@Eridian : That is because Japan needs better (or is it properly enforced) employment laws.
Stories like this tend to be a reflection of the times the writer is living in. I mean Japan complains about its birthrate issues, but at the same time lets companies overwork and underpay employees to the point that they can not even afford to date let alone marry and raise a family. To make matters worse the evidence seems to indicate that all the overwork does not result in a significant increase in productivity.