Busy lives mean briefer bonenkai

A new survey by Kurumeshi Co., Ltd. (one of Japan's biggest corporate catering services) has shown that while most workers still want to take part in bonenkai, or year-end parties, modern life is making it harder to join in.

About 77 percent of people said they want to attend their company's year-end party for 2025, mostly to spend time with colleagues outside of work and build better relationships. But even with that enthusiasm, many younger workers and parents say it's becoming difficult to take part.

The main reasons are late nights, the cost of attending, and the desire to protect personal or family time. These concerns are especially common among people in their twenties and thirties, which I thought was a really interesting point...something that perhaps shows how attitudes toward Japan's traditional after-work drinking culture are slowly changing.

The study also found that 70 percent of people have less than three hours of free time per day, and nearly 80 percent of those raising children or caring for elderly relatives struggle to find time for social events. About half have even missed company parties because they clashed with family gatherings.

For expats working in Japan, I think this paints a clear picture of how work-life balance is becoming a more serious topic, even in a culture where socializing after hours has long been seen as part of the job. More companies are being encouraged to rethink how they hold bonenkai, with many employees now preferring events that happen during work hours or are paid for by the company.

How do you feel about bonenkai if your company hosts one? Are you opting in or out for 2025?