Voice of America’s immigration news
![Subscribe to Voice of America’s immigration news feed](https://www.immigrationresearch.org/misc/feed.png)
![Voice of America’s immigration news](https://www.voanews.com/Content/responsive/VOA/en-US/img/logo.png)
Voice of America is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries
Updated: 2 hours 5 min ago
Storm lingers in Japan, bringing heavy rain to some areas
tokyo — Tropical Storm Shanshan brought torrential rain Sunday to Japan's Shizuoka area, 180 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, as weather officials warned the storm would linger for several more days.
Shanshan, packing winds of 65 kilometers per hour, made landfall Thursday, leaving landslides, flooded rivers, torn branches and scattered debris in its path. In southwestern Japan, people were busy cleaning up muddied homes and throwing out broken appliances.
So far, the storm is linked to at least six deaths, including three people who were trapped in a mudslide. It left one person missing and 127 people injured, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, which compiles reports from local governments.
Shanshan was barely moving at all as of Sunday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The tropical storm triggered rainfall in an extensive area, even in places not in its path, such as the northernmost main island of Hokkaido, according to the agency.
Shanshan initially crept across the southwestern Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, then reached the main island of Honshu, meandering into coastal waters at one point but later moving back onto land.
Landslide warnings were issued in parts of Hamamatsu and Izu cities in Shizuoka Prefecture and Yokohama in Kanagawa, a port city near Tokyo, as well as at-risk spots in Tokyo. Tokyo in recent days saw mostly cloudy skies, with moments of sudden and intense showers.
People living in areas at risk for landslides were told to evacuate to local stadiums and community centers as a cautionary measure. Shanshan's exact route remains uncertain. It's expected to gradually move north Monday, then out over the Sea of Japan.
Doctor who helped Agent Orange victims wins Magsaysay Award
MANILA, Philippines — A Vietnamese doctor who has helped seek justice for victims of the powerful defoliant dioxin "Agent Orange" used by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War is among this year's winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards — regarded as Asia's version of the Nobel Prizes.
Other winners announced on Saturday were a group of doctors who struggled to secure adequate health care for Thailand's rural poor, an Indonesian environmental defender, a Japanese animator who tackles complex issues for children, and a Bhutanese academician promoting his country's cultural heritage to help current predicaments.
First given in 1958, the annual awards are named after a Philippine president who died in a 1957 plane crash, and honor "greatness of spirit" in selfless service to people across Asia.
"The award has celebrated those who challenge the status quo with integrity by courageously confronting systemic injustices, transform critical sectors through groundbreaking solutions that drive societal progress, and address pressing global issues with unwavering resilience," said Susanna B. Afan, president of the award foundation.
Vietnamese doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong carried out extensive research into the devastating and long-term effects of Agent Orange. She said she first encountered it in the late 1960s as a medical intern when she helped deliver babies with severe birth defects as a result of the lingering effect of highly toxic chemical, according to the awards body.
"Her work serves as a dire warning for the world to avoid war at all costs as its tragic repercussions can reach far into the future," the Magsaysay foundation said. "She offers proof that it can never be too late to right the wrongs of war and gain justice and relief for its hapless victims."
American forces used Agent Orange during the Vietnam War to defoliate Vietnamese jungles and destroy crops for the Vietnamese Communists, or Viet Cong, who fought against South Vietnam and the United States.
Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. military sprayed roughly 11 million gallons of the chemical agent dioxin used in Agent Orange across large swaths of southern Vietnam. Dioxin stays in the soil and in the sediment of lakes and rivers for generations. It can enter the food supply through the fat of fish and other animals.
Vietnam says as many as 4 million citizens were exposed to the herbicide and as many as 3 million have suffered illnesses from it, including the children of people exposed during the war.
Indonesian Farwiza Farhan won the award for helping lead a group to protect the Leuser Ecosystem, a 2.6-million-hectare forest on Sumatra Island in his country's Aceh province where some of the world's most highly endangered species have managed to survive, the foundation said.
Her group helped win a court verdict that led to $26 million in fines against a palm oil company that burned forests and stopped a hydroelectric dam that would have threatened the elephant's habitat, the foundation said.
Miyazaki Hayao, a popular animator in Japan, was cited by the awards body as a co-founder in 1985 of Studio Ghibli, a leading proponent of animated films for children. Three Ghibli productions were among Japan's 10 top-grossing films.
"He tackles complicated issues, using his art to make them comprehensible to children, whether it be about protecting the environment, advocating for peace or championing the rights and roles of women in society," the foundation said.
The Rural Doctors Movement, a group of Thai physicians, won the award for their "decades of struggle … to secure adequate and affordable health care for their people, especially the rural poor," the foundation said.
"By championing the rural poor, the movement made sure to leave no one behind as the nation marches forward to greater economic prosperity and modernization," it said.
Karma Phuntsho from Bhutan, a former Buddhist monk and an Oxford-educated scholar, was cited by the awards body for his academic works in the field of Buddhism and Bhutan's rich history and cultural heritage that were being harnessed to address current and future problems in his country, including unemployment and access to high-quality education.
The winners will be presented with their awards and a cash prize on November 16 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.
Iran needs $100B in foreign investment, says president
tehran, iran — Iran's president said Saturday his country needs some $100 billion in foreign investment to achieve an annual target of 8% economic growth up from the current rate of 4%.
The remarks by Masoud Pezeshkian, who was elected in July, came in his first live televised interview by state TV.
Pezeshkian said Iran needs up to $250 billion to reach its goal but more than half is available from domestic resources. Experts say growth in GDP of 8% would reduce double-digit inflation and unemployment rates.
Hundreds of entities and people in Iran — from the central bank and government officials to drone producers and money exchangers — are already under international sanctions, many of them accused of materially supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guard and foreign militant groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
In the interview, Pezeshkian complained about the sanctions and said his administration plans to reduce inflation — which is running at more than 40% annually — "if we solve our problems with neighbors and the world." He did not elaborate.
Pezeshkian confirmed that his first visit abroad will be to neighboring Iraq, and then he would fly to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting September 22-23. He said while he was in New York he would meet with Iranian expatriates to invite them to invest in Iran. Some 1.5 million of Iran's more than 8 million expatriates live in the United States.
Pezeshkian, who is viewed as a reformist, was sworn in last month and parliament approved his cabinet earlier in August, promising a softer tone both inside and outside the country. His predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line protege of Iran's supreme leader who led the country as it enriched uranium near weapons-grade levels, died in a helicopter crash in May, along with seven other people.
Iran's economy has struggled since 2018 after then-President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal to constrain Tehran's nuclear program and imposed more sanctions. Pezeshkian said during his presidential campaign that he would try to revive the nuclear deal.
Israel says it has discovered unidentified bodies in Gaza
REHOBOTH BEACH, DELAWARE — Israel said it has discovered a number of bodies in Gaza during combat, and that its military is working to extract and identify the bodies, which will take several hours.
It asked that the public refrain from spreading rumors as to the identities of the bodies.
U.S. President Joe Biden said his staff was in contact with the Israelis and confirmed that they have discovered bodies in Gaza. He was unsure of the exact number of bodies. Biden added he was not at liberty to identify the bodies at this time.
At least 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip since October 7, the enclave's health ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
The war was triggered when the designated terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
On Saturday, clashes broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank as Israel pushed ahead with a military operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin. Hundreds of Israeli troops have been carrying out raids since Wednesday in one of their largest actions in the West Bank in months.
Biden, speaking to reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, said he was "still optimistic," about a cease-fire deal to stop the conflict.
"I think we're on the verge of having an agreement," he said. "It's time this war ended."
Biden added that "people are continuing to meet."
"We think we can close the deal, they’ve all said they agree on the principles."
VOA Newscasts
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.
China, Philippines trade accusations after ships collide
TAIPEI, Taiwan — China and the Philippines accused each other of causing a collision between their two vessels Saturday in the latest flareup of tensions over disputed waters and maritime features in the South China Sea.
In a statement posted on social media, Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun was quoted as saying that a Philippine ship maneuvered and "deliberately collided" with a Chinese coast guard ship "in an unprofessional and dangerous manner."
Philippine officials in Manila said it was their coast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, that was rammed three times by the Chinese coast guard without any provocation, causing damage to the Philippine vessel.
It was the second confrontation in days near Sabina Shoal, about 140 kilometers west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognized exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
The Philippine ship, the Magbanua, has been anchored in Sabina since mid-April after Manila suspected that China may construct a structure to seize the uninhabited atoll. China harbored the same suspicions and recently filed a diplomatic protest against the Philippines because of the ship's prolonged presence at the shoal.
China is rapidly expanding its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which is crucial to international trade. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, and could drag in the United States, which is bound by a treaty to defend the Philippines. The longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
China has rejected a ruling by a U.N.-backed arbitration panel that negated almost all of its historically based claims in the South China Sea.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine coast guard said in a news briefing in Manila that the Magbanua had dropped its anchor again and would not withdraw from Sabina Shoal "despite the harassment, bullying activities and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard."
Video released by the Philippine coast guard appeared to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard ship.
"The United States stands with its ally, the Philippines, and condemns the dangerous and escalatory actions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea on August 31,” the State Department said in a statement Saturday.
"We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law," U.S. Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson said in a statement she posted on X.
The United States has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack in the South China Sea.
On Tuesday, Adm. Samuel Paparo, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said the U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed waters.
China's coast guard, navy and accompanying ships regularly clash with Philippine vessels during attempts to resupply Filipino sailors stationed in parts of the South China Sea claimed by both countries. As the confrontations become increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking the treaty alliance with Washington.
VOA Newscasts
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.
Mexico judge orders Congress not to discuss controversial judicial reform
MEXICO CITY — A Mexican judge ordered the Lower House of Congress not to discuss a controversial judicial reform scheduled to be taken up by lawmakers the first week of September, according to a legal document reviewed by Reuters on Saturday.
The judicial reform, pushed by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has generated tensions with the United States and has sparked concern in global financial markets.
The order to temporarily block lawmakers from debating and voting on the reform was issued by District Judge Martha Eugenia Magaña López in the Mexican state of Morelos, in response to concerns about judicial workers' labor rights.
The reform would see around 7,000 judges, magistrates and justices elected by popular vote, lower experience and age requirements and reduce the size of the nation's top court.
Proponents say it will improve democracy and help fix a system that no longer serves the public, but critics say it will cut off judges' careers, skew power to the executive and open the judiciary to criminal influence.
The judge's order issued on Saturday would prohibit lawmakers in the Lower House of Congress from discussing the reform until September 4, when the judge will rule on whether to issue a permanent suspension.
Congress has ignored similar orders from judges in the past, leading to doubt as to whether the lawmakers will heed the judge's order or take up the reform anyway.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar has expressed strong criticism of the proposed judicial overhaul, calling it a "major risk to the functioning of Mexico's democracy." Canada's government has also criticized it.
Lopez Obrador said earlier this week that he had paused relations with the Canadian and U.S. embassies in the country over their criticisms, which he said disrespected Mexico's sovereignty. He stressed the pause was only with the embassies, and not with the countries.
The ruling Morena party and its allies hold a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house and are one seat short in the Senate.
Insurgents free four people from former stronghold of Pakistani Taliban
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan — Insurgents freed four people Saturday, including an army officer who was abducted three days ago from a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, the military said.
Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Ameer was seized Wednesday while sitting in a mosque to receive mourners after attending his father's funeral, according to local police.
The "unconditional release" of Ameer and three of his relatives was secured due to the role played by tribal elders and "all the abductees have safely returned home," the military said in a statement without giving any further details.
No one claimed responsibility for the kidnappings in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest Pakistan. However, in video statements released hours after they were kidnapped, two of the abductees said they were in the custody of Pakistani Taliban. They also urged the government to accept their abductors' demands, although these were unclear.
Though the Pakistani Taliban often targets security forces, such kidnappings and releases of abductees are rare. The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, are separate from but allied to the Afghan Taliban, and they have been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Political change prompts concerns about Thailand's economy
bangkok — After a whirlwind few weeks with Paetongtarn Shinawatra taking the helm as Thailand's new prime minister, Thailand's struggling economy needs a clear strategy moving forward to get it back on track, according to some analysts.
The country's economy has been sluggish and isn't growing as fast as hoped.
Thailand has the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, though its annual growth is slower than many of its regional neighbors.
Initial forecasts put Thailand with a GDP growth of 3% for 2024, but its new revised growth is 2.7%, according to Thailand's Finance Ministry.
Kiatanantha Lounkaew, an economic lecturer at the Thammasat University in Bangkok, said there are two major problems holding Thailand back.
"The household debt per GDP is high, approaching 90%," he told VOA.
"Secondly, our economy has been operating with the same structure since the year 2000, and that is why our competitiveness has been eroding. We can't compete in the municipal [foreign direct investments] compared to our regional partners.
"We must have a clear strategy roadmap for Thailand for the next three years. The picture must be credible. Thailand will then be recovered fully, economically, socially and politically," Kiatanantha said.
Manufacturing, agriculture and services
The three main economic industries driving Thailand's gross domestic product are manufacturing, agriculture and services.
But manufacturing, for example, has slowed, with nearly 2,000 factories closing last year alone, leading to thousands of lost jobs, local media report. Cheap imports from places such as China, are a factor in Thailand becoming uncompetitive.
Thailand needs to come up with innovative ways to use technology to aid its key sectors, such as agriculture, according to Kiatanantha.
"We have been a technology user for a long time, we can use technology in a smart way to increase our core economy. For example, [shifting] agriculture into smart farming to something more value added, rather than sending out the raw materials."
And foreign direct investments (FDIs) are also important to Thailand, with countries like Japan, Singapore, the U.S., and China making significant investments in Southeast Asia countries in recent years.
But the labor force is limited, and more training is also needed to attract further FDIs, including in technology.
"The quality of our labor force to cater to a new technology is not that high, and the number of people qualified for such technology is still low," he said. "We need to produce people with good human capital, so the investor will be confident that when they come to Thailand, they will be able to find suitable people to build a position."
'Thailand has lost its footing'
Thailand's political changes haven't helped matters either.
Earlier in August, Thailand's Constitutional Court's swiftly removed Srettha Thavisin as prime minister over an "ethical violation" for his role in appointing a member of parliament (MP) to his cabinet who had been imprisoned for an alleged attempt to bribe an official.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst, said Thailand's economy has long had problems because of the political instability in the past two decades.
"Since 2006, Thailand has lost its footing. Two military coups [2006 and 2014]. Elections, multi-major parties dissolved. We've had three constitutions along the way. The trajectory shows me we are seeing signs of economic stagnation and political decay," he said Wednesday at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in Bangkok.
The removal of the prime minister paved the way for Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra to be elected as Thailand's new prime minister.
That marked the return of another Shinawatra as Thailand's premier. Paetongtarn Shinawatra is the youngest daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister who recently returned to Thailand following 15 years in self-exile.
In his first public speech since leaving Thailand in self-exile, Thaksin laid out a 14-point strategy to fix the country's economy, ranging from reforming the public debt, the agriculture sector, empowering tourism, promoting investment into entertainment complexes and the use of locally made products.
But Thitinan, the political analyst, said Thailand must be looking toward digitalization.
"Now I think the dial has moved on, they have to be talking about much more digitalization, digital economy, AI, machine learning, education reform," he said. "Thailand has missed the semi-conductor innovation, the tech boom and now it is missing the AI burst, and the reason is because of the domestic political situation."
After government upheavals in recent years with decisions from Thailand's monarchy, military and judiciary, Thitinan is unsure how long this Shinawatra government will last.
"Now we have a Thaksin 2.0 government, but it's a shell of itself 20 years ago," he said. "I'm wondering whether they will be allowed to govern — or continue to be stymied. If it isn't, Thailand will go nowhere, it will be at a standstill and regress."
"But," Thitinan later told VOA, "at least there is a plan."
Plan aims to give citizens money
One of the controversial policies still up in the air is Thailand's Digital Wallet scheme, a program aimed at giving 10,000 baht ($275) to 50 million citizens in digital money to spend locally to stimulate the economy. It was a campaign promise from the Pheu Thai party during the 2023 elections.
Thaksin recently said the plan will begin in September. This is despite speculation that government lawmakers want to scrap the idea.
But political analyst Thitinan said its impact will be diluted.
"It will come from the current budget year and the next budget year. So, the effects will be diluted," he said. "And in order to be effective, you need to have a big fiscal boost in a short time and let that create multiplier effects."
If it goes ahead, it will cost the Thai government an estimated $13.8 billion. At least 20 million people have registered for the plan.
The only industry seen as thriving economically is Thailand's crucial tourism industry. At its peak in 2019, tourism accounted for 11.5% of the country's overall GDP.
By August, there were 21 million visitors to Thailand, with about 36 million forecasted by the end of this year.
Thailand recently relaxed entry rules so tourists from 93 countries will now be permitted 60 days on arrival. A Destination Thailand Visa also was launched that allows digital nomads to live, work and travel in the country.
Kiatanantha, the economic lecturer, said more tourism is a "good sign," but improvements are needed.
"[Tourism] focuses on a few tourism attractions like Bangkok, Phuket and in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Until [tourism income] is a distributed benefit to other regions, that's a problem," said Kiatanantha.
"The health sector has potential. It can combine with the tourism sector to generate a bigger sector where people come for leisure and some health checkups or wellness, and that's the sector that we are good at," said Kiatanantha. "Tourism is still a goal, but it has to be a sustainable one. We need to attract tourism with more purchasing power."
VOA Newscasts
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.
VOA Newscasts
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.
Mississippi bus crash kills 7, injures dozens
BOVINA, Mississippi — Seven people were killed and dozens were injured in Mississippi after a commercial bus overturned on Interstate 20 Saturday morning, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
Six passengers were pronounced dead at the scene and another died at a hospital, according to a news release. The bus was traveling west when it left the highway near Bovina in Warren County and flipped over. No other vehicle was involved.
The crash was caused by tire failure, the National Transportation Safety Board said on the social media platform known as X. The bus was operated by Autobuses Regiomontanos based in Laredo, Texas. A woman who answered the phone at the company said it was aware of the crash, but she didn't answer questions or provide her name.
The transit company says it has 20 years of experience providing cross-border trips between 100 destinations in Mexico and the United States. Its website promotes "a modern fleet of buses that receive daily maintenance," and offers "trips with a special price for workers."
The dead included a 6-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister, according to Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey. They were identified by their mother. Authorities were working to identify the other victims, he said.
Thirty-seven passengers were taken to hospitals in Vicksburg and Jackson. The department is continuing its investigation and hasn't released the names of the deceased. No other information was immediately provided.
VOA Newscasts
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.
Japan wants its hardworking citizens to try a 4-day workweek
tokyo — Japan, a nation so hardworking its language has a term for literally working oneself to death, is trying to address a worrisome labor shortage by coaxing more people and companies to adopt four-day workweeks.
The Japanese government first expressed support for a shorter working week in 2021, after lawmakers endorsed the idea. The concept has been slow to catch on, however; about 8% of companies in Japan allow employees to take three or more days off per week, while 7% give their workers the legally mandated one day off, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Hoping to produce more takers, especially among small and medium-sized businesses, the government launched a "work style reform" campaign that promotes shorter hours and other flexible arrangements along with overtime limits and paid annual leave. The labor ministry recently started offering free consulting, grants and a growing library of success stories as further motivation.
"By realizing a society in which workers can choose from a variety of working styles based on their circumstances, we aim to create a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution and enable each and every worker to have a better outlook for the future," states a ministry website about the "Hataraki-kata kaikaku" campaign, which translates to "innovating how we work."
The department overseeing the new support services for businesses says only three companies have come forward so far to request advice on making changes, relevant regulations and available subsidies, illustrating the challenges the initiative faces.
Perhaps more telling: of the 63,000 Panasonic Holdings Corp. employees who are eligible for four-day schedules at the electronics maker and its group companies in Japan, only 150 employees have opted to take them, according to Yohei Mori, who oversees the initiative at one Panasonic company.
The government's official backing of a better work-life balance represents a marked change in Japan, a country whose reputed culture of workaholic stoicism often got credited for the national recovery and stellar economic growth after World War II.
Conformist pressures to sacrifice for one's company are intense. Citizens typically take vacations at the same time of year as their colleagues — during the Bon holidays in the summer and around New Year's — so co-workers can't accuse them of being neglectful or uncaring.
Long hours are the norm. Though 85% of employers report giving their workers two days off a week and there are legal restrictions on overtime hours — which are negotiated with labor unions and detailed in contracts — some Japanese do "service overtime," meaning it's unreported and performed without compensation.
A recent government white paper on "karoshi," the Japanese term that in English means "death from overwork, said Japan has at least 54 such fatalities a year, including from heart attacks.
Japan's "serious, conscientious and hard-working" people tend to value their relationships with their colleagues and form a bond with their companies, and Japanese TV shows and manga comics often focus on the workplace, said Tim Craig, the author of a book called "Cool Japan: Case Studies from Japan's Cultural and Creative Industries."
"Work is a big deal here. It's not just a way to make money, although it is that, too," said Craig, who previously taught at Doshisha Business School and founded editing and translation firm BlueSky Academic Services.
Some officials consider changing that mindset as crucial to maintaining a viable workforce amid Japan's nosediving birth rate. At the current rate, which is partly attributed to the country's job-focused culture, the working age population is expected to decline 40% to 45 million people in 2065, from the current 74 million, according to government data.
Proponents of the three-days-off model say it encourages people raising children, those caring for older relatives, retirees living on pensions, and others looking for flexibility or additional income to remain in the workforce for longer.
Akiko Yokohama, who works at Spelldata, a small Tokyo-based technology company that allows employees to work a four-day schedule, takes Wednesdays off along with Saturdays and Sundays. The extra day off allows her to get her hair done, attend other appointments or go shopping.
"It's hard when you aren't feeling well to keep going for five days in a row. The rest allows you to recover or go see the doctor. Emotionally, it's less stressful," Yokohama said.
Her husband, a real estate broker, also gets Wednesdays off but works weekends, which is common in his industry. Yokohama said that allows the couple to go on midweek family outings with their elementary-school age child.
Fast Retailing Co., the Japanese company that owns Uniqlo, Theory, J Brand and other clothing brands, pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co., and electronics companies Ricoh Co. and Hitachi also began offering a four-day workweek in recent years.
The trend even has gained traction in the notoriously consuming finance industry. Brokerage SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. started letting workers put in four days a week in 2020. Banking giant Mizuho Financial Group offers a three-day schedule option.
Critics of the government's push say that in practice, people put on four-day schedules often end up working just as hard for less pay.
But there are signs of change.
An annual Gallup survey that measures employee engagement ranked Japan as having among the least engaged workers of all nationalities surveyed; in the most recent survey, only 6% of the Japanese respondents described themselves as engaged at work compared to the global average of 23%.
That means relatively few Japanese workers felt highly involved in their workplace and enthusiastic about their work, while most were putting in their hours without investing passion or energy.