As much as 48 percent of Japanese workers prioritize their jobs even though many hope for more balance between work and their private lives, a survey by a quasi-government organization has found.
The survey also found that respondents on average had used just 7.7 of their paid holidays last year, accounting for a scant 46 percent of the total number they accumulate each year.
The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training said in the survey that 60 percent of the respondents believe a work-life balance is ideal, while 14 percent said they think work is more important and 17 percent place a priority on their private lives.
In reality, however, 48 percent prioritized their jobs, 9 percent their private time and 38 percent a work-life balance.
Asked why they feel unable to use all of their paid holidays, 45 percent of respondents said their massive workloads left little time for vacations, 42 percent said it would trouble colleagues and 33 percent said that there is no one who could do their jobs in their absence.
For these and other reasons, 11 percent of those surveyed said they had not used a paid holiday at all over the past year.
The survey also revealed that those who are promoted faster take fewer holidays.
Those who hold posts of deputy manager or higher and are promoted faster than their colleagues of similar ages used just 32 percent of their overall paid holidays last year, lower than the 40 percent spent by those who are promoted at a slower pace.
The survey was conducted from January to February covering about 8,900 people in their 20s to 40s who worked for some 12,000 targeted firms with 100 or more employees.
