Reshaping the Japanese Workplace: Can “Work-Style Reform” Succeed?

As part of its ongoing effort to place the Japanese economy on a sustainable growth trajectory, the government of Prime Minister Abe Shinzō has drawn up a plan for “work-style reform” aimed at limiting overtime, reducing wage disparities, and encouraging more active workforce participation by women and seniors. But what will it really take to wean employers from practices that most of Japanese society takes for granted? In this series, analysts assess the reform plan released at the end of last March and assess the prospects for meaningful change.