very traditional Japanese corporate culture and militaristic top-down management style. - Anonymous employee Rakuten Employee Review

1.0
May 28, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Like other Japanese companies, it seems very difficult to get fired.

Cons

Very bad work-life balance- people are expected to work from 8am to 10, 11pm (considered very normal). The pay is very bad and the company is very stingy. The management makes you feel like you belong to a military troop or very "taiikukai-kei" Japanese sports team; you cannot question your boss who insults and throws fits at whoever cannot achieve the impossible KPIs. The company has so many inefficient aspects- every employee has to attend an asa-kai at 8am in which more than half of employees sleep. There are numerous mandatory meetings in which its just a waste of time. The take-away: Long Hours, inefficient work style, rude and disrespectful management who doesnt care about employees, depressing office building that reminds of prison cells.

Explore other reviews about Rakuten

5.0
Mar 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Rakuten Rewards has great life balance. Too bad the economy was getting rocked.

Cons

Don't really have any cons. I understand that the market's been hard so had to downsize the force, so that was kinda challenging. Hopefully AI will increase everyone's output.

4.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

remote work, great benefits, executive communication

Cons

hard to get movement or pay raises. annual raises are lucky to be 3%

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