US Meritocracy vs Japan’s Lifetime Trap: Work Culture Clash Exposed

Hi there! I’m Aki—Japanese, 12 years in U.S. HR, now decoding Japan. Lifetime employment (Shushin Koyo) vs meritocracy—it’s the work culture clash I can’t stand. Japan’s “job for life” sounds secure, but it’s a trap I’d never take.  In the U.S., Results rule—sink or swim, and I love it. After seeing both, here’s the raw truth: one locks you in, the other sets you free.