Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesJapan has ramped up its push for companies to adopt a four-day workweek, but those efforts face steep challenges in a country famous for its workaholic culture. The Japanese government recently initiated a "work style reform" campaign aimed at promoting flexible work arrangements, shorter hours and overtime limits. The move marks a more concerted effort after the government first floated support for a shorter workweek in 2021 when lawmakers endorsed the idea. "Being part of a company is almost part of a community, and this results often in longer work hours, not as efficient work hours," he told CNBC. I think that it's going to take time [for the four-day workweek] to penetrate… we're not used to being flexible.

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Persons: Tim Craig, Craig, it's, Martin Schulz, karoshi, Hiroshi Ono Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Japan, Ministry of Health, Labor, Welfare, Fujitsu, CNBC, Hitotsubashi University Locations: Japan