Joo Hyung-hwan, vice chairman of South Korea's Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, visited Itochu Corp.'s main office in Tokyo’s Minato Ward to explore solutions for South Korea's declining birthrate, a common issue shared with Japan. During the visit, Joo observed Itochu's innovative approach to work style reforms, notably their introduction of a "morning-focused working system" in 2013, which sets a limit of 8 p.m. for employees to work to promote a better work-life balance and increase the fertility rate among employees.
The successful implementation of work style reforms at Itochu resulted in a significant increase in the in-house fertility rate, climbing from 0.6 in the business year ending in March 2013 to 1.97 by the year ending in March 2022. This positive outcome caught the attention of the South Korean delegation, prompting Joo to consider adopting similar measures in South Korea to address the country's low birth rate. Joo's visit included observing the company's initiatives, such as providing free onigiri rice balls, drinks, and other items to employees from early morning and visiting a childcare center within the company premises.
As part of the visit, Joo Hyung-hwan was briefed by Fumihiko Kobayashi, Itochu’s vice president and chief administrative officer, on the company's work style reforms and their impact on improving the fertility rate among employees. Kobayashi emphasized the importance of promoting women's participation and supporting female employees to enable them to continue working longer, indicating a comprehensive approach to address demographic challenges. Joo acknowledged Itochu's success in boosting internal fertility rates through innovative work style reforms and expressed intentions to explore similar strategies to stimulate population growth in South Korea.