Some people sleep at night, while others work. Certain jobs shine when the city is quiet, and in Fukuoka, garbage collection is one of them. Traditionally a daytime task in Japan, Fukuoka shifted it to nighttime, making it easier for workers to navigate the empty streets.
However, this clever solution now faces a new problemโthere aren’t enough workers to keep it going. In addition, citizen complaints about workers “slacking” on the job are risingโand could hamper efforts to hire the people needed to keep it going.
Facing scrutiny
Fukuoka is unique in Japan for collecting household garbage at night, a practice dating back to the 1950s with around 98% citizen approval. Why? The benefits are clear: nighttime collections help deter criminal activities, allow garbage collectors to work without the hassle of daily traffic, and keep the streets free of trash in the early morning, which discourages crows from scattering garbage.
Despite its many advantages, Fukuoka’s nighttime garbage collection is facing backlash. The problem? Workers taking breaks at convenience stores. Complaints are mounting that the trucks take up too much space in parking lots, and there’s grumbling about workers “slacking off” with long breaks. This has sparked concerns about whether the city will stay clean, says the Fukuoka Environmental Business Association.
In 2022, Fukuoka households produced about 780 tons of garbage daily. Only 600 workers and 190 trucks handled this enormous task each night. Amid this intense effort, workers are allowed around three breaks. According to Masaya Ishibashi, section chief at the cleaning company Ishibashi Shokai, each truck takes around 20-minute breaks, which might make it seem like they’re parked in the same spot for longer than they actually are.
Night garbage workers toil through the night to keep Fukuoka City clean. That’s why, according to Ishibashi, providing comfortable rest spots is crucial. To support this, the city has set up rest areas at suburban cleaning facilities. Starting this year, city offices, museums, and parks will also have dedicated parking lots for garbage trucks.
More than meets the eye
Amid these measures, citizens have been complaining that they’ve spotted workers taking long breaks at convenience store parking lots at night. But a step back reveals the bigger picture.
This X user’s comment points to the broader discussion about why workers might be taking longer breaks and why the real issue isn’t the breaks themselves:
“Shouldn’t they be taking breaks instead? The collection is still getting done on time; they’re just taking necessary breaks. Expecting workers to handle such a demanding job without breaks is unreasonable. If people start acting like supervisors in the middle of the night, scrutinizing everything, it could lead to injuries, accidents, and eventually the collapse of waste management.”
The real problem is a growing labor shortage in the garbage collection industry, especially during night shifts. With fewer workers to keep Fukuoka City clean, each person faces a heavier workload, making breaks essential to manage the demanding night hours.
This crisis has been brewing in the industrial waste management industry for some time. Despite companies ramping up recruitment efforts, the situation is only getting worse. A 2021 survey by Environmental News Co., Ltd. confirms this, with 65% of the 348 responding companies reporting a worker shortage. The main reason? A lack of applicants. Additionally, few companies have obtained work-life balance certifications, which might further discourage the few potential applicants.
In this scenario, it’s clear that city cleanliness isn’t at risk because of workers taking longer breaks. The real threat is the shrinking workforce. Given this, allowing longer breaks and greater flexibility seems like a small trade-off to ease the burden on the remaining workers and attract more applicants. As Environmental Business Association director Moriyama Kiyochika put it:
“With fewer workers and increased competition for human resources, the ease of taking breaks becomes a key factor in job selection. It’s essential to maintain a safe working environment, and this requires the understanding of citizens.”
The bigger picture
Itโs no secret anymore โ Japan is aging rapidly. The numbers don’t lie. According to the latest projections, the Ministry of Health estimates an aging rate of 39% by 2070. Even sooner, by 2040, the over-65 population will make up about 35% of the total. Alongside this greying, the total population is also declining, with predictions indicating fewer than 90 million people living in Japan by 2070.
Of course, this has multiple negative effects. One major issue is the growing gap between labor supply and demand. Weโll still need people to work, but there will be fewer of them available. As the population ages, more people will retire, further shrinking the workforce. Itโs a vicious cycle we should all be aware of by now, driving many changes, including night workers taking longer breaks.
Increasing labor shortages
If this isnโt enough, letโs look at some numbers. The 2023 Recruit Works Institute report, โFuture Prediction 2040,โ paints a grim picture of a society grappling with severe labor shortages. The simulation shows what could happen in Japan if nothing is done to address population decline, aging, and the resulting labor shortfall.
The simple answer: by 2040, Japan will be short 11 million workers. Most of these shortages will hit “life support services”โessential activities we often take for granted. Expect a 25.2% shortage in nursing care, 24.1% in driving jobs, and 22.0% in construction, among others. This could mean a decline or disappearance of crucial services like childcare, elderly care, garbage disposal, and disaster recovery. As these services dwindle, so will our quality of life.
And if that feels too far off, other estimates show the situation will be critical by 2030. By then, the demand for workers will be around 70.73 million, but only 64.29 million will be available. Most alarmingly, 4 million workers will be missing from “services”โa broad category that includes everything from food service to the aforementioned garbage collection.
Challenges on the rise
This isn’t the first time workers in demanding jobs have faced scrutiny for taking a break. Last year, emergency personnel like firefighters were often under the lens too. That’s why it’s up to local governments and municipalities to raise public awareness and find solutions to ensure workers have safe and manageable shifts.
Last November, Nara City set an example. With emergency dispatches for heatstroke and other incidents rising each year, the workload for emergency staff has surged. By October 2023, Nara had over 20,000 dispatchesโ1,200 more than the same period last year. This creates an intense working environment for firefighters and other emergency personnel who can’t return to their stations for long periods.
In response, Nara City introduced a special rule allowing emergency personnel to use convenience stores and their parking lots. With a โcurrently stoppingโ sign on their vehicles and one staff member remaining on board, emergency workers can take a break to grab food and drinks or use the restroom.
Just like with garbage collectors, the aging population and labor shortage are creating new challenges. This situation calls for more flexibility and understanding from everyone involved. It’s unreasonable to expect staff to work long hoursโmade even longer by the workforce shortageโwithout enough breaks. Recognizing this and taking steps to protect their well-being is a step in the right direction. But there’s more to be done, of course.
Taking the right steps
Given the wide-ranging impact of this issue, the solutions need to be just as varied.
One common solution to the labor shortage is increased mechanization. This doesn’t mean replacing human workers entirely but using technology to boost their efficiency. For example, in 2022, Hiroshima introduced “Smart Trash Bins” (SmaGO) that automatically compress when full, increasing capacity by 5-6 times. In Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, garbage trucks use tablets to track each other’s locations, making work distribution more efficient and the job easier.
When tackling modern issues, “diversification” is key. In male-dominated industries like waste disposal, the environment can be intimidating for newcomers. For example, Livedoor News reports that in a Koto industry group of 50 companies, only 5% of the 4,000 workers are women. Embracing diversification also means welcoming more foreign workers through supportive immigration policies. This strategy not only fosters inclusivity but also helps alleviate Japan’s labor crisis.
Last but not least, it’s important to prioritize the human side of these situations. Night workers are dealing with the fallout of an aging and shrinking population, leading to longer hours and heavier workloads. Flexible work arrangements help maintain their quality of life and work. And, of course, ensuring they have safe and comfortable places to rest is part of this.
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Sources
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