The mother of Matsuri Takahashi, a 24-year-old employee of advertising giant Dentsu who died by suicide nearly a decade ago after working excessive hours, has called for steps to create a society free of such deaths and voiced her opposition to any relaxation of regulations on work hours.
¡°I want to tell Matsuri that there is no more °ì²¹°ù¨²õ³ó¾± (death from overwork) in Japan thanks to her, but I can¡¯t do that yet,¡± Yukimi Takahashi, 62, said in a recent interview.
After her daughter killed herself on Dec. 25, 2015, Yukimi Takahashi held a news conference in 2016 to explain the circumstances of her daughter¡¯s death. The mother has since called for efforts to prevent °ì²¹°ù¨²õ³ó¾±, including speaking engagements at schools and labor unions.
¡°Honestly speaking, I don¡¯t want to do it because it reminds me of that tough time,¡± she said. However, she continues because she does not want anyone to experience what happened to her daughter or herself, she added.
Thanks partly to her activities and those by other bereaved families of °ì²¹°ù¨²õ³ó¾± victims, public awareness of overwork has risen in Japan.
In June 2018, a law related to workstyle reform was enacted, setting an upper limit on overtime work with penalties for violators.
However, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office this year, has instructed her government to consider relaxing work hour regulations to respect employees¡¯ choices. The matter is being discussed by a labor ministry panel.
Yukimi Takahashi said she does not want work style reform to regress.
¡°Even if people can choose their own workstyles, those who work long hours or face harassment may become mentally or physically ill without realizing it and suddenly die,¡± she stressed.
Yukimi Takahashi said that her daughter was a hard worker and a likable person, and that she has a lot of fun memories with her, including visiting Thailand and going hiking together.
¡°I wake up in the morning and say, ¡¯Good morning, Matsuri,¡¯ only to find that she¡¯s no longer here,¡± Yukimi Takahashi said. ¡°A decade has passed, just like that.¡±
¡°I understand that it takes courage for people to leave where they are, but I want them to protect their bodies and minds more than anything else,¡± she said.
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