[gambiting]

Apparently it's a thing in Japanese companies for the so called "salarymen". Because the general expectation around these jobs is that they are for life, it's frowned upon to let someone go - instead, you will be sent to the corporation's rural office, with literally nothing to do 8 hours a day. It's designed as both a form of punishment and as a way to make someone quit.

[robjan]

For anyone interested in reading more, it's called the Boredom/banishment room

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banishment_room

[rambojazz]

A stupid question maybe, but if they are paid full salary for doing nothing why can't they use corporate time to work on something else so they get 2 salaries?

[n4r9]

It's almost certainly against contract and would give the company justification for firing them.