Wants to be Prime Minister of Japan from 9-5

blue note

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/no-morning-meetings-if-i-become-prime-minister-says-female-japanese-candidate-aiming-for-top-office-34307304.html

Is this person insane? Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of 9-5. I don't do particularly important work, but I'll often get stuck back for a couple of hours or have to come in a bit early for a million different reasons. It comes with the territory of having a job really. But this person wants to lead one of the biggest economies in the world and wants to avoid 8 o'clock meetings?!?

At least it's a position that you require to be voted into, so if Japan wants a Prime Minister who starts at 9, takes their full hour for lunch and clocks out at 5, they can vote for it. I certainly respect someone who prioritises their family and personal life above their professional one, but I don't want them anywhere near the job of Prime Minister. It's true to say that you can't do it all and if someone wants a job like that I expect them to sacrifice a significant amount of their family life for it. Not out of spite or anything like that and I wish they didn't have to, but because for a job like that it's 24/7. I imagine for someone like Enda Kenny there are weeks when he barely sees his family. And I'd say if he has one 9-5 week in the year he can count himself lucky.

JupiterKid

Doesn't even a Prime Minister deserve some downtime too? I'm not saying that their working hours should be restricted from 9 to 5 but surely they are allowed time off now and then.

Working 24/7 will leave anyone frazzled and burnt out. I'd prefer to have a Prime Minister on top of his/her game and they can only do that with time off when they really need it.

c_man

"Just because you work long hours doesn't mean you are productive."

Well yeah but a position like Prime Minister isn't exactly comparable to most other jobs. It can be a very long day ranging from early morning radio interviews (ata boy Cowen!) to flying here there and everywhere, and be back for some arse of a vote in the evening. It's not really a standard office gig.

Tbh if someone wants to put their family first and foremost, I don't think leading one of the largest economies on the planet is compatible with that.

smash

blue note wrote: »

Is this person insane? Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of 9-5. I don't do particularly important work, but I'll often get stuck back for a couple of hours or have to come in a bit early for a million different reasons. It comes with the territory of having a job really. But this person wants to lead one of the biggest economies in the world and wants to avoid 8 o'clock meetings?!?

Should they follow Ireland and just work the school year?

seamus

It's a principled stand.

Japan has a massive problem with its working culture, which is creating huge health problems and social issues. Japanese people, men in particular, feel obligated to be in work every hour of the day, forgoing their own health and families so as to be seen working - eat & sleep in the office, 5-6 days a week.

It's known to be an issue, and everyone wants it to stop, but it's a cultural issue so people are unwilling to take a personal stand on the matter for fear of being fired.

This candidate is aiming to lead from the top, which again is an influential thing in Japan. In Ireland if Enda told us he was doing a 9-5 we'd call him a slacker. In Japan if your politicians and CEOs are doing 9-5's, then that's behaviour that your average Japanese worker will want to emulate.

blue note

seamus wrote: »

It's a principled stand.

Japan has a massive problem with its working culture, which is creating huge health problems and social issues. Japanese people, men in particular, feel obligated to be in work every hour of the day, forgoing their own health and families so as to be seen working - eat & sleep in the office, 5-6 days a week.

It's known to be an issue, and everyone wants it to stop, but it's a cultural issue so people are unwilling to take a personal stand on the matter for fear of being fired.

This candidate is aiming to lead from the top, which again is an influential thing in Japan. In Ireland if Enda told us he was doing a 9-5 we'd call him a slacker. In Japan if your politicians and CEOs are doing 9-5's, then that's behaviour that your average Japanese worker will want to emulate.

God I'd love to say no to an 8 o'clock meeting for the greater good.

smash

seamus wrote: »

In Ireland if Enda told us he was doing a 9-5 we'd call him a slacker.

But he'd be working more...

Menas

seamus wrote: »

It's a principled stand.

Japan has a massive problem with its working culture, which is creating huge health problems and social issues. Japanese people, men in particular, feel obligated to be in work every hour of the day, forgoing their own health and families so as to be seen working - eat & sleep in the office, 5-6 days a week.

I worked in japan for about a month last year and it is nuts.
The working day is 9 to 9. A fella I worked with had a 4 hour commute on top of that. His parents looked after the kids and he only saw them at the weekends.
To save on the commute he would sometimes stay in a bubble hotel.

The way they work is also not efficent. They worry about the wee small details too much and miss the big picture.

So yeah, well done Mr Prime Minister for trying to break the working culture in Japan for the better.

The_Valeyard

Good idea, Japanese need more down time for sexy fun to help increase their population.

smash

The_Valeyard wrote: »

Good idea, Japanese need more down time for sexy fun to help increase their population.

If they stopped fucking Octopi/octopuses they might make more babies.