Long working hours to blame for Japan's falling birth rate

On Friday the Japanese government launched the "Premium Friday" campaign, which encourages people in Tokyo to leave the office at 3 pm on the last Friday of every month. It will be rolled out nationwide from April.

The initiative is supposed to be a stone to kill several birds, and it encourages workers to clock out early at least once a month in the hope of boosting consumption.

Japan's retail sales rose 0.6 percent in December year-on-year, lower than the median market forecast of a 1.3 percent increase. Weak consumer spending has dogged the Japanese economy, which has struggled to achieve steady recovery after decades of deflation and stagnation. The "Premium Friday" drive is expected to help employees strike a balance between work and life in the workaholic country where karoshi, or death by overwork, is back in the spotlight.