salaryman

thumb|300px|Salarymen take their train daily to work in the Greater Tokyo Area|Tokyo metropolitan area ([[Tokyo Station, 2005)]] The term is a Japanese word for salaried workers. In Japanese popular culture, it is portrayed as a white-collar worker who shows unwavering loyalty and commitment to his employer, prioritizing work over anything else, including family. "Salarymen" are expected to work long hours, whether overtime is paid or not. They socialize with colleagues and bosses, including singing karaoke, drinking, and visiting hostess bars.

"Salarymen" typically enter a company after graduating from college and stay with that corporation for the duration of their career. In conservative Japanese culture, becoming a salaryman is a typical career choice for young men and women, as parents map out their child's education path in order to make sure they can attend a prestigious university which in turn will lead to recruitment by a major company. Those who do not take this career path are regarded as living with a stigma and less prestige. On the other hand, the word salaryman is sometimes used with derogatory connotation for his total dependence on his employer, lack of individuality, and willingness to be overburdened, even surprisingly on occasion to the point of karōshi, or death from overwork.