OSUSHI, in its 2nd year, launches a 4-day workweek with full pay starting in June: A shift toward human-focused 4-day work and 24/7 AI operations
OSUSHI, an AI development startup, will introduce a 4-day workweek with full salary starting June 1, 2026. This strategy aims to boost productivity by having humans focus on design and quality control for four days, while AI continues tasks during the three-day break.
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- 📰 Published: June 1, 2026 at 19:40
- 🔍 Collected: June 1, 2026 at 10:50
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OSUSHI Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Ryo Tamoto), a professional team specializing in AI development, will trial a 4-day workweek (with Wednesdays off) for all members (executives and full-time employees) starting June 1, 2026, as a new management and survival strategy for the AI era.
This system is not a traditional 'employee benefit' to reduce working hours, but an experiment in a new way of working where humans focus on design and quality assurance for four days, while AI continues to execute tasks for the remaining three days, including holidays, creating output independent of human working hours. The company will implement a uniform Wednesday holiday for all staff and launch a full-scale 'side-job recommendation system' to bring external knowledge back into the company.
Why OSUSHI, in its second year, decided on a 4-day workweek
In early-stage startups, it is common to pursue results through hard work based on long hours. However, at OSUSHI, we have decided to move away from the old value that 'working long hours is virtuous' and introduce a 4-day workweek in our second year as a 'survival strategy' for the company to grow and survive sustainably in the AI era.
Due to the rapid evolution of technology, the human role in development sites is shifting from 'manual labor' to 'giving instructions, reviewing, and quality judgment to AI.' We will embody a model case for the future of work with the speed that only a small, elite professional group can achieve.
This initiative embodies our mission, 'The best toppings for the best roll,' and our values, 'TORO (Deep flavor is born from leisure)' and 'TAMAGO (Sharing moments of bliss together).' By thoroughly pursuing efficiency to create 'leisure' in mind and time, we maximize output quality by valuing both working and resting time, while supporting an environment where employees can live rich lives by spending time with loved ones.
Features of the OSUSHI-style 4-day workweek
1. Annual salary and current pay fully maintained (Effective hourly wage increases by approx. 25%)
While weekly working hours are reduced from 40 to 32 (8 hours/day x 4 days), the total annual salary is maintained. We will not use variable working hour systems that increase daily hours to 10, nor will we reduce pay due to fewer working days. This increases the hourly compensation by approximately 25%, clarifying our policy of 'paying for results, not time.'
2. Uniform 'Wednesday off' for all staff to create 'full-day, high-concentration'
In addition to weekends, Wednesday, the midpoint of the week, will be a holiday. This ensures that every working day is either preceded or followed by a day off, creating a clear rhythm of on/off to maximize concentration on working days.
3. 'Side-job recommendation system (declaration-based)' to circulate external knowledge
Employees are allowed to use one of the three days off for side jobs, and we encourage them to bring back experience and the latest AI trends from other companies. Side jobs require prior application and are subject to company approval to ensure no conflicts of interest, information leakage, or interference with primary duties.
Not 'compressing 5 days into 4,' but a linkage cycle with AI-driven development
This system is designed in integration with AI-driven development operations. It is not about humans compressing five days of work into four, but based on parallel operation with AI (constant machine operation).
Human role (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri): Advanced design, giving instructions to AI, reviewing generated code, and quality judgment.
AI role (Every day including Wed, Sat, Sun): Continuous 24-hour execution of assigned development tasks such as code generation, test creation, research, and document organization.
By rotating a daily cycle where humans instruct tasks in the morning, AI executes them at night or on holidays, and humans review them the next business day, we realize a structure where development does not stop even while humans are resting.
Wednesday is a company-wide holiday, and in principle, internal work and communication will be handled on the next business day. However, to maintain a reliable support system for clients in contract development, we will establish an 'on-call emergency contact system' to handle urgent incidents.
OSUSHI will actively verify the 'correct answer for productivity' in organizations in the AI era through this experimental initiative.
Comment from CEO Ryo Tamoto
'AI is significantly changing the role of humans in development organizations. I believe that what is required of humans in the future is not to work long hours, but to think about what should be created, give correct instructions to AI, and take responsibility for the final quality and value. OSUSHI is a small company in its second year, but because it is small, we can test the future of work quickly. Introducing a 4-day workweek without lowering salaries is not an easy decision, but we want to experiment and prove the correct answer for productivity in an AI-era organization ourselves. The goal is not to reduce working hours. It is a management strategy to allow humans to focus on work where they can truly demonstrate value and generate better ideas and quality from the margins.'
About OSUSHI Inc.
OSUSHI Inc. is a professional team specializing in AI development. We combine cutting-edge technology with abundant practical knowledge to design and develop products rooted in business. We draw a future together where the value created does not end temporarily but permeates the organization and leads to new growth.
Company Overview
Company Name: OSUSHI Inc.
Representative: Ryo Tamoto, CEO
Established: January 23, 2025
Business: AI agent development, AI system contract development/operation, prototype/MVP development
Location: 609 Miyamasuzaka Building, 2-19-15 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
HP: https://osushi-inc.com/
This system is not a traditional 'employee benefit' to reduce working hours, but an experiment in a new way of working where humans focus on design and quality assurance for four days, while AI continues to execute tasks for the remaining three days, including holidays, creating output independent of human working hours. The company will implement a uniform Wednesday holiday for all staff and launch a full-scale 'side-job recommendation system' to bring external knowledge back into the company.
Why OSUSHI, in its second year, decided on a 4-day workweek
In early-stage startups, it is common to pursue results through hard work based on long hours. However, at OSUSHI, we have decided to move away from the old value that 'working long hours is virtuous' and introduce a 4-day workweek in our second year as a 'survival strategy' for the company to grow and survive sustainably in the AI era.
Due to the rapid evolution of technology, the human role in development sites is shifting from 'manual labor' to 'giving instructions, reviewing, and quality judgment to AI.' We will embody a model case for the future of work with the speed that only a small, elite professional group can achieve.
This initiative embodies our mission, 'The best toppings for the best roll,' and our values, 'TORO (Deep flavor is born from leisure)' and 'TAMAGO (Sharing moments of bliss together).' By thoroughly pursuing efficiency to create 'leisure' in mind and time, we maximize output quality by valuing both working and resting time, while supporting an environment where employees can live rich lives by spending time with loved ones.
Features of the OSUSHI-style 4-day workweek
1. Annual salary and current pay fully maintained (Effective hourly wage increases by approx. 25%)
While weekly working hours are reduced from 40 to 32 (8 hours/day x 4 days), the total annual salary is maintained. We will not use variable working hour systems that increase daily hours to 10, nor will we reduce pay due to fewer working days. This increases the hourly compensation by approximately 25%, clarifying our policy of 'paying for results, not time.'
2. Uniform 'Wednesday off' for all staff to create 'full-day, high-concentration'
In addition to weekends, Wednesday, the midpoint of the week, will be a holiday. This ensures that every working day is either preceded or followed by a day off, creating a clear rhythm of on/off to maximize concentration on working days.
3. 'Side-job recommendation system (declaration-based)' to circulate external knowledge
Employees are allowed to use one of the three days off for side jobs, and we encourage them to bring back experience and the latest AI trends from other companies. Side jobs require prior application and are subject to company approval to ensure no conflicts of interest, information leakage, or interference with primary duties.
Not 'compressing 5 days into 4,' but a linkage cycle with AI-driven development
This system is designed in integration with AI-driven development operations. It is not about humans compressing five days of work into four, but based on parallel operation with AI (constant machine operation).
Human role (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri): Advanced design, giving instructions to AI, reviewing generated code, and quality judgment.
AI role (Every day including Wed, Sat, Sun): Continuous 24-hour execution of assigned development tasks such as code generation, test creation, research, and document organization.
By rotating a daily cycle where humans instruct tasks in the morning, AI executes them at night or on holidays, and humans review them the next business day, we realize a structure where development does not stop even while humans are resting.
Wednesday is a company-wide holiday, and in principle, internal work and communication will be handled on the next business day. However, to maintain a reliable support system for clients in contract development, we will establish an 'on-call emergency contact system' to handle urgent incidents.
OSUSHI will actively verify the 'correct answer for productivity' in organizations in the AI era through this experimental initiative.
Comment from CEO Ryo Tamoto
'AI is significantly changing the role of humans in development organizations. I believe that what is required of humans in the future is not to work long hours, but to think about what should be created, give correct instructions to AI, and take responsibility for the final quality and value. OSUSHI is a small company in its second year, but because it is small, we can test the future of work quickly. Introducing a 4-day workweek without lowering salaries is not an easy decision, but we want to experiment and prove the correct answer for productivity in an AI-era organization ourselves. The goal is not to reduce working hours. It is a management strategy to allow humans to focus on work where they can truly demonstrate value and generate better ideas and quality from the margins.'
About OSUSHI Inc.
OSUSHI Inc. is a professional team specializing in AI development. We combine cutting-edge technology with abundant practical knowledge to design and develop products rooted in business. We draw a future together where the value created does not end temporarily but permeates the organization and leads to new growth.
Company Overview
Company Name: OSUSHI Inc.
Representative: Ryo Tamoto, CEO
Established: January 23, 2025
Business: AI agent development, AI system contract development/operation, prototype/MVP development
Location: 609 Miyamasuzaka Building, 2-19-15 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
HP: https://osushi-inc.com/
FAQ
Can Taiwanese tech companies adopt this model?
While it requires alignment with Taiwan's Labor Standards Act regarding flexible working hours, the shift toward AI-driven productivity is a critical trend for Taiwan's tech sector.