KAROSHI - Death from Overwork

KAROSHI - Death from Overwork Karōshi (pronounced Kah-roe-she), which can be translated quite literally from the Japanese as "death from overwork", is occupational sudden death. The major medical causes of karoshi deaths are heart attack and stroke due to stress. Usually, Japan's rise from the devastation of World War II to economic prominence in the post-war decades has been regarded as the trigger for what has been called a new epidemic. It was …

…lawsuits have been on the rise in Japan, with the deceased person's relatives demanding compensation payments. However, before compensation can be awarded, the labor inspection office must acknowledge that the death was work-related. The continued Japanese economic decline of the past few years has forced changes to long-held beliefs of salary-men on the omnipotence and shelter of the large organization, but not reduced related stress. Increased unemployment and salary decreases has indeed compounded the problem