In Japan the average man works very hard for his company, often putting in extremely long hours, and coming home very late at night. There is a loyalty to their employer that is very hard for an Irishman like me to understand.
Unfortunately for some of these men, they sacrifice their own interests and personal successes for those of their company and when it comes to retirement time they often find themselves at a loss when trying to fill time.

Some of these retirees have no hobbies or interests of their own because they have been living and breathing their companies for the previous 40 or 50 years. So at this time they often adopt the hobbies and interests of their wives and start spending almost every waking hour with them. The wives, having become accustomed to having free time during the week realize that they have now become servants to pander to their husbands almost constant needs.

This term “nure ochiba”, which means “wet fallen leaves”. is referring to the retired husband. Perhaps it means that the husband was once a strong vibrant leaf playing an important part on a great tree. Now he has been replaced by a younger, stronger leaf because the tree can no longer use him so he ends up sticking to his wife’s shoe.

This situation causes tension and can often strain, what has been up to now, a happy relationship between a man and his wife. Perhaps companies should provide some training and guidance to help the men make the transition into retirement more smoothly.

[Previously published July15-July21 2005 issue of Tokyo Notice Board.]