[jmadsen]

I have to say this piece is really quite ridiculous.

Japanese workers who work longer hours DO make more.

This is because no one cares (primarily) about worker productivity - they care about being a "team player" & similar intangibles.

Most Japanese salaries are quite low at the beginning and for the early years, but increase over time until at the last part of your career with the company you are living nicely and prepared for retirement.

Team players are promoted. Non-team players are not.

So, for places outside the Japanese corporate world the idea of less hours == more pay may hold true, but in the situation they chose to highlight in the story that is completely wrong. There, you make more over your career by "butt in seat" time, and little else in most cases.