Tokyo, Feb 7: In a bid to ensure that people of its country take appropriate rest after long period of work, Japan’s government is thinking of introducing a new legislation to this effect.

Legislation  will be submitted during the parliamentary session that began  on Jan. 26.  It aims to ensure workers get the rest they need. Contrary to past practice, the employers will now be legally bound to ensure workers take their holidays.

After intensive study of such legislation for years,  more impetus for change since 2012  has been seen in Japan. Interestingly, the realization is  that the health, social and productivity costs of Japan´s extreme work ethic were too high.

In a culture that values harmony, many people refrain from taking days off with an invisible fear.

After all, in Japan, only wimps use up all their vacation days.

Most of the affected workers are “salarymen” or “OL”. Sekiguchi, a japanese official lady is  so dedicated to  her  job see  can´t seem to go home.

That has come with its social costs. Sekiguchi worries she will never get married or even find a boyfriend, unless he happens to be in the office. She wishes companies would simply shut down now and then to allow workers to take days off without qualms.

Going by the statistics, about 22 percent of Japanese work more than 49 hours a week, compared with 16 percent of Americans, 11 percent of the French and Germans, according to data compiled by the Japanese government. South Koreans seem even more workaholic, at 35 percent.

Barely half the vacation days allotted to Japanese workers are ever taken, an average of nine days per individual a year.

The problem in Japan in some ways resemble  the situation of American workers, many of whom don´t get guaranteed paid vacations at all. But those who get them usually do take all or most of them.

Japanese must use their vacations for sick days, although a separate law guarantees two-thirds of their wages if they get seriously ill and take extended days off.

Meanwhile, workers save two or three vacation days for fear of catching a cold or some other minor illness so they can stay home, said Yuu Wakebe, the Health and Labor Ministry official overseeing such standards. (With Inputs From Associated Press)