i’m not very sure if this is going to be a rant or something else entirely but here it goes. so i recently joined a Japanese company and i’m the only foreigner. since i was younger, i’ve had stomach problems (acid reflux and indigestion) or maybe just a weak stomach overall, and besides that i have to take vitamins and meds as well. due to the vitamins and meds, i get hungry earlier but the problem is that i work from 8-5 and our only break time is during lunch. because of the need to commute, i eat breakfast at 6:30 so there’s quite a gap from breakfast to lunch and it’s bad cause i’m really not used to not eating for such a long period of time (also because it triggers my stomach problems). i guess that Japanese people really believe in the “unless you go to the doctor and get me the doctor’s notes you’re not sick” kinda thing and the problem for this is i’m actually okay as long as i eat whenever my body needs food, so i’m not really sure what to do in this situation. and what makes it worse is sometimes i can hear my coworkers’ (even my boss’) stomach growling but they won’t eat unless it’s like 12:10?? even though you’re really allowed to eat as soon as the clock turns 12? my boss also bypasses lunch for meetings and for me it just feels so unhealthy. and it kinda stresses me out that i can’t eat so now i don’t know what to do cause i’ve had to take medicine for indigestion and acid reflux for like 3/5 of the working days. if anyone has any suggestions what to do please share them :’)
6 comments
> my boss also bypasses lunch for meetings and for me it just feels so unhealthy.
Obviously not in your case, as you have medical issues, but for most people, skipping a meal or two is not “so unhealthy”. Intermittent fasting is actually considered healthy by many doctors and nutritionalists. Best to focus on your health issues and not other people’s eating habits if you bring this up at work.
Putting your work before your health isn’t that uncommon in Japan (sadly). To your problem, however, have you considered Caloriemate or one of the various jelly drinks? They’re pretty innocuous and you might be able to eat one at your desk, or alternatively knock it out quickly during a “bathroom break”. It might be enough in your belly to stave of your stomach troubles.
For people without a medical condition such as yours, I believe it is actually healthy to eat 3 times a day without snacking in between.
Does your company though forbid you to eat a snack (like a quick onigiri, or a nutrition gel) outside of lunch break??
As others have suggested, maybe bring some snacks to work with you that are appropriate to your needs and eat them while you’re working.
It would probably be best you get a doctor’s note regarding your stomach and present that at work so you have an excuse for flexibility.
But yes in Japan there’s an unhealthy attitude about self-sacrifice in a work setting.
I once, a long time back, got reprimanded for being late a few minutes to a meeting because I had been bombarding the porcelain bowl prior due to food sickness. The sickness explanation was received almost in the same way an excuse of “I just wanted to be late a few minutes” would be.
Took me every ounce of strength I had to not respond to that person in the correct and natural way.
Be part of the solution. Start a business that’s not shitty and employ others in a non-shitty way.
>Are Japanese people too diligent
No. The answer to any question like this is always no.
The Japanese people in my work generally eat whenever they want to. We have an official lunch time, but people eat outside of it, especially if they have work to do during the lunch time. People also snack, like *all* the time. That’s what *omiyage* is there for, isn’t it?
The only time it ever becomes a problem is when someone who has power above everyone else decides they’re working through the lunch break without noticing that not everyone has an alternative free time to eat. Then people get dragged along because they don’t want to confront the person with power.
I suspect that’s what’s happened in your office. Someone with power decided to be extra strict with the rules and no one wants to confront them about it.
The best solution is you come in with a doctor’s note that says you need to eat earlier, convince your boss that this necessitates a more flexible rule about eating so that everyone on staff can get the benefit, the boss gets to save face, and your coworkers carry you down the hall cheering your name. But… only you can guess what the odds of that actually happening are. I think it might be a good idea to start looking for a better employer. A boss that messes with legally-mandated lunch breaks is a boss that will eventually try to mess with other things you are legally entitled to.