Re: when you like what you do...
"well, when you LIKE what you do, spending long hours doing it comes naturally."
This.Is.Japan, not the UK or other western countries. They have the old company culture where you work in the same company from day to night (6?am - 12am) until you retire (they call them salary-man).
It is the cultural norm for them to work long-hours as a representation of company loyalty, and hardworking for the family. Except that's really F*** up when you literally don't have any time for anything, including the family part. Heck, if they even have a family or any kid at all. There's a reason why Japan's population growth is dropping as one of the fastest. Their spending of long hours in office is not nature. Their employees are not happy, their productivity isn't any better for their company, it should be stopped.
Also there is no "owning their own businesses" when they culturally have to be loyal to their company.
"hard work and dedication does deserve a reward" but this is Japan, they would be lucky to even be able to ask their boss for "a reward" when everyone else likely did it without a reward.