For decades, the image of the loyal salaryman, suited, stoic and devoted to a single employer for life, embodied Japan’s economic miracle. Yet today, a quiet revolution is reshaping the country’s professional landscape. Millennials and Gen Z are turning away from the lifetime employment system that once defined success, seeking flexibility, autonomy and above all, meaning. The transformation is unmistakably steady, a generational shift in what it means to “work hard” in Japan.

This is not a story of abandoning work, but of abandoning devotion.

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The End of the Lifetime Company

The postwar model of lifetime employment, with its guaranteed stability and seniority-based promotions, was once a cornerstone of Japanese society. But after the economic bubble burst in the 1990s, cracks began to appear. As companies struggled to sustain this system, the number of non-regular workers (part-timers, contractors and freelancers) rose sharply, now representing over a third of Japan’s workforce.

For younger generations entering a transformed job market, the promise of stability has lost its credibility. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, job-switching among workers under 35 has more than doubled since 2010. What was once considered reckless, quitting after just a few years, is now seen as a strategy for self-development. Employers, in turn, are beginning to adapt by offering remote options, creative workspaces and mental health support to attract a generation that values freedom over loyalty.

The Rise of Quiet Quitting

Not all rebellions take the form of resignation. Across industries, a subtler form of resistance is spreading: “quiet quitting.” This trend, popularized globally after the pandemic, describes workers who fulfill their duties but consciously reject the culture of overwork.

In Japan, where karoshi (death by overwork) remains a chilling reality, the idea of setting boundaries is almost radical. Yet for many younger employees, it represents an act of self-preservation. This quiet pushback reflects broader shifts in Japanese society. As awareness of mental health grows, younger workers are prioritizing well-being and balance over blind dedication: “There’s no doubt that work plays an important role in Japanese life. It occupies most of our time and is our livelihood. However, I think values ​​are constantly evolving. In addition, phrases like ‘work-life balance’ have become commonplace. Japanese people tend to believe in ‘working in moderation’ or ‘working as much as possible, especially when you’re young,’” says Daisuke Kaku, a software engineer in Fukuoka. His words underscore the paradox at the heart of this generational shift. The younger generation is learning to redefine ambition itself through quiet restraint, and in this sense, “quiet surrender” is not about rejecting work but about finding one’s humanity within it.

Freelancers, Creators and the New Professional Freedom

Parallel to this quiet resistance is the rise of independent work. Freelancing, side hustles and creative entrepreneurship have flourished among Japan’s under-35s. According to a 2024 survey by CrowdWorks, one of Japan’s largest freelance platforms, over five million people now earn part of their income independently, more than double the number a decade ago.

Social media and digital platforms have democratized opportunities, allowing young Japanese to turn hobbies into viable livelihoods, whether as illustrators, content creators or small-scale entrepreneurs. Behind this shift lies a deeper generational redefinition of success. For their parents, prosperity meant a corporate title, a house and lifelong security. For their children, it increasingly means autonomy, creativity and emotional health. The change is not without tension, because Japan’s hierarchical institutions still favor conformity, but the movement is irreversible.

A Silent Revolution

Japan’s younger generations are definitely not rejecting work, but they are redefining it. The quiet quitting, job-hopping and freelance waves are symptoms of a broader cultural transformation, one that questions the very foundations of loyalty, hierarchy and productivity.

The lifetime company may not vanish overnight, but its spell has broken. What replaces it may finally allow Japanese workers to breathe, and to choose their own rhythm in a country learning, at last, to slow down.

You might want to check out our article on the Samurai’s Legacy in Japanese Corporate Culture.