50 Rules in Japan that Foreigners Have Trouble Understanding

No overtime

Remember how we said that you shouldn’t leave the office before your boss does? And also, the boss hardly ever leaves on time? Well, if that wasn’t bad enough, Japan doesn’t recognize an overtime-pay system. If you stay after hours, you won’t receive compensation for going the extra mile, regardless of whether you’re really doing extra work.

The fact of the matter is that it’s not customary to pay employees by the hour. Instead, they receive a set payment for however many days they work in a month. So, you need to finish all of your tasks before closing. If you can’t, then you’ll end up paying by sacrificing some of your leisure time.