**Doctor’s Suicide Linked to Overwork in Japan**
Labor inspection authorities in Japan have confirmed that a 26-year-old doctor died by suicide a year ago due to stress from overwork, particularly working more than 200 hours of overtime in a month. The family members of the doctor, Shingo Takashima, disclosed this information in a video interview with CNN.
The hospital where Takashima worked, the Konan Medical Center in Kobe, denies the allegations. According to family lawyers, Takashima had worked for 207 hours of overtime in the month leading up to her death and had not taken a single day off in three months. The government inspection body also concluded that her suicide was a result of the working conditions at the hospital.
The hospital’s head, Eisei Gu, stated, “We do not recognize the fact that we imposed excessive workloads on them,” as reported by The Ashay Shimbun. The hospital claims that Takashima had begun working in April 2020 and had recently become a specialist, aiming to become a gastroenterologist.
The investigation by the labor inspection body confirmed that Takashima’s death was an occupational injury caused by excessive working hours and highlighted the immense pressures faced by healthcare workers.
Japan has long been grappling with a culture of overwork. Employees across various industries report punishing hours, high pressure from supervisors, and a deference to the company. This has resulted in extreme stress and mental health consequences, even leading to a phenomenon called “karoshi” or “death from overwork.” In response, legislation has been implemented to prevent deaths and injuries from overtime work.
The health sector in particular is heavily impacted by this issue. A 2016 study revealed that more than a quarter of full-time hospital doctors work up to 60 hours a week, with 5% working up to 90 hours and 2.3% working up to 100 hours. Another recent report from the Japan Association of Medical Colleges found that over 34% of doctors are entitled to a “special level of overtime” that exceeds the maximum limit of 960 hours per year.
Takashima’s family has chosen to bring attention to his case in the hopes of sparking change in the country’s work culture.