In 2025, a curious phenomenon is gaining momentum in Japan: people are paying professionals to quit their jobs for them. What was once seen as a last resort has now become a full-blown industry—resignation agencies, known as “taishoku daikō,” are busier than ever.
Why do people in Japan find it so difficult to resign on their own? What kind of people rely on these services? And how much money do these agencies actually make from a single case? Let’s dive into one of Japan’s most unique workplace trends.
📈 A Growing Trend in the Japanese Labor Market
Over the past few years, the number of people turning to resignation agencies has skyrocketed. From new graduates who can’t bear to tell their boss they’re leaving, to seasoned employees trapped in toxic workplaces, more and more workers are outsourcing the emotional labor of quitting.
What used to be considered an unusual option is now widely recognized. Younger generations in particular—those in their 20s and early 30s—make up the majority of clients. Many of them are regular employees or new hires who feel cornered just months after starting a job. For some, the idea of confronting their boss directly feels more terrifying than the job itself.
😓 Why People Use Resignation Agencies
Quitting might sound simple in theory, but in Japan, it’s loaded with emotional and cultural barriers. Here are some of the most common reasons people choose to use a resignation agency:
- Fear of confrontation: In a society where harmony is prioritized, saying “I quit” directly is considered rude or even shameful.
- Power harassment: Some employees fear retaliation, gaslighting, or psychological abuse if they try to resign face-to-face.
- Refusal to accept resignation: In some workplaces, superiors delay or deny resignation attempts, trapping workers in limbo.
- Mental health concerns: Anxiety, depression, and burnout often make communication difficult. Outsourcing the process offers emotional relief.
- Immediate exit: Many clients want to stop showing up at work the next day—no awkward goodbye necessary.
The rise of these services indicates not just job dissatisfaction, but deeper systemic and cultural issues.
🧑💼 Who Uses These Services?
While people from all walks of life turn to resignation agencies, some patterns have emerged:
- Age: The vast majority of users are in their 20s and early 30s. These generations are less tied to lifetime employment ideals and more likely to prioritize well-being.
- Seniority: Most clients are non-managerial staff. However, even some mid-level and senior employees use these services when workplace politics make resigning complicated.
- Tenure: Shockingly, many clients use the service within just three months of joining a company. This speaks to severe mismatches between hiring expectations and workplace reality.
In essence, these agencies have become a lifeline for workers who feel voiceless in rigid corporate structures.
💵 How Much Do Resignation Agencies Earn?
Using a resignation agency usually costs between 30,000 and 50,000 yen per request. That’s roughly $200–350 USD for a single case. But considering the simplicity of the service—mostly phone calls, emails, and template-based documentation—the profit margin is remarkably high.
Some agencies handle over 2,000 clients per month, generating monthly revenues in the tens of millions of yen. With minimal overhead and zero need for physical office visits, these firms scale easily. In short: this is not just a niche trend—it’s a thriving business model.
🚚 What’s with Those Flashy Trucks?
If you live in a Japanese city, chances are you’ve seen loud trucks wrapped in giant slogans like:
“WE QUIT FOR YOU! Don’t suffer alone!”
These rolling billboards are no accident. They’re part of a bold marketing strategy designed to:
- Break the taboo around using resignation services
- Show clients that someone is fighting for them
- Normalize quitting as an act of courage, not weakness
In a culture where people are taught to endure quietly, these trucks symbolize the opposite: agency, independence, and disruption.
🧠 The Cultural Psychology Behind It
To outsiders, the idea of paying someone to quit for you might seem absurd. But in Japan, where social etiquette and hierarchy define relationships, resignation can feel like a deeply shameful act.
Here are some cultural factors that fuel this phenomenon:
- Senpai-kōhai dynamics: Younger employees feel unable to speak up to superiors.
- Collectivist norms: Prioritizing group harmony makes direct confrontation risky.
- Perfectionism: Many believe they’re “failing” the team by quitting.
- Fear of shame: Gossip, stigma, or disappointing one’s family can be more terrifying than a toxic job.
Resignation agencies don’t just handle logistics—they offer emotional and psychological escape from a system that doesn’t tolerate dissent well.
📣 My Take: Resignation as a Silent Rebellion
The boom in resignation services is not just about convenience—it’s a quiet revolution. It represents a shift in how young Japanese workers define success, self-worth, and professional autonomy.
Think about it: when people pay strangers to say “I quit” on their behalf, what they’re really expressing is a deep frustration with how communication works in corporate Japan.
Rather than blaming individuals for being “weak,” perhaps companies should reflect on how inaccessible their exit doors have become. HR departments often fail to listen, managers ignore burnout, and workers are left with no safe outlet.
Resignation agencies are filling a gap. The question is: why is that gap so wide?
✅ Quick Summary
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A professional service that submits your resignation on your behalf |
| Main users | People in their 20s–30s, especially early-career employees |
| Key reasons | Avoid confrontation, escape harassment, mental health, quit immediately |
| Cost per case | ¥30,000–¥50,000 |
| Business scale | Some agencies process over 2,000 resignations monthly |
| Marketing method | Flashy trucks and viral slogans for public awareness |
| Cultural insight | Reflects emotional avoidance, strict hierarchy, and social fear |
🪩 Final Thought: A System in Desperate Need of an Exit Strategy
Resignation agencies may seem like a band-aid solution, but in Japan, they serve a vital social function. They offer a way out when no one else will listen.
In the long run, the rise of these services should be viewed as a warning sign—not just of unhappy workers, but of an outdated system that urgently needs reform. It’s not about helping people quit faster—it’s about making workplaces where people don’t feel the need to escape in the first place.
