I want to preface this with saying I am talking about one of my best friends who lives in and works in Tokyo Japan and what his work life balance is like. He works in the medical technology development field. A highly important and valued line of work that he truly loves but it highly stressful and a lot of to do with being forced and
and expected to kiss up to management. Not only do you work unnecessary hours 10 hours is considered light, being underpaid considering what he does, working more than 5 days a week but you are expected to hang out with your coworkers especially management afterwork because that is where a lot of stuff gets done because that that is the way the work culture is and that means spending a lot of time at bars and night clubs. You might ask what's the problem with that? The problem is he's tired af, and he hasn't had a meaningful raise in 15 years and depending on your tax bracket living in Tokyo which is already expensive as hell can cost 2-3 as much as living in LA or New York but since he is a jr member at 39 nobody else is under 45 he is expected to pick up the tab. He's lucky to make it out with a few hundred bucks a month. It is also the reason why he lives at home
Now his team leader tries to cover for him and get him out of these things because he is the main caretaker of his family especially his disabled little sister but if he avoids it too much he is labeled as not a team player. The only silver lining of what has been going these few years he did not have kiss ass so to speak but now that things are setting down there, he will soon to be expected to hangout again and he doesn't want to because a) he likes sleep, b) he likes being able to have some money c) he wants to keep his sister safe and d) he doesn't want to go bar hopping including the red light direct with management on your dime just keep your job.