Japan is starting to seriously seek ways to curb excessive work hours as the overwork-related suicide of a young employee spotlights a long-standing issue that has never been fully addressed.

The traditional corporate culture of punishing hours has persisted since Japan's spurt of rapid economic expansion after the war, when hard work seemed to lead the nation's growth.

But that is no longer a driving force. Working conditions have changed dramatically since the bubble economy's implosion in the early 1990s and the 2008 global financial crisis. Both forced Japanese companies to undertake drastic restructuring, including massive job cuts.