I'm 35 and have been working in Tokyo for about 10 years now. It's funny how fast those 10 years have gone by.<p>I was this super energetic do-everything-that-was-asked-of-me kind of guy in the beginning.<p>After a few inhumane projects of working 6 days/week, 9am-11pm I began to question the meaning of it all and found little.<p>Now I'm careful not to volunteer myself too much for fear of being seen as the point-man for every little problem that pokes up so I can enjoy a work-life balance. Now I have a family and live just outside Tokyo where it's quiet and peaceful.<p>Japan really does need to wake up and realize that it's throwing away its skilled people (not just in IT) but it'll take a massive exodus for the question to ever be raised unfortunately.