The word “salaryman” (サラリーマン / sa-ra-ri-man) is a Japanese term coined to describe the special breed of white-collar businessman who works for a large corporation in exchange for a salary. “Salarymen” have been credited with the economic miracle that Japan has known following WWII and remain, to this day, the engine of its economic growth, albeit modest.

Typically hired straight out of high school, “salarymen” are expected to remain with the same employer until retirement. Working long hours, sometimes up to 60 hours a week, they have very little time to dedicate to their families, if they can afford having one at all. Indeed the whole life of a typical “salaryman” revolves around work. In addition to carrying out their regular tasks, “salarymen” are expected to go out at night to entertain clients in such places as fancy restaurants, nightclubs, saunas, hostess bars, karaoke clubs, and teahouses. As a result, “salarymen” are left with very little personal leisure time to relieve the pressure they feel at work. Deaths by exhaustion, a phenomenon called Karōshi (過労死) in Japanese, are reported every year throughout the country.

With their dark suits, immaculate white shirts, neckties and attaché cases, “salarymen” are easily recognizable. Armies of them can be spotted in large metropolitan centres such as Tokyo and Osaka at any time of day and night.

This photo essay was started in January 2016 as part of a photo workshop held in Tokyo, Japan, by Magnum photographer David Alan Harvey.