What is Karoshi, the dangerous overwork epidemic?

Do you really know?
Jun 10, 2023 5 min
What is Karoshi, the dangerous overwork epidemic?
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About this episode

The subject we’re talking about today is most associated with Japan, but is also relevant in many other parts of the world. The Japanese word “Karoshi” means "death by overwork". In a broad sense, it refers to workers who die suddenly from a bodily failure like a stroke or heart attack due to extreme stress and long working hours.  Let’s look into the causes and consequences of a phenomenon that affects millions of workers in Japan and beyond. Overworking in Japan actually became very common during the post WW2 economic boom, when the country rapidly rose to the status of the world's second-largest economy, after the United States. Is "Karoshi" a recent issue?  what can be done to prevent Karoshi? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions ! To listen to the latest episodes, click here: What is the medication Ozempic and why is it being used for weight loss? What are subway shirts, the viral anti-harassment trend? What is the optimism bias? A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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