Japan 2025: Post-COVID Life, Tourism, 4-Day Workweek
The pandemic changed every country in different ways, and living in Japan before, during, and after COVID has made those changes especially noticeable. Some shifts happened almost overnight, while others have continued gradually over the past few years.
In this episode, guest co-host Devin and I looked at several ways everyday life in Japan has evolved since the pandemic and discussed which changes seem likely to remain.
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Everyday Life Looks Different
One of the most visible changes has been how people approach health and public spaces.
Masks, staying home when sick, and paying closer attention to illness have become much more common parts of daily life than they were before. While some habits are slowly returning to normal, others have become part of everyday culture in ways that few people would have expected several years ago.
Living here through that transition has made it easy to notice how quickly social norms can change.
New Challenges Facing Japan
The conversation also explored some of the broader issues Japan continues to face.
Topics such as school refusal, mental health, changing work habits, and the country's declining birthrate have become increasingly important over the past few years. While these challenges existed before COVID, many people feel the pandemic accelerated conversations that were already beginning.
It's a reminder that the effects of major events often continue long after the event itself has passed.
Technology and Work Continue to Evolve
Japan has also continued changing in practical ways.
Cashless payments have become far more common than they once were, work styles continue to evolve, and new ideas such as four-day workweeks are beginning to appear in parts of the country. Some changes have been adopted quickly, while others have been much slower than many people expected.
Japan is often seen as a country that changes slowly, but living here has shown me that even gradual change can become very noticeable over time.
Looking Ahead
One thing this discussion reinforced for me is that Japan today feels different from the Japan I first moved to.
Some changes have made everyday life more convenient, while others reflect larger social challenges that the country is still trying to address. Like anywhere else, Japan continues to adapt as new generations, new technology, and new circumstances reshape daily life.
If you've lived in Japan through the past several years, I'd love to hear what changes you've noticed the most. Which ones do you think are here to stay?