The low productivity of Japan's white-collar workers and the need for improvement comes up frequently these days in both the public and private sectors. There are several factors behind the increased attention and sense of urgency to improve productivity.
Japan faces a sharply declining working-age population and some service sectors are shutting down outlets due to a manpower shortage. Death from overwork, and long working hours that have made it difficult for people such as mothers with small children and the elderly who are otherwise qualified to hold down a job, have attracted the attention of the government and the private sector, as well as the foreign media. The potential of technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence has been discussed extensively, with some hope for a long-overdue productivity improvement.
So far, the discussion has focused on working hours, in the form of restricting overtime and initiatives by some companies to move from late-night work to early morning. Telecommuting and moonlighting are discussed a little but are not perceived as alternative solutions.