当西方企业首席执行官们借人工智能之名进行裁员和施行强制五天坐班制时，日本企业却在悄然为年长的"窗边 族"支付薪资，让他们出勤却几乎无所事事。图片来源：Susumu Yoshioka—Getty Images 当欧美企业强推五天坐班制，并竭力榨取更高效率时，日本企业却在悄然支付薪水给成千上万的年长员 工，让他们每天到岗闲坐，却几乎不安排任何工作任务。 他们就是所谓的"窗边族"——这些员工年纪偏大、绩效不佳或岗位冗余，被安排在靠窗的工位，几乎没 有实质性工作。 "窗边族"多为五六十岁的X世代与婴儿潮一代男性。他们当年入职时，雇主承诺执行"终身雇佣制"与年 功序列薪酬制度。 如今，他们不再带领团队或洽谈业务；日常工作不过是偶尔回复电子邮件、翻翻文件或整理纸质材料。 他们的薪资依旧体面，却被刻意排除在核心职责之外。 这一现象并非新鲜事，近来却在网络上引发关注。就在西方企业变本加厉地追求效率、强化五天到岗 制，并以人工智能为由裁员之际，越来越多年轻人正在把目光投向日本，寻找一种更为从容的替代选 择。他们甚至专程前往日本度假，以逃离企业"内卷"的压力，去体验节奏更缓慢、目标更明确的生活方 式。 调岗而非辞退：日本老年人退 ...

Core Viewpoint - Toyota maintains its position as the top-selling automaker in FY2024, but its operating profit has declined by 10% to 4.8 trillion yen (approximately 232 billion RMB) [1]. Group 1: Financial Performance and Leadership Compensation - Toyota's internal estimates suggest a potential 34.9% drop in net profit by FY2025, reducing it to 3.1 trillion yen [2]. - Despite the declining profits, Chairman Akio Toyoda received a salary of 1.949 billion yen (approximately 94.25 million RMB), marking an increase of over 20% [3]. - In FY2023, Toyoda's salary reached a record high of 1.622 billion yen, with a staggering 62% increase, sparking controversy [5]. Group 2: Leadership and Governance - Akio Toyoda's leadership is characterized by a high approval rating of 97%, raising questions about the value he brings to Toyota [7]. - The governance structure at Toyota has historically involved cross-shareholding, limiting Toyoda's ownership to less than 1% [10]. - Toyoda's rise to power involved a long journey through various roles within the company, showcasing a deep understanding of its operations [13][14]. Group 3: Strategic Direction and Electric Vehicle Transition - Under Toyoda's leadership, Toyota has focused on revitalizing the brand and expanding its product offerings, including sports and luxury vehicles [28]. - The company has engaged in international collaborations, investing in companies like Uber and Didi, while also partnering with competitors like BYD [42]. - Toyoda has been vocal against a rapid shift to electric vehicles, citing concerns over job losses and carbon emissions, while also committing to a 4 trillion yen investment in electrification [46][47]. Group 4: Organizational Changes and Future Outlook - Toyota has begun restructuring its employment practices, moving away from lifetime employment to a performance-based pay system [73]. - Recent strategic moves include the acquisition of its parent company, Toyota Industries, to streamline operations and enhance its transition to new technologies [82]. - The upcoming Lexus localization project aims to establish a manufacturing facility in China, set to begin production in 2027, indicating a significant shift in production strategy [85].

Group 1 - The rise of resignation agency services in Japan is a response to the traditional rigid workplace culture, where employees often feel unable to resign directly due to social pressures [1][2] - The concept of "lifetime employment" and seniority-based salary increases has been a core feature of the Japanese labor market, but changing demographics are shifting employee bargaining power [1] - A survey by Tokyo Shoko Research in 2024 indicated that nearly 10% of Japanese companies have received resignation notices submitted by agencies, highlighting the growing acceptance of this service across various industries [1] Group 2 - Resignation agencies in Japan can be categorized into three types: private companies, law firms, and labor unions, with approximately 100 agencies in total, the majority being private [2] - Private agency staff typically only communicate the employee's intention to resign to the employer and do not engage in further negotiations or provide legal advice [2]

Core Insights - Japan's "no retirement society" is a reflection of deep-rooted systemic challenges arising from an aging population, economic pressures, cultural norms, and policy enforcement [2][3][4] - The aging population in Japan, with 29.1% aged 65 and older, has led to a significant decline in the working-age population, creating a precarious pension system [2][3] - Economic factors, including a low public pension replacement rate and increasing financial gaps for retirees, compel many elderly individuals to remain in the workforce [3][5] - Cultural perceptions of retirement as a form of social death drive older individuals to seek continued employment, even when not financially necessary [3][4] - Policy measures have progressively raised the retirement age, pushing the workforce participation of older individuals [3][4] Japan's Dilemma - The "no retirement society" is not an ideal solution to aging challenges but a response to labor shortages and pension pressures, leading to deeper structural issues [5][6] - Health risks associated with older workers in physically demanding jobs raise concerns about their well-being and safety [6][7] - Many elderly workers are forced into low-paying, unstable jobs, perpetuating a cycle of poverty among the aging population [6][7] - The increasing presence of older workers in the labor market creates intergenerational tensions and concerns about job competition among younger workers [6][7] - Over-reliance on older labor may stifle innovation and dynamism in the economy, as decision-making may become more conservative [6][7] China's Path Forward - China faces a similar aging trend, with projections indicating that the population aged 60 and above will exceed 400 million by 2035, necessitating reforms in the pension system [8][9] - Unlike Japan, China's economic context and technological advancements may provide opportunities to mitigate the impacts of aging through automation and industry upgrades [8][9] - The traditional family support system in China may offer a buffer against the challenges of an aging population, unlike Japan's experience [8][9] - The key question for China is whether it can build a resilient system to address aging before the demographic wave fully arrives, focusing on pension reforms and quality job creation for older individuals [9][10] - Solutions should prioritize a balanced approach that respects individual choices, enhances social security, and leverages technology to improve productivity [10][11]