The unreasonable work ethic/expectations in Japan is pretty much a meme at this point, but one has to wonder if they just fucking suck at organizing. I've worked on large-scale, big money projects for global level corporations before, and never once has there been a need to miss sleep, work on Sundays or stay in the office until 11 pm. Not a single time, no matter the deadlines, the stakes or mishaps. Because the project leads and planners were competent people who knew to leave some margin for error and efficiently allocate manpower.
So what is it, Japan? Is your shitty work culture just a result of nobody having figured out management yet?