Japanese worker punished for starting lunch three minutes early

What was the reason for the civil servant's punishment?

• He was absent from work for a month

• He left his desk early to buy lunch

• He didn't meet his work targets

• He was caught sleeping at his desk

How many times did the civil servant leave his desk early to buy lunch?

• 26 times

• 7 times

• 64 times

• 3 times

What did senior officials at the bureau do after the civil servant was punished?

• They praised the civil servant for his honesty

• They called a televised news conference and apologized

• They gave the civil servant a promotion

• They fired the civil servant

What is the lunch break time in the bureau where the civil servant worked?

• From 11 am to noon

• From noon to 1 pm

• From 1 pm to 2 pm

• There is no designated lunch break time

What law did MPs pass in response to a rise in the number of employees dying from overwork?

• A law requiring officials to concentrate on their jobs

• A law allowing employees to work from home

• A law capping overtime at 100 hours a month

• A law increasing the minimum wage

What is karoshi?

• A Japanese dish

• A type of martial art

• A popular Japanese game show

• Death from overwork

What triggered calls to address a workplace culture that often forces employees to put in long hours?

• The death of a 24-year-old employee who killed herself after being forced to work more than 100 hours overtime a month

• The passing of a law capping overtime at 100 hours a month

• The Kobe official's punishment for leaving his desk early to buy lunch

• The government's first white paper on karoshi in 2016

What did the government say in its first white paper on karoshi in 2016?

• Employers should not be held responsible for karoshi

• Employees should be allowed to work as many hours as they want

• One in five employees were at risk of death from overwork

• Karoshi is not a serious issue in Japan

How did social media users react to the Kobe official's punishment?

• They criticized the official for breaking the rules

• They praised the official for his dedication

• They called for the rule to be applied to people who leave their desks to smoke or go to the toilet

• They defended the official and pointed out that he had left his desk early just once a week on average

How did senior management punish the civil servant for leaving his desk early to buy lunch?

• They gave him a warning

• They docked him half a day's pay

• They fired him

•  They promoted him