 8 - 9 pm and at times til 10pm. i dont want to ask this with my japanese officement instead i decided to post here . i wonder also if they can still... have even 1 round with their wives :) lol... exhausted from work and drunk... of course this is not general but i observe most them stay longer at the office... any answer is ok.. serious or funny...

by the way , overtime is not being paid even you stay late at work...

Answer 1

The Japanese society is all about doing for the group, not the individual. Salary men in Japane are expected to put in long hours in order to make the company more successful. Many husbands in Japan even live in a different city than thier families, going home occassionally on the weekend or for holidays. Socializing (and yes, that includes the drinking) is also seen as part of the job. Building comaraderie will again benefit the company as the workers must be a team.

It is interesting to note that for many years, once a man was hired by a company, this was the company the man worked for his entire life, Raises and promotions were tied to seniority, not ability. In more recent years, especially since the Japanese economic growth bubble has popped, this is not always the case. Hence an even larger drive to work and have the company to succeed. There is little doubt that this mindeset is what has allowed Japan to rebuild itself from the ruined country it was at the end of WW2 into one of the leading nations in technology and business that it is today.

One more thing...wives in Japan accept (for the most part) that this is what a husbznd must do to provide for his family. Especially after the birth of the first child, very few wives continue to work outside the home, so the husbands job is of paramount importance. Plus, the wife is the one who controls the money once the ubby brings it home!

Answer 2

Miho the answer Annie gave above is getting close .I am guessing that you are not married yet .Another thing is that in alot of Japanese marriages the husband and wife in many ways end up living seperate lives .The husband with his workmates and the wife with her friends and P.T.A and many other things they do .He is so busy working ,she is so busy with raising the kids .He has Sundays off and usually wants some time alone to play golf or pursue some other hobby.Also with many Japanese men especially salary men there seems to be an attitude that once they get a good job ,have a wife and have had children then after that all they need to do is earn a wage .Coming home early from work and spending time with the wife or kids doesn't seem to be important .The best advice I can give is ask married women you know about marriage and what thier husbands are like .What they say about thier husbands will also give you a clue as to why they dont want to come homer early
前英語の先生やった。ほとんどの生徒が女性達だった。

Answer 3

probably for the money, i am sure your friend is a good provider. us american women are about the only ones to get upset because the husbands dont spend enough time at home....i never understood that.

Answer 4

Job security. They feel an unspoken tension and pressure that if they don't stay late, they'll lose their jobs. That's what I was taught, anyway.

Answer 5

It's the culture....just because it is different from yours doesnt make it wrong, it's just the way it is.

Answer 6

the japanease people are hardworking and any little time they get ,they use it wisely.i've been there.

Answer 7

japanese are too hardworking.........seriously harkworking.......hmm.....they should enjoy quality time with their family n' friends other than work.....u know, too stressful........