Indian teacher in Japan highlights paid overtime work culture: 'Even 30 minutes of extra work is paid'
An Indian teacher from Lucknow shared how extra work is fairly paid and clear rules protect work-life balance in Japan.
Japan is known for its discipline, efficiency, and strict work rules, and a recent Instagram video by an Indian teacher working there has brought these values into focus.

The video, shared from her everyday school life, explains how Japanese workplaces follow clear labour laws that protect employees.
The teacher, identified as Pragati (@lucknowiinjapan), has been working in Japan for the past seven months.
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Paid overtime:
Pragati in the video shared that even half an hour of extra work is officially paid. She said this rule applies strictly and is followed without exception.
According to her, Japanese schools also have firm limits on working days. Teachers are not allowed to work more than five consecutive days, which helps maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Pragati also highlighted the culture of respect in Japanese workplaces. If teachers choose to do extra work, colleagues are always thankful and appreciative.
“Even if you're getting paid extra, colleagues will always thank you for doing their work,” she adds.
HT.com has reached out to the user for more details. This report will be updated when she responds.
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Check out the video here:
Here's how people reacted to the video:
Instagram users reacted strongly to the video, praising Japan’s clear and disciplined work culture.
One of the users commented, “Breaks my heart to see how far we have to go to match these standards.”
A second user commented, “India mein teacher hona future ki barbadi lagti hai.”
“Humko yahan to sirf biometric machine hi ‘Thank you’ bolti hai,” another user commented.
The video was shared on January 10,2 026 and since then it has gained 3.5 million views and 1.6 lakh likes.

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