Brutal Reality of Public School Teachers in Japan: Overwork, Karoshi, Harassed by Parents

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Japan is facing a growing crisis: a severe teacher shortage and alarming levels of overwork among public school teachers. In this documentary, we explore the intense pressures that educators face, the demanding workload that often leads to burnout, and the tragic phenomenon of karoshi-death from overwork.
Join us as we uncover the underlying issues in Japan's public education system, from outdated labor laws to labor abuse and the violation of labor rights. Through interviews with teachers and experts, we shed light on what it’s really like to be a teacher in Japan and the growing challenges of teaching in public schools. This film is a critical look at how the education system must evolve to protect the well-being of those responsible for shaping the next generation.
Keywords:
public school teachers, labor law, labor abuse, karoshi in Japan, being a teacher in Japan, teaching in Japan, labor abuse, labor rights, living in Japan, Japanese education system, teacher shortage
#japan #documentary #japaneseculture #humanrights #japanlife

[@richardb6609]

The parents can be a nightmare. They're called "monster parents".

[@chinito77]

I work in the Japanese school system and yes, it's terrible. Teachers and staff do things like cleaning gutters, cutting grass, and wiping windows despite the fact that we have a cleaning staff! This mentally of everyone cleans together needs to change! Taking care of kids is tough work. Especially dealing with kids who have autism, ADHD, and other mental issues. We don't have specialist at my school to deal with kids with needs and we can't tell parents that there kids are misbehaving or need professional help. We do need more foreigners but the pay and hours scare away many or most just quit after a few weeks. Don't forget that kids also come home late because after school, they hit private cram schools and come home around 7-8 pm and that includes weekends too!

[@MrHitotsumusha]

I second this. I'd also like to note that it is different between BOEs or Board of Education in each city. Some are better than others when it comes to staffing. In the end, they are all severely underfunded.

[@teetarbaazyuvak]

cleaning gutters?? that is just awful. sucks to be them

[@Megamibunny]

This is a worldwide problem. Teachers always go on strike in the USA. It ya the most underpaid job yet it’s one of the most important.

[@a.girouard2988]

Agreed. The difference being that teacher's unions elsewhere in the developed world are a lot stronger and more willing to fight for their member's rights than Japanese unions are.

[@truedaito9420]

Just the fuck up with your grotesque Japan apologist non sense. What worldwide? It’s certainly not in my country, where nobody will accept this sort of massive bullshit. I have been living in a Japan for 22 years and I saw some real shit here that does no exist anywhere else in the world, including the how bizarrely the school system is organized here.

[@sekaiomiruhitokaminoyume5426]

Teacher in the USA strike to teach students that science doesn’t exist, and doesn’t teach them common sense. Look at our university spawning woke ignorant. This is not the same bro

[@khoirulanam9141]

From schools to corporations, Japanese-run organizations are a nightmare

[@manojfernando1028]

every where teaching is same. but in Japan worst

[@a.girouard2988]

Work at a faculty of education in Japan training elementary school teachers, 20+ years here and can confirm almost everything said in this video is true with the exception of club activities; often these go far later into the evening than just 6:00 p.m.

[@bou283]

You can notice the raise of private school in Japan. One of my Japanese friend works for one private international school. Fixed hour, overtime paid, and also both Japan national holidays + foreign national holidays Of course , for parents , cost is not the same as public. It’s like 1.2 M yens per year

[@junrosamura8121]

Very true, most parents send their kids to private schools do the poor quality of public schools. However, the pay is VERY low for foreign workers.

[@SvengelskaBlondie]

"Of course , for parents , cost is not the same as public. It’s like 1.2 M yens per year" One of the things ive been curious about is those backpacks, why are they so absurdly expensive and why can't they just use any old backpack. What's so magical and special that you need a certain brand/price range to use for school stuff.

[@junrosamura8121]

@@SvengelskaBlondie We are a two faced society. We believe in reuse and recycle but we dare not use second hand items for school or work. It's also a belief about new items for new experiences (school gear and work clothes for example) and not standing out from everyone else by using a non standard backpack for example.

[@Justcetriyaart]

Wow. Anything to not hire more professionals such as accountants, physiologist, designers, assistant teachers, excetra

[@a.girouard2988]

To be honest, the same phenomenon happens in North America as well, but not quite to the extent that it does in Japan.

[@nevion5533]

There's a saying in japan: how many Japanese are required to change a light bulb? No one, cuz no one ever changes anything in Japan

[@GWT1m0]

​​@@nevion5533In the context of this video: One teacher

[@misubi]

Japan will do anything but change.

[@shuk97-k7q]

Because japan will never changes

[@Falkenschwinge]

Japan. Japan never changes. *Fallout Japan Intro starts playing*

[@kingmaafa120]

SA KO KU JAPAN 🇯🇵

[@CordeliaAurora]

A unified economic system with emphasis on profit and a deep mutual connection between the rich and the government makes it really impossible to fund any meaningful change. It's not just Japan but every country on earth following suit. But hey here's.......more consumer electronics! Are you happy yet?

[@tartempion5414]

​@@CordeliaAurora You're right, but this system is even stronger in Japan than in my home country, France. I feel that sometimes the Japanese are too submissive to unfairness

[@RichardSmith-pb8qk]

Been in the public school system in Japan and it is ridiculous. Never again.

[@casualweekday-ytshadowbang2469]

There are recruitment ads for assistant teachers, with a timetable made of Swiss cheese and a wage barely above the legal minimum.

[@menetherin]

I found this very Helpful. Well written and researched. Thumbs up to you. Thank you. This is very good

[@ttrnet123]

Japan knows the answer but would rather sacrifice their children instead of actually paying their teachers. Like seriously, pay your workers. Those government officials aren't working 80 hours overtime.

[@theokorley2086]

When you die someone will replace you the next minute. Love yourself first teachers

[@radiolollipop2837]

teacher shortage in a country that has declining birth rate 😮

[@francesbell4386]

I have worked as a teacher in the UK, but gave it up due to work load. There is a teacher shortage in some subjects, but the workload sounds much worse in Japan .

[@jvcpaints]

....and the worst part of it is that high school graduates can't handle junior high school third year level math, science and Japanese tests when they try to enter the B tier and below universities. Even though the kids go to juku for extra practice, the success rate is still pitiful. The education system in Japan exists to socialize people, not educate them.

[@bluedragontoybash2463]

my thought exactly ! the whole kanji system is an invisible caste system

[@CordeliaAurora]

You need to be a demon to be able to work 12-14 hours a day and then call to annoy a poor teacher I work way less yet I bother literally nobody And when I'm a full time housewife I sort of understand how the boredom and isolation could make you snap but I still can't imagine caring that much My past makes me put way more emphasis on sustainable habits and relative happiness+freedom (rather not have my dear ones spend 80% of their waking time being a cog)

[@alanknuth1671]

The Japanese educational system is terrible.

[@faith9338]

Teachers shouldn’t be in charge of clubs. Most of the time it’s not in their field of study. It should be done by assistant/substitute teachers/coaches. I think it’s a good idea that complaining parents should be allocated to counselors. Lastly, no school should have class on Saturdays, even if it’s not every week. Teachers won’t get enough rest days.

[@enchantedenglishadventurer8024]

Actually cleaning of the schools is done after lunch not at the end of the school day. Also another administration duty allotted to teachers is contacting students’ families about inadequate funds in their bank accounts to pay for school fees and school lunches. Not to mention that there are no school counselors at any level in most schools in Japan. Teachers have to see to not only teaching, but helping with counseling students and families on multiple issues.

[@stimpyfeelinit]

damn i'm thinking about the students... 7:30am arrival with them leaving at 4-5pm is crazy

[@Megamibunny]

Happens in the USA but class was 6:30am to 4:30pm

[@mare4599]

Just wait until you hear how long school hour in South Korea or China

[@user-vz5gi5tw9x]

Because they join club activities. In Japan, participation in club activities is not compulsory, and students who participate in club activities do so because they like it. I finished my compulsory education in Japan, but I did not participate in club activities, so my school hours were from 8:45AM to 3:30PM

[@ALLKASDLLS-mg4lu]

Many people don't know this, but we Japanese don't spend all our time in studying. Besides studying, we do a variety of things, such as club activities, extracurricular activities, volunteering, cleaning, etc. On average, we probably spend about 5 hours studying a day at school. And there are events every month, such as cultural festivals, sports festivals, and school trips. Unlike the Chinese and Koreans, we are not forced to study in classrooms all day.

[@junrosamura8121]

@@ALLKASDLLS-mg4lu Yeah but the fact that most kids come home around 7-8pm because their parents force them to go to cram schools is terrible. Even on Saturdays and Sundays, I always see kids doing something school related then go to cram schools on the weekends as well. What for? To become a convenience store worker or work as a salary man or OL?

[@jqx7743]

When I was traveling in Kyoto, I saw how tired these teachers looked. This has to stop.

[@hanazuki333]

why does it looks like everything is failing in japan. every segment of society has this weird extreme solution. it show how hard it is for japanese government that is filled with old people have a very hard time to ADAPT , they always stick to the old ways of working even if they clearly can see that its failing .

[@noodlelicious.]

Terrible. Younger generations these days are just absolutely terrible.

[@GWT1m0]

Policies are created by the old. They are indeed terrible.

[@bidossessi]

Excellent video

[@SomehowCreative]

Gosh that's horrible...

[@angua65]

Parents pretends it's not their job to thought their children at least what's considered as basics acceptable human behavior? The mentioned kid who walk into empty house (it was unlock?! O_o) and made a mess? Those parent are responsible, that's the thing you learn at home. Moral, manners, table manners, basic social interactions etc I learned at home. It seem that in Japan (and probably world wide nowadays) respect for the teacher is lost... And yet, what would we do without them.

[@tatsumasa6332]

The cleaning is important than your life.

[@zawardo3078]

just raise the salaries, decrease their working hours

[@TheFrickshow]

there is no soul left in most of those people.. they just robots

[@teetarbaazyuvak]

why bother when you can outsource unnecessary work to cheap labour from different countries.that too offline

[@mariahsmom9457]

Parents are always the worstvpart of teaching anywhere and everywhere. Parents need to take an interest in raising their own kids better and cared a bit more about their own kids. They dont want to be parents and it shows!

[@LothoOdy]

😢😢😢😢😢

[@prypiat27]

Bro.

[@tedkhoong]

Guys, don't become a teacher in Japan! No matter what, don't do it. Don't you dare!... So that there'll be more demand for teachers, and I can fill in the spot with ease.

[@a.girouard2988]

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. The school board I did my teaching practicums a in Canada had a average career lifespan of five years die to similar issues. I doubt you would last five months.

[@junrosamura8121]

@@a.girouard2988 Yeah, I've seen many foreigners come and go at Japanese schools. The stress here can break any weak person.

[@a.girouard2988]

@@junrosamura8121 Not just foreigners, it can and does break many Japanese as well. Don't fool yourself into thinking it doesn't.

[@junrosamura8121]

@@a.girouard2988 Trust me I, know. However most Japanese deal with it or claim mental break down and still get to keep their job. Foreigners don't have that option. If they complain, it usually falls on deaf ears and/or paints that person as just another lazy foreigner. Also, most cultures are quick about speaking their mind and quit if they don't a job.

[@a.girouard2988]

@@junrosamura8121 I would agree; foreigners are probably more willing to fight for their rights or quit of they feel they are being abused. Not always, because they are living in a foreign country in a culture that is not their own and a legal system they probably don't understand but generally I agree.

[@harmony-bi6ks]

Just dont do overtime work

[@junrosamura8121]

You don't have a choice here. It's also the way of thinking. We try to help out even if it is not our responsibility. There is always a sense of guilt if we go against the flow.

[@b.l70]

This is why, traditionally, the profession of teachers in Asia is so revered. They're role models, mentors, and sometimes parents to the young students. Their job is a lot. And a lot of them do this as a labor of love/calling. Maybe that's why Japanese ppl are so well liked globally and their name is synonymous to "high quality". Their education system must be doing something right. I truly admire teachers who work this hard for their students. It's not a job for the faint of heart.

[@ChristopherCricketWallace]

If it was so revered, that would be paid more and treated better.

[@b.l70]

@@ChristopherCricketWallace I absolutely agree that we don't pay teachers what they're worth. It doesn't mean that they were not highly respected in the community. Like I said, a great teacher is someone who's doing it as a calling/labor of love cause you do not get compensated enough for what you do. I personally think we should pay teachers more than lawyers and doctors.

[@a.girouard2988]

This is unadulterated nonsense. Clearly you didn't listen to a word that was spoken in the video. The point is that a combination of public entitlement, parental interference, abusive working conditions and extremely poor pay means public school teachers ARE NOT RESPECTED in Japan. If they were, those conditions wouldn't exist or would be greatly mitigated. Source: I have been living in Japan the past 20+ years and I teach at a faculty of education training elementary school teachers.