Companies in Japan are becoming more active in hiring people with mental health issues as they prepare for a legal change on employing people with disabilities that takes effect next spring.
Measures to assist such workers include setting up a support division with a licensed psychiatric social worker, providing paid leave for doctor's visits and devising specific job manuals to avoid workflow disruptions in case of sudden absences.
People with mental health issues such as chronic depression and social adjustment disorder often have high ability, and many companies thus see them as qualified human resources.