Toyo University in Japan has been issued an official guidance (or "seigo kankoku" in Japanese) after allegedly failing to pay overtime to its workers, violating employment laws in the country. The authorities have called upon Toyo University to urgently address this issue. The information including the exact number of affected employees and the total amount of due wages has not been disclosed.

In Japan, working overtime is a common practice and it often goes unnoticed or unpaid. The notion of unpaid overtime has been a social issue, particularly within the corporate sector and even in educational institutions. Workers' rights, especially those related to overtime pay, are protected under the Japanese labor laws. Therefore, such issues often drive public attention and scrutiny.

In the US or EU, labor laws also mandate that employers pay employees for overtime work. Any violation leads to legal consequences, and these cases are generally taken very seriously. In many instances, lawsuits are filed and offenders have to compensate not just the unpaid wages but also pay penalties. Generally, it is less endemic and more scrutinized than in Japan.