Don't know about the UK, but here in Canada I've seen holidays thought of two completely different ways: sometimes the company will encourage, or even force (by

Don't know about the UK, but here in Canada I've seen holidays thought of two completely different ways: sometimes the company will encourage, or even force (by turning them away at the door, if you have days that won't accumulate for the next year), employees to take their holidays; sometimes they'll be judgemental about you taking holidays, as I suspect most Japanese employers are.