In a striking shift from Japan’s traditional workplace culture, a growing number of employees are turning to specialized “resignation agencies” to help them quit jobs where they face abusive bosses, power harassment, and stressful conditions. As younger generations increasingly reject outdated work norms, the surging demand for these proxy resignation services sheds light on a major cultural transformation underway in Japan’s employment landscape.
The Rise of Resignation Agencies
Over the past few years, an estimated 100 companies across Japan have begun offering proxy resignation services to employees who find themselves unable to directly confront their employers about quitting. These agencies, such as Tokyo-based Momuri, submit resignations on behalf of workers who have reached their breaking point due to harassment, threats, or untenable work demands.
Momuri alone reports conducting 350,000 online consultations and completing 20,000 resignations since launching their service two and a half years ago. “We submit resignations on behalf of people who, for whatever reason, can’t do it themselves,” explains Shinji Tanimoto, head of Albatross, the firm behind Momuri. “Sometimes it’s just natural reluctance, but some might have experienced harassment or even violence from their employers. They are at their wits’ end when they come to us.”
A Generational Shift
Experts attribute the rising popularity of resignation agencies to a generational shift in attitudes towards work, further accelerated by the lifestyle disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Younger workers, particularly those in their 20s who account for 60% of Momuri’s clients, are increasingly prioritizing personal wellbeing and work-life balance over the unquestioning loyalty expected by traditional Japanese corporate culture.
“In Japan, companies are traditionally strong – what your employer says goes,” notes Tanimoto. “And Japanese people are generally reluctant to rock the boat. Resigning is seen as escaping and evading your responsibilities. But that is changing.”
“People of my generation are different. We’re more calculated about our life choices, and for me that means putting my personal happiness before my job.”
– A 25-year-old resignation agency client
Toxic Work Environments
For many employees, the decision to engage a resignation agency comes after enduring months of mistreatment and unreasonable demands. “On my first day they gave me a thick manual to read, and when I went to my boss with questions he said: ‘What the hell are you asking me that for?'” recounts one 25-year-old worker who used Momuri to leave an online bank job after just two months.
Other common grievances include unpaid overtime, low wages, contract breaches, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment. In some cases, employers aggressively try to block resignations by intimidating workers, destroying resignation letters, or requiring them to find their own replacement before leaving.
A Straightforward Process
For a fee of ¥22,000 (£110) for full-time workers or ¥12,300 for part-time and contract employees, resignation agencies handle the entire quitting process. Clients complete a questionnaire, sign a contract, and the agency contacts their employer to formally submit the resignation, a process that can take as little as 20-30 minutes.
While employers’ reactions range from contrition to outrage, the agencies boast a 100% success rate. “But a small number go mad and threaten to turn up at our office, that sort of thing,” shares Tanimoto. “If they behave like that, it makes you wonder how awful it must have been for the client.”
A Symptom of Deeper Issues
The surge in demand for proxy resignations highlights the widening mismatch between the expectations of younger workers and companies still clinging to postwar era corporate norms. Many bosses view a resignation request as a personal affront, expecting lifetime loyalty and devotion in exchange for job security and steady advancement.
However, over 30% of recent graduates now leave their first job within three years, a figure that would have been unthinkable during Japan’s economic boom years. The rise of resignation agencies is a symptom of a deeper generational divide and the need for a major overhaul of Japanese work culture to meet the needs of a new generation.
As this shift unfolds, resignation agencies serve as both a lifeline for workers trapped in toxic environments and a wakeup call for companies to adapt to the evolving values and expectations of their workforce. The proxy resignation phenomenon underscores the urgent need for reforms to protect employee rights, prioritize wellbeing, and create healthier, more sustainable workplaces in Japan for generations to come.
