Once upon a time, a newly hired employee in Japan would enter into a covenant under which, by unspoken agreement, he or she would endeavor to remain with the company for at least three years. The period it takes for persistence to be rewarded is reflected in an old saying that goes, "ishi no ue ni mo sannen" ("even the coldest rock will warm up after three years").

Some time ago, however, it became clear that growing numbers of young Japanese no longer possessed the patience and fortitude of earlier generations. By the early 1990s this phenomenon spawned the short-lived term "Narita taishoku," referring to new hires who would start working at a company the first week of April and then, for whatever reason, fail to return to work after the Golden Week holiday that runs from the last week of April through around May 5. The term was a spinoff from the better-known "Narita rikon," a term applied to couples who abruptly went their separate ways upon return from their overseas honeymoon.

According to Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare statistics, the worst job sectors for workers quitting within three years are (with percentages in brackets) hostelry, food and beverage businesses (51.0); education and educational support (48.9); and jobs in lifestyle-related or recreation fields (45.4). In contrast, the percentages of workers who walk away from jobs in manufacturing (17.6), mining and other raw materials (13.6) and public utilities (8.8) are considerably lower.