Report claims Toyota employee died from overwork

Posted Wed Jul 9 2008 7:55 AM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

A Japanese labor agency has found that the death of a 45-year-old Toyota engineer was the result of too much work and has since ruled that the late man’s family is entitled to collect benefits from his work insurance. In the lead up to his death, which took place in January 2006, the unnamed man was involved in developing a hybrid Camry for the Detroit Auto Show that was taking place that same month.

"In the two months up to his death, he averaged more than 80 hours of overtime per month, the criteria for overwork," an officer at the Aichi labor agency in Japan told reporters from the Associated Press. Although he died of ischemic heart disease, lawyers representing his family claim it was brought about by the severe pressure placed on him to get the car ready for the show.

In a statement, Toyota offered its condolences and said it would work to improve monitoring of the health of its workers.

Working overtime is so common for the Japanese that they even have a term for it, ‘karoshi,’ and this isn’t the first time a Toyota employee has died from too much work. In 2002, a 30-year-old employee died after working up to 70 hours per week.

Reader Comments

Wed Jul 9 2008 10:49 AM
bambam says

I know how that feels, its stressful when everything is on you and no one to back you up especially when its top secret stuff like a new concept or something you can put a paten on. It just goes when you have a good friend, you do anything to help them even if you don't work for them. When did a big plan ever turn out 100% right.
Wed Jul 9 2008 10:59 AM
Stephen Fowler says

Hmmm, this sounds more like lawyer rubbish then anything else. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy his family gets benefits. Its just that 80 hours of overtime in a month, added to a 40 hour work week, is only 60 hours a week. I've done that and more plenty of times, and many professionals around the world do that and more on a regular basis.
Wed Jul 9 2008 3:25 PM
Sissypants says

You mean the Japanese have a word for overtime? How exotic. Wouldn't it be crazy if we did too? Like "OVERTIME"? How much do you want to bet that this guy, like every other hourly employee, sought out the overtime and was paid at least time and a half.
Wed Jul 9 2008 7:22 PM
HECTOR says

Sissypants cracks me up.

And Stephen has a point. I've been putting in 50 + hour weeks for the past 4 months and I'm still alive. And I'm salaried! I don't get karoshi!
Wed Jul 9 2008 10:27 PM
grooverider says

Sissypants,

The term 'karoshi' means dying from too much labour, and its a massive issue in Japan from long ago you cock! And many of them don't even get payed for their overtime labours. Managements in Japanese corps. are just too strong

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