In Japan, can workers request days off for a special occasion?

Question:

My boyfriend and I work at 2 Japanese restaurants in the US, run by the same Japanese owner. He just told all his employees that we are not allowed to request days off ever, we're not allowed to go on vacation when the summer comes, and we have to work whatever day he schedules us and we have no say in the matter. In two months my boyfriend's sister is getting married and I have my university graduation ceremony in the same weekend, and we've been reminding our boss that we would like that weekend off since January, but now he's acting like he expects us to miss the wedding and my graduation ceremony and said that in Japan, workers don't get days off.

Neither my boyfriend nor I are Japanese, so I was just wondering if anyone who had a better idea on the subject could tell me if he is right and that Japanese workers don't get to request days off work for something like a wedding or a graduation ceremony, or if our boss is being completely unreasonable in his expectations? We are also in the US, not Japan, and at least half of the workers are Chinese or of other descent and not Japanese

Answer:

It depends on each reason. There is no general answer.

But it's much more difficult to get a day off in Japan anyway.

On your case, it's not common to go to a college while you are working in Japan (only part-time is common. Are you working part-time?). So your case is not general in Japan.

On BF case, if he himself is getting married, of course most employers would let him take days off. But if it's his sister, hmmm, it's not so common for Japanese workers to take days off for that reason. But it depends on each employer after all. Some would let us take days off.

Addition:
>both me and my boyfriend are working only part-time,

OK. The biggest benefit of part-time is to take days off relatively easily.

>Do part-time-working students in Japan get to go to their graduation ceremony?

Sure!

>Or are graduations in Japan not as big an occasion as they are in America or my other home country

Of course, it's big. Incidentally, many colleges canceled their graduation ceremony this year because of the earthquake. It took place on March 11th. Graduation ceremonies are like March 15-20th in Japan. There was still much turmoil at that time. I feel sorry for those who graduated this year.

Most students in Japan go to a graduation ceremony even if they have a part-time job. Your employer is tyrannical and a liar. I recommend that you change your job, either before or at the time of your events.