Here are some things they don’t tell you about working in Japan:

1. It’s a lot easier and more fun for some to be a tourist than to be an employee here. There’s a reason why many Japanese people often say “work is work.” Because they’re paying you good money (at least for most companies) and you don’t get fired as easily as in other countries, they expect you to do your best and to work over time or during the weekend in some cases.
   
   While as a tourist, you’ll get excused for violating some rules and for a lot more things, you’ll often be scolded or reprimanded if you make a mistake or violate some rules at work.
2. Some Japanese are welcoming to foreigners while some are wary and suspicious of them. This becomes painful at work if your supervisor tends to be on the latter side. They can make up more difficult rules and ask you to do things that others might think are too harsh. You’re expected to put up with it. You can also get bullied, esp. if you’re not from developed countries most Japanese have a high opinion of.
3. Some seemingly simple decisions can’t be made quickly because many people have to be consulted and many meetings done. This is one of the reasons why many Japanese companies have been lagging behind in innovations.
4. In some cases, many Japanese seem to complain about too much overtime work and yet they continue to do it day after day for more than a decade. I wonder if some of them actually look forward to it because they get to receive over time pay (some, not all) and they don’t have to face difficult problems at home.
5. Japanese employees often don’t have enough time to spend their hard-earned money. When they do get a chance to go on vacation, three days seems to be the norm. This is why they don’t mind taking luxurious trips and staying in five-star hotels. It’s such a rare occasion for them and they’re too tired to pursue adventures as others would.
6. It’s almost a crime for an employee to be absent from work. I’ve heard of cases where employees go to work even if they’ve broken a bone. Some co-workers came to work with a high fever, only to be sent home.
   
   I once had a student who went to a job interview. One of the things they talked about is how she has not missed one day of work in the seven years that she worked for her previous company.
7. The Japanese work ethic training doesn’t start when a Japanese gets his first job. It starts from the very first day he goes to school. The teachers and school officials impose strict rules on everyone and makes sure they participate in activities that are supposed to be done together, like the daily school-wide cleaning.
   
   Most kids go to school on the weekends, esp. starting junior high. Parents nowadays complain that they don’t have regular weekend classes like they did during their time. Many special events (Sports Festival, Cultural Festival) and student/teacher training take place on a weekend. Contrast that to the Philippines where parents are likely to complain to the school if their kids are asked to go to school even on weekends.
8. “Reading the air” is just as important in business. Your client or co-worker may be smiling at you and even acting nice but he could be upset at what you did or didn’t do and may tell your boss about it. There are instances when everyone else will know your client’s dissatisfaction but you. So it’s important to be sensitive, pay attention to his body language, and eyes.
9. Thriftiness is the norm for the average employee. Many bring a bento (packed lunch) that either they or their spouse has prepared. It’s also very common to see people bringing a bottle with tea. They could easily buy drinks and lunch from the convenience store and it wouldn’t hurt their pockets, but they rarely do that. Meanwhile, you have a good number of employees in developing countries who buy lunch at work.
10. If you think that being a newbie at work is stressful, wait until you’ve experienced it in Japan. It’s the same, only 10 times more stressful. The more clients, bosses, or schools you report to, the more the stress is multiplied. My first year at the job was like walking on broken glass. I had to tread carefully. I’ve had Vice Principals literally tailing me, whether I go to the Printing Room or the library. You can be sure your superiors and co-workers are quietly assessing your performance and reliability. It’s very important that you pass the test and consistently impress them during the first few meetings because it could set the tone for the whole year.
11. Many Japanese employees go by the principle of working moderately (hodohodo), or ensuring they pace themselves, not always giving their all to avoid getting sick and so that they would have enough energy to work over time or do extra stuff. In fact, I’ve heard of some trying to not work too fast so that they would still have things to do during the mandatory overtime that some have to endure.
    
    Unfortunately, this is not conducive to innovation and encouraging people to do their best work.
12. The company can play god to its employees - having the right to assign them abroad or a different place that would require them to move. This is true both from rank-and-file employees to executives. Some choose to move with their whole families while others choose to move by themselves, essentially renting an apartment for one and living like a single person. Of course, they can say no to these postings but this is like a career suicide as it’s like turning down an opportunity to get promoted.