Japan is a country that is famous for its hardworking culture, with employees and students working long hours at the cost of their health.

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However, following an investigation into Mitsubishi Electric Corp and the excessive work hours it employees are forced to endure, the government is now considering a ‘Premium Friday’ campaign. This is set to encourage companies to let workers leave early on the last Friday of every month to go out and “have fun.” And some companies are now considering introducing something we’ve been wishing for our whole working lives – the three day weekend.

Yahoo Japan Corp allows its employees to work remotely five times a month and is considering this move in the near future. Spokeswoman Megumi Yagita said this:

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We don’t see the three-day weekend system as the end goal but an option.

By giving employees more freedom on how to work, we’re hoping that employees choose a style that lets them perform at their best, so that we boost productivity.

So it looks like Japan is still in the introductory stage of three day weekends, but at least major companies are taking note and considering it. This is a huge step, especially for a country that is so work-orientated.

Hopefully this gets passed sooner rather than later and the UK can consider a similar strategy. God knows we need it.