207 Hours Overtime: Japanese Man in Kobe Worked to Death

A medical resident worked 207 hours of overtime in a month. His case highlights Japan’s continuing problem with karoshi — death by overwork.

By Himari Semans

On August 17th, Japanese media reported the ruling of a medical resident’s suicide last May as a work accident and a case of karoshi (過労死), or death by overwork.

Senior resident Takashima Shingo (高島晨伍) worked more than 207 hours of overtime in the one month prior to his death, according to the Labor Standards Inspection Office. He had no days off work since February.

Konan Medical Center in Kobe City where Shingo worked denies overworking Shingo.

Content Warning: the following article discusses topics of suicide. If you are sensitive to the topic, please do not read further. If you need help, call the phone numbers listed at the end of the article.

207 hours of overtime

Medical resident Takashima Shingo, then-26, was discovered dead in his Kobe City home on May 17th, 2022. Hyogo Prefecture Police ruled the case a suicide.

The following September, Shingo’s family filed for his suicide to be recognized as a “work…