The Strange Lives Of Japan's Salarymen

A global superpower, Japan has often found itself on the forefront of cutting edge technology and innovation. It’s no exaggeration to say that the Asian juggernaut remains further in the future than most other nations today.

Perhaps more fascinating than Japan’s advancement however, is its continued adherence to tradition. Modern Japanese culture still clings tightly to the old societal norms of hard work, conformity and filial piety. No better example of this culture can be seen than in the urban world of corporate Japan.

We see them everywhere, be it in TV shows, movies, documentaries or on the streets of Japan itself. Young to middle aged men dressed in plain black suits, briefcases in hand. The living personification of Japan’s paradoxical relationship to progress and tradition.

But who are they really?

Known as “salarymen,” they are the backbone of Japan’s white collar industry and are among the most polarising professionals in the world. Admired, satired and even derided in equal measure, let us take a look at what exactly it means to be a salaryman.

What Is A Salaryman?

Technically speaking, any man with a job can be considered a “salaried man”. So, taken literally, the term itself is far more broad than it actually means to be. In Japan, sararīman are usually classified as white collar workers in business firms or government officers.

These are the bureaucrats who start at the bottom and work their way to the top of the company or government office they work in. Entertainers, freelancers, high leveled professionals and people in public facing jobs are not considered salarymen. This is regardless of whether or not they receive a fixed, regular salary.

Due to the nature of their work, most salarymen tend to come from middle class backgrounds. They are fortunate enough to be able to have access to the educational opportunities that will prepare them for such a career but not affluent enough to be able to “escape” the cycle of deference and sometimes subservience that comes with the job.

How Does One Become A Salaryman?

The very foundations of becoming a salaryman are deeply ingrained in Japan’s culture too. Japanese companies practice something known as Shinsotsu-ikkatsu-saiyō. To explain it simply, it is a custom of hiring fresh graduates rather than tenured workers.

Students from Japan’s best universities and even high schools often begin their search for work long before the completion of their studies. Companies can even provide “informal” job offers to students up to a year before they graduate and they will find themselves with a ready-made career as soon as they finish their studies.

This method of hiring allows companies to train their workers in-house and also ties into yet another unique aspect of Japanese culture that we will explore further.

A Salaryman’s Career Progression

Carrying on from my last point, another prominent feature of Japanese culture is loyalty. Bosses are obliged to look after their employees but this loyalty is expected to go both ways. In Japan, most salarymen work in the same company for the entirety of their professional careers. They are rarely fired and often do not choose to leave and work elsewhere.

Due to this expectation of lifelong service, salarymen are recruited as soon as they finish their studies and are trained to ensure that they remain with the company until they reach the retirement age of 55–60. Although office life ostensibly functions as a meritocracy where people are paid and given responsibilities in line with their individual abilities, tradition still plays a role in promotions and career progression.

Salarymen are usually promoted to higher positions in accordance with their age. As deference to one’s elders is considered a crucial part of the Japanese lifestyle, younger people are not quickly promoted because it is deemed disrespectful for a person to hold a position of seniority over someone older than them.

Japan’s collectivist culture also plays a huge role in the career and overall life of a salaryman. The uniform of a salaryman is often a simple black suit and a dark tie meant to signify uniformity within a company. Salarymen are also expected to work overtime regardless of whether or not there is additional pay and must mix and mingle with colleagues and superiors after working hours too.

In fact, salarymen are often expected to maintain social ties with their co-workers and bosses outside of work as well. Due to how soon salarymen are hired after university and the expectation to remain with the same company until they retire, it is very common for many of their social circles to consist solely of their fellow workers.

Benefits Of Being A Salaryman

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of life as a salaryman is the unprecedented level of stability that comes with the job. It is almost unheard of anywhere else around the world for a person to not only be given a steady, white-collar job fresh out of college but also a virtual guarantee of employment until the legally mandated age of retirement.

As I mentioned earlier, salarymen are rarely fired as this is something reserved for only the most egregious breaches of conduct. In fact, life as a salaryman appears to get easier the older you become. Underperforming employees who are in their 40s and over often remain employed with no repercussions simply by virtue of their age and tenure as well as to boost the morale of younger workers, assuring them that they will be looked after when they grow older too.

Another benefit of being a salaryman is that it puts one in good standing with their community as a whole. Many Japanese people, particularly those in the middle class, see the life of a salaryman as being one worthy of great respect. Salarymen are often viewed as being intelligent, hardworking, capable and loyal people, emblematic of the ideal Japanese culture as a whole.

Not only do the salarymen themselves benefit from this but so do their families. Their parents are praised for raising a good child, spouses are seen as having picked a good match and children benefit from being seen as coming from a respectable family.

Thus on the face of it, the career of a salaryman is ideal for those who do well in school, seek steady employment, are willing to work from the bottom up and want to benefit from being in the good graces of their communities.

Drawbacks Of Being A Salaryman

Of course, the life of a salaryman is not without its share of pitfalls and tribulations. The first drawback would have to be the total absence of work-life balance. As salarymen are often expected to maintain social contact with bosses and co-workers outside of working hours, the lines between work and leisure are significantly blurred. Work is expected to be treated like a second family and more often than not, it takes center stage.

This has often led to the breakdown of relationships and an increasing number of people who choose to forego marriage and children altogether to focus on their careers. The concept of loyalty also prevents salarymen from seeking work elsewhere as even the prospect of better pay or better hours is not worth the stigma of being seen as disloyal or ungrateful.

Younger salarymen also suffer from having to constantly defer to elders and superiors. Most salarymen are expected to spend their nights drinking or clubbing with their superiors. In some cases, they are even expected to foot the bill as a sign of deference. On top of the already tedious work schedule, these nights out have led to intense exhaustion and thus it has become a common sight to see salarymen passed out in trains or on sidewalks.

Salarymen are also often victims of karōshi or death due to overwork. Intense and often unpaid overtime work hours combined with frequent nights out and social gatherings have led to a high number of salarymen dying from health complications. Add on to that the overall stress of the salaryman lifestyle and there are a high number of work-related suicides as well. It is estimated that these deaths be it due to disease or suicide range in the tens of thousands yearly.

So it also goes to show that the life of a salaryman is clearly not just a bed of roses either. The stability of finding and keeping a job is often offset by other factors that can affect the physical and mental health of an individual as well as their personal relationships with family and loved ones. It is perhaps for these reasons that growing numbers in society have begun to lambast the life of a salaryman as being one of shameless subservience and toxic work culture. Many salarymen are often called out for being bootlickers or corporate slaves because of this.

What Do You Think?

Now that you know a little about life as a salaryman, where do you think they ought to stand? Are they really these corporate shills that sell out their happiness and relationships for money or are they hardworking individuals who have found stability and a way to provide for themselves and their loved ones?

Personally, I think one cannot generalise as it often depends on the person involved. Some people are just built for this sort of life where they can thrive and can find genuine happiness in it. Others may function better in more flexible environments.

Still, what do you think? Would you be open to having salarymen in your part of the world? Would you consider such a path for yourself? And do you think Japan is onto something with their unique employment structure? Let me know, I’d love to hear back! Until then, take care!