Six Saturdays were designated as make-up work days last year to create extended long weekends lasting three days or longer. However, the frequent six-day work weeks sparked some criticism.
Several changes were made to the public holiday calendar this year.
Aside from the Lunar New Year holiday, which had a make-up work day on Saturday last week, the first half of the year only has two more three-day long weekends: Tomb Sweeping Day/Children’s Day and the Dragon Boat Festival.
There are no three-day holidays for the second half of the year.
Japan this year has 11 three-day holidays.
Their New Year holiday is to be observed from the end of the year to the beginning of the next year and almost every month in the second half of the year is to have a long weekend.
Following amendments to Japanese laws governing national holidays, some national holidays were moved to Monday, such as Marine Day (the third Monday of July), Respect for the Aged Day (the third Monday of September) and Sports Day (the second Monday of October).
Japan increased the number of extended holiday weekends as part of its Happy Monday System.
This is equivalent to the US’ 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which permanently moved some federal holidays to Mondays. These include Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Jr Day and Columbus Day.
Changing holiday dates might weaken the purpose of celebrating or commemorating a holiday.
For example, Presidents’ Day this year falls on Feb. 19, even though his actual birthday is on Feb. 22.
This system does not go against people’s right to enjoy days off work, but instead gives them room to plan an extended vacation.
It would be much better to work make-up days than to add more substitute holidays.
The government could stabilize our economy and encourage workers to take a break, with minimal social cost spent on solving the holiday weekend issue.
“Holiday economics” is one of the best ways to boost domestic markets and consumption.
A three-day weekend is perfect for an overnight trip, but is not long enough for people to travel abroad.
That means that an extended holiday every few months would be good for Taiwan’s domestic tourism.
Administrative agencies should avoid being hijacked by the minority and listening to those who do not understand the situation.
It is actually essential to have more extended weekends in Taiwan.
Chen Yung-chang is a company manager.
Translated by Hsieh Yi-ching
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