An Indian professional who has lived in Japan for over a decade has gone viral after posting a sarcastic video describing the country's employee-friendly work culture as a 'struggle. His tongue-in-cheek remarks about hybrid work, paid overtime and generous bonuses left social media users in splits.Indian Man Hilariously Lists The 'Problems' Of Working In JapanAn Indian man living in Japan has amused social media users after posting a sarcastic video highlighting what he jokingly described as the "struggles" of working in the country.In the clip, Ajay Pandey, who said he has been working in Japan for the past 11 years, mockingly complained about several aspects of the country's workplace culture that many professionals would consider perks. From hybrid work arrangements and uninterrupted weekends to paid overtime and generous bonuses, Pandey's tongue-in-cheek observations quickly struck a chord online.The video, shared on Instagram with the caption "Japan work culture," has since prompted a wave of humorous reactions from viewers.‘Every Weekend Is Wasted Like This’Opening the video with a straight face, Pandey sarcastically described Japan's work culture as "extremely difficult.""It has been so many years since I moved here, and honestly, working in Japan is extremely difficult. I find the work culture here absolutely terrible. I have to go to the office only three days a week and work from home for the remaining two. There is no overtime on weekends either, so I am forced to spend my time going camping or on bike rides," he said.He then turned his attention to his manager, joking that he was frustrated because he was never contacted outside office hours."I am genuinely annoyed with my manager because he never calls me or thinks of me on weekends. For the past 11 years, he has been friend-zoning me every weekend. At least call me to work once in a while. Every weekend is wasted like this," he added.'They Pay Me For Every 15 Minutes'Pandey also poked fun at Japan's approach to overtime, saying that while getting approval for extra work is not easy, employees are compensated for every additional 15 minutes they spend working."Even when I request overtime, it is approved only with great difficulty, and when they finally approve it, they pay me for every 15 minutes I work," he said.He ended the video by jokingly comparing workplace bonuses in Japan with customary Diwali gifts that some employees receive in India."There is no proper Diwali bonus here either—not even a box of laddoos or a pen. Instead, they simply throw two or three months' salary at you as a bonus. Honestly, I am completely fed up with working in Japan," he concluded.Internet Finds The Sarcasm RelatableThe video quickly gained traction on social media, with many viewers recognising the sarcasm and joining in with jokes of their own.One user commented, "Trust me this reel is not about Japan."Another offered a note of caution, writing, "Few jobs like this are exists, but not all are the same! Don't get trapped."A third user expressed admiration for Pandey's experience, saying, "You are living my dream life bro... Meri bucket list me name hai..japan ka."Another summed up the mood with a popular internet phrase, writing, "Bro is suffering from success."About the AuthorAnjali ThakurAnjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour. Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has
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