Salaryman
Japanese Living

One the street of any Japanese city, the man walking past in a white shirt and blue suit, indistiguishable from other men around him, is probably a salaryman. A salaryman enjoys lifelong employment with the same company, which he joins in his early 20s. The expectation on both sides is that he will remain there until he retires. Anyone leaving a company position would be considered unreliable, and would find reemployment difficult. Salarymen work long hours, often under competitive and stressful conditions; Sunday is the only day that they have to spend with their wives and children. This can put marriages under strain and prevent close relationships from developing between fathers and children, as well as giving all the responsiblity for their upbringing to the mother.

Relevance to Maison Ikkoku

The rarely seen Mr. Ichinose is the epitome of a Japanese salaryman.