Pay to Ghost Your Boss: Japan's Resignation Business

Y.M., a young Japanese man in his early 20s, experienced a challenging start to his career at a real estate sales firm. Colleagues frequently screamed at him, prompting him to consider alternatives to resigning in person. Instead of submitting his resignation directly to his employer, he turned to a resignation proxy service, a third-party agency that helps individuals quit without direct interaction.

Known as "bakkure" in Japan, abruptly disappearing from a workplace without notice is a common way to maintain harmony and avoid conflict, similar to the modern dating practice of "ghosting". Albatross, a leading resignation agency in Japan, assists about 450 people each month with this process, charging clients around €120 ($138.5) per full-time job resignation.

The reasons for seeking assistance vary, from physical violence to sexual harassment, with one in three reported workers experiencing some form of workplace harassment. Japanese corporate culture, rooted in the post-World War II economic boom, prioritizes loyalty and discourages resignations in person due to the perceived insult to bosses.

This collective and harmonious approach to work is deeply ingrained, to the point where even the Japanese constitution advocates for avoiding quarrels. Despite the social obligation to minimize trouble for others and preserve collective order, some employees still choose to gracefully exit their positions, allowing the agency to deliver their goodbyes and gratitude on their behalf.