Making 5:00 PM the Average Departure Time for Managers Across Japan

We support 'April Dream,' an initiative that aims to make April 1st a day for sharing dreams. This press release represents the dream of COEO Inc.

COEO Inc. (Ota-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Naoko Chigira; hereinafter 'ikumado'), which operates the parental leave and dual-income community 'ikumado,' will realize a future where the average departure time for managers across Japan is 5:00 PM.

Why is '5:00 PM Departure for Managers' Necessary Now? Currently, Japan's gender gap index remains low at 118th in the world, with a particularly notable lag in the 'economic' sector. One of the factors behind this is the way managers work, which is predicated on long hours. In Japanese companies, it is common for managers to be seen as those who 'work longer than anyone else and bear the responsibility.' This culture creates a strong stereotype among those raising children that 'being a manager means it is impossible to balance work and life,' leading many to give up on career advancement. We are convinced that improving the social structure where 'the higher the position, the later you go home' is the key to a society where diverse talent can thrive.

Initiatives Toward Realization Our goal of '5:00 PM departure for managers' is not merely a recommendation to work shorter hours. It signifies a new way of organizing based on the following three transformations. A structural shift is required not just at the corporate level, but across society as a whole.

1. Transition from 'Management' to 'Autonomous Rotation': Since its founding, ikumado has realized an 'autonomous rotation organization' and has grown to a scale of over 1,300 people. We will introduce management methods that do not rely on instructions and orders, but rather on the members' own desire to 'try something,' spreading an organizational structure where managers are not chased by minute decisions.

2. Promotion of Advanced DX Utilization: By using digital tools such as Zoom, Notion, and AI, we will accumulate know-how to produce results in a short time and implement this as a 'model' for society. This will improve the precision of meetings and decision-making.

3. Support through 'Share Coaching®': The weekly dialogue program 'Share Coaching,' which currently has over 60 participants, has the power to re-examine individual conflicts in a social context. We will foster a culture where managers are not lonely but reflect with peers, supporting the creation of teams with high psychological safety.

The 'Next Normal' Envisioned by ikumado Managers who leave at 5:00 PM enjoy dinner with their families and invest time in their own learning or side jobs. We aim for a society where the desire to balance 'children are important, but my career is also important' becomes the norm, and where the next generation looks at leaders with sparkling eyes, thinking, 'I want to be like that too.' The essence of work-style reform is to build a structure that does not force anyone to overextend themselves. The era where only managers bear the burden will soon end. COEO Inc. will continue to take on challenges to realize a society where everyone can work without strain.

About COEO Inc. Since its founding in 2021 (the ikumado community began in 2018), under the mission of creating a society where 'both career and childcare are important,' we have continued to provide autonomous community management, career development programs, and team side-job support to individuals on parental leave or in dual-income households, as well as to companies that want to utilize their capabilities.

[Outsourcing Business (ikumado Works)] In Japan, corporate employment is often rigid, making it difficult to secure the right talent for the right position. The outsourcing business 'ikumado Works' opens a window to work styles not bound by employment relationships, providing opportunities for side-job teams to work according to their interests. We undertake corporate public relations, marketing, training planning, and operations. https://coeo.co.jp/promado_home

[Corporate Career Business] Both employees on parental leave and companies have anxieties about long-term leave and how to work after returning. We provide return-to-work support training and lectures on balancing career and childcare for companies and local governments. We also provide career education support for students. https://coeo.co.jp/service_04

[Regional Innovation Business] In collaboration with local governments and companies, we plan and attract participants for workations for dual-income families. ikumado members with a high interest in activities experience local nurseries, schools, and various cultures and nature. We increase local fans and foster civic pride. https://coeo.co.jp/service_05

[Community Management Business] We operate 'ikumado,' one of Japan's largest dual-income and parenting communities, with approximately 1,300 members. Why do people feel so much loneliness and conflict when trying to raise children while working in Japan? The ikumado community is open to everyone who resonates with the vision of 'a society where both childcare and career can be balanced as a matter of course.' You can participate for free as a place to learn and grow together, removing the framework of 'how parenting should be.' https://ikumado.net/

[Individual Career Business] We provide career development programs and skill development programs to ikumado members. One of our career development programs, Share Coaching®, currently has about 60 participants. For one hour every week, in groups of four, members reflect on their goals and actions. It is a program that leads to the realization of a lifestyle true to oneself and allows participants to gain new perspectives through comments from other members. By utilizing the skills acquired in the skill development program, members can also take on side jobs at ikumado Works. https://coeo.co.jp/service_03

*Share Coaching® is a registered trademark of COEO Inc.

Related Book 'Dual-Income Career Encyclopedia: "Future Work Styles" Depicted by the Challenges of 40 People' Author: Naoko Chigira | Published: November 12, 2025 https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0FZ4RFRH8 In modern times, where balancing career and childcare is difficult, it is not easy to keep searching for a way of working that suits you. This book is a compilation of the real challenges of 40 people born from the parental leave & dual-income community 'ikumado.' Centered on the idea that 'children are important, but my career is also important,' we advocate for its use as a 'parts model' to pick up hints that suit you from diverse cases rather than searching for a specific ideal image. Based on true stories of overcoming life's turning points—such as in-company career advancement, job changes, entrepreneurship, and men's parental leave—we introduce practical courage and wisdom to live 'like yourself' beyond existing 'shoulds,' along with numerous episodes.