Mascots have long been used to front brands in Japan, but Gudetama – a lazy anthropomorphic egg – is a far cry from the cutesy characters typically seen. It now appears on around 1,700 items, boasting its own Twitter feed and pop-up cafés, but how has it won the hearts of people nationwide?

In Japan, there are no official laws for limiting work hours. And in a culture of overwork, the country is facing record numbers of compensation claims as a growing number of Japanese people are literally working themselves to death. Notably, work-related suicides are up 45%. How can employers help?

With a culture that emphasises a strong work ethic, the lifestyles of people in Japan are becoming increasingly busy. And it’s stopping them getting sufficient shut-eye. A third of people in the country don’t sleep enough, which can have negative effects on both mental and physical wellbeing.

Japanese Gen Yers are often called the ‘enlightened generation’. Yet while they’re more self-aware and less materialistic than their parents, they’re also more risk-averse. Can theTobitate! Young Ambassador Programme convince them to leave the comfort of home and study abroad?