Salaryman _ AcademiaLab (2025)

Salaryman (サラリーマン, sararīman ^?, lit., "salaried man") is the term by which the Japanese designate the low-ranking workers of a company. This word, although it is taken from the English salary (salary) and man (man), is actually a neologism originating in the Japanese language (wasei-eigo). The frequent use of the term by Japanese companies and its spread through manga has led to its widespread use in English-speaking countries to designate white-collar Japanese workers.

The word can be found in many books and articles related to Japanese culture. The connotations of the term have evolved over time: after World War II, salaried work was considered a stable position, guaranteeing a wealthy and respectable social status; In its modern meaning, the term has acquired a certain pejorative nuance, since it is associated with long working hours, average prestige (higher than manual workers, but lower than senior managers), absence of other sources of income other than the salary, total dependence on the employer, lack of initiative and individuality, wage slavery and karōshi (death from overwork).

In Japanese culture, it is generally considered more important to work for the good of the whole society than for oneself. Therefore, salarymen are expected to put their work before all else, work long hours and put in a lot of overtime, and participate in activities with their peers after work, such as nomikai parties. , karaoke and hostess bars. In general, the salaryman joins the company in a collective contracting process for recent graduates and stays with it for life. In Japan's conservative culture, young people are expected to join a company, and those who do not follow this career path are viewed with less regard and prestige. The fact of wanting to launch your own company (startup) is not usually well seen because it implies a high potential for failure.

The term is exclusively masculine; for women, office lady is used.

History

The term, which came into general use in Japan in the 1930s, refers to male wage earners in companies and corporations, with the exception of those in executive and managerial positions. The period of prosperity and economic growth he lived through the country of Japan since the end of the Second World War favored the emergence of some "new middle classes" that replaced the "old middle classes", which saw their influence diminished in favor of the employees of large business corporations and government bureaucracies. The latter, due to their possibility of having a few fixed income, were designated with the term salaryman, which, however, is not used to designate any person whose income comes from a salary, but only for the specific category of white-collar workers of companies and government offices. Workers in the mizu shōbai (nightlife) and entertainment industry (including actors and singers) are not included in the term. Similarly, doctors, engineers, lawyers, accountants, musicians, artists, politicians, freelancers and business executives are also excluded.

Historically, the Japanese government has favored large corporations over small business ventures. During the Meiji Era (1868-1912), the development of heavy industries, which needed large economies of scale, was promoted by promulgating laws and elaborating specific policies for the benefit of large companies. However, due to the economic crisis that affected Japan in the 1990s, the figure of the salaryman underwent a radical reduction. In fact, with the bursting of the speculative bubble, many employers were forced to lay off their employees, which was a violation of the social contract established after the Second World War, according to which guaranteed employment for life was the norm. In the 2000s, more and more Japanese companies began hiring new staff on a short-term or part-time basis, breaking the tradition of companies treating white-collar workers like family members, rather than of employees. This paternalistic attitude was rewarded for leading the country towards industrialization and modernization, establishing a strong middle class, and providing stability to the country during its economic growth.

Since the post-crisis era, the figure of the Japanese salaryman has been portrayed in manga and television as a sad, almost ridiculous stereotype of a father and husband absent from home. for long periods of time and that he is completely dependent on his company. Due to this negative perception, communities are less and less willing to help the salaryman with his emotional problems, such as depression, fear to go to work, the fear of returning home from work, and nervous tension, which can sometimes lead to suicides and karōshi, deaths from overwork.

All of these factors have contributed to a growing interest in independent entrepreneurship in Japan, to the detriment of corporate life. The term used to refer to this phenomenon is datsusara (脱サラ , ' datsusara'^? lit., "renounce the life of a wage earner"), and it is considered the main option for those who decide to flee from the conformism of Japanese society, where finding a job in a company is still the norm.