four-day workweek

The government included the promotion of an optional four-day workweek in its annual economic policy guideline finalized Friday by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's cabinet.

日本政府在上周五（6月18日）由首相菅义伟的内阁敲定的年度经济政策指导方针中将推广选择性的每周四天工作制包括在内。

The coronavirus pandemic has helped the idea of a four-day workweek gain traction as the health crisis causes people to spend more time at home.

疫情危机导致人们有更多的时间待在家里，因此每周四天工作制的想法也越来越受欢迎。

Suggest a reduced schedule, such as a four-day workweek.

可以建议减少工作时间，比如一天工作四天。

Japan Research's Yamada said he believes some small-and medium-sized businesses cannot afford to give such extra days off, and some businesses might try to cut labor costs by applying a four-day workweek even to employees who want to work more days.

日本总合研究所的山田表示，他认为一些中小型企业负担不起这种额外的休息日，一些企业可能会试图通过全员实行每周四天工作制来削减劳动力成本，即使某些员工不愿意减少工作天数。

The Yahoo Japan spokesman said just about 100 of some 7000 employees at the company had applied for the four-day workweek as of April.

雅虎日本的发言人称，截至四月份，该公司的7000名员工中只有约100人申请了每周四天的工作制。

Proponents of a four-day workweek argue that allowing more people to work fewer hours could go a long way in addressing the high unemployment rates that have plagued so many countries throughout the pandemic.

四天工作制的支持者声称，让更多人减少工作时间将十分有利于解决许多国家在疫情期间面对的高失业率问题。

Meanwhile, Hisashi Yamada, vice chairman of think tank Japan Research Institute, said he does not expect a four-day workweek to rapidly spread in Japan even with the government pushing it because it would complicate personnel management and evaluation.

与此同时，智囊机构日本总合研究所的副所长山田久表示，即使有政府的助推，他认为每周四天工作制也不会在日本迅速普及，因为这种工作制会让人事管理和绩效考核变得更复杂。

At a key economic and fiscal policy panel meeting in mid-April where the promotion of a four-day workweek was discussed, Suga said his government would consider expanding support for people willing to enhance their careers through recurrent education without leaving their jobs.

菅义伟在四月中旬的经济和财政政策委员会重要会议上讨论推进每周四天工作制时指出，政府将考虑加大对员工接受在职教育的支持。

Google's co-founder, Larry Page, recently suggested a four-day workweek, so as technology displaces jobs, more people can find employment.

谷歌的联合创始人拉里·佩奇（Larry Page）最近建议每周工作四天，这样一来，在技术取代工作岗位的同时，更多人仍然可以找到工作。

Takuya Hoshino, an economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, says simply introducing a four-day workweek may not necessarily encourage employees to use their time off in a way that benefits their careers or contributes to the economy.

第一生命研究所的经济学家星野卓也称，简单地引入每周四天的工作制不一定能鼓励员工以有利于他们的职业或促进经济的方式来利用额外的休息时间。

A growing number of smaller companies are adopting a four-day workweek.

越来越多中小公司开始采用四天工作制。