2007 Photo Contest, Daily Life, 1st prize
Photographer

David Guttenfelder

The Associated Press

01 August, 2006

A salaryman rests against a tree after drinking too much with fellow workers. Traditionally, Japanese white-collar workers have been able to expect lifelong support and loyalty from their employers, in return for unremitting hard work. A 'salaryman' (a Japanese word that borrows from English) follows a punishing work regime that often affects social and family life. The term carries associations of long working hours, and even karoshi - death caused by overwork. To relieve the tension of their working schedule many salarymen go out drinking at night.

About the photographer

David Guttenfelder

David Guttenfelder is a photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer focusing on geopolitical conflict, conservation, and culture. Guttenfelder has spent more than 25 year...

This image is collected in