Sleeping at work? The first thing that comes to mind is that anyone would be immediately unemployed if caught in the middle of such a dream adventure. Only a handful of Western companies have activated certain mechanisms that allow special breaks during working hours, but in Japan, that habit is not only common, but socially accepted, even when carried out in public. The official term is Inemuri, "Present while sleeping," and although it seems very contradictory for a people as diligent and hard-working as the Japanese, the truth is it makes sense.
A socially accepted practice
The most solid explanation of Inemuri we can get without visiting Japanese territory arrives through the doctor and professor of Modern Japanese Studies Brigitte Steger, from the University of Cambridge. Inemuri is basically interpreted as a tolerable detail for someone who has worked too hard.
In other words, Inemuri is not something shameful, but a small and temporary escape for the individual from fatigue after striving to the maximum. In fact, in Japan it is not even seen as "sleeping." One thing is a nap, and another is Inemuri.
The unwritten rules
Now, there are certain unwritten rules when practicing Inemuri. One of them is that it should not convey the feeling of being "on purpose," and the person must be ready to return to activity when necessary, therefore, no bringing a pillow or announcing that you are going to throw yourself under a table to sleep.
When Inemuri is at work, it tends to be a privilege of the most senior employees. A recently hired young person who falls asleep in meetings sends a bad signal, however, an older person with several years in the company can fall into an Inemuri without any problems. Of course, that does not eliminate the possibility of faking Inemuri and the rules bend a little more in public...
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