The growing number of Japanese nationals residing abroad -- expected to surpass 1 million by 2006 -- is being matched by the need for specialist counseling agencies that help with the stress of living in an alien culture.
Many Japanese expatriates been sent abroad by their companies, so some of the stress they suffer is work-related. All too often, their employers offer little or no help.
The Industrial Safety and Health Law states that employers must make efforts to ensure their employees' workloads are not excessive, and a 2000 health ministry guideline says firms must try to care for their workers' mental health. Neither, however, is binding.