This article examines the Japanese work culture and its implications. It is found that the average number of hours worked by full-time employees in Japan is 2,017 per year, with 878 overtime hours. Working seven days a week is not uncommon in Japan, with 28% of respondents saying they had worked seven days a week at least once during the previous month. Working long hours can have serious health implications on individuals as well as society as a whole. Reasons for why Japanese people tend to work longer than other countries are explored. Regulations set out by the government limit how many overtime hours an employee can work each month depending on their occupation type. Measures to reduce working hours such as reducing unpaid overtime and providing greater flexibility with regards to working arrangements are discussed.