In Japan, there are no official laws for limiting work hours. And in a culture of overwork, the country is facing record numbers of compensation claims as a growing number of Japanese people are literally working themselves to death. Notably, work-related suicides are up 45%. How can employers help?

The unemployment rate in Japan is just 3.2% – well below that of the US and European countries – but it's a nation of excessive overtimers. And although workers are being offered bonuses for slashing their overtime, many are staying in the office simply because they don’t want to go home.

In the 50s we used to sleep eight hours a night. Nowadays the average is six and a half. Why have we become less keen on a proper night’s keep? Does our modern lifestyle promote sleep deprivation, meaning we’ll stay awake as long as it takes to consume as much online as possible?

Omotenashi – which roughly translates as ‘selfless hospitality’ – is a complex concept; one the Japanese pride themselves on. As the 2020 Olympics approach, Japan is preparing to serve it up on a mass scale, turning to robots for help. But are androids advanced enough to emulate such a human service?