Many Japanese Workers Want to Quit, But Held Back by Financial Worries

The legal advice website Bennavi Rōdō Mondai, which specializes in labor issues, conducted a recent survey asking participants if they had thought about quitting their jobs, to which 64.6% answered “yes”, while 35.4% said “no.”

The survey was conducted in February 2024 and targeted 2,510 working people aged between 18 and 49.

The most common reason for wanting to quit was “low salary,” mentioned by 801 respondents. This was followed by 543 citing “interpersonal issues in the workplace” and 441 feeling “the work is not rewarding.”

Along with “low salary”, there were other clear financial reasons for wanting to quit, including 299 respondents who said they were “not valued” or “did not receive pay increases” and 260 stating “unpaid overtime.”

There were also signs of working people who felt they were trapped in their jobs with 414 saying “the volume of work is too much” and 189 “because I can’t take time off.”

When respondents were asked if they were taking steps toward quitting though, only 28.4% said “yes.”

With 615 responses, “financial concerns” were the most common reason for not quitting or being able to quit. This was followed by 334 people who were “worried about being able to find another job.” These two reasons alone accounted for 39.9% of the total 2,378 responses, indicating how concerns over their livelihood keep workers in the same jobs.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)