The suicide of a Japanese convenience store manager who worked every day for at least six months without taking a day off was recognized as an industrial accident.
The Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported on the 7th that the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recognized the industrial accident of the late A, who killed himself while working as a manager at a franchise store in Oita Prefecture of the convenience store franchise 7-Eleven.
The deceased, who died at the age of 38, was a store manager hired by a store owner who ran several convenience stores. The bereaved family said A started working as a part-time job at a 7-Eleven convenience store and was the manager of the convenience store he last worked at in 2019.
The wife of the deceased said that her husband had hardly taken a break for at least a year and four months from March 2021, the time of marriage. She said that her husband often came to work suddenly when a part-time worker was absent or when he had to deal with a customer. He added that he received a lot of calls from the deceased late at night, and about half of the week, the average sleeping time of the husband was about two hours.
Eventually, Mr. A ended his life on his own in July 2022. The suicide note said, “It’s natural to work long hours without resting,” “I’m the only one who has a hard time no matter how much I work to fill my shift,” and “The manager of a convenience store is just used.”
The Labor Standards Supervision Office under the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare launched an investigation at the request of the bereaved family of A. The Labor Standards Supervision Office, which looked into the working conditions of the deceased for the past six months, admitted that A had not taken a day off during this period, and that he developed depression. Japanese labor authorities judge overwork based on whether the work of six months before death affected the death of the deceased.
The Asahi Shimbun pointed out that the 24/7 business practice is fueling the overwork of convenience store managers at a time when the manpower shortage is serious. It is not known whether A’s convenience store operated 24 hours a day, but the deceased was found to have been working night shifts.
7-Eleven, in particular, was notorious for signing contracts based on the principle of 24-hour operation. Then, the policy was abolished after a case in which the headquarters sent a warning letter of 17 million yen to a store owner who reduced operating hours in 2019 to cancel the order. However, many branches are still unable to give up their 24-hour operation due to concerns over falling sales. Branch offices with low sales may suffer disadvantages such as exclusion of support from the headquarters.
According to a 2019 survey by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 26% of employees at convenience store franchises said they “go to work almost every day.”
7-Eleven’s headquarters explained to the Asahi Shimbun that “the owner is fully obligated to comply with the Labor Standards Act.”
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
