Insider: Understanding Japan

In a society that is known for its rigid social order and extreme ‘uniform’ culture; Japanese fashion statements such as Decora, Lolita and the concept of ‘Kawaii’ have become a counter-culture in their own right. These statements have become a symbol of ‘breaking free’ and individuality in a conformist society.

Whilst the Japanese concept of ‘Kawaii’, the culture of cuteness, started in the 1970s from a fad of mechanical pencils that produced thin lines and a new style of writing; with this growing trend companies such as Sanrio began to produce merchandise such as Hello Kitty to maximise sales. The ‘kawaii’ phenomenon became so popular in the 80s and 90s that it has become the face of advertising for many companies who seek success in Japan and has become a national identity.

The popularity of ‘cute’ has led to the rise of ‘Yuruchara’ or ‘Mascots’. Not only do all 43 prefectures have their own 'promotional' mascot, but Osaka alone has over 40 representing the prefecture. Mascots in Japan are widely used to promote a place, region, event, organisation or business, and have proven to be very profitable - in 2012, character-driven sales had reached nearly $16bn.

There is an old saying in Japanese which translates to ‘The nail that protrudes will be hammered down,” and it speaks volumes about the place of the individual in Japan’s group-oriented society. The concept of group harmony, or wa, is rooted in the idea that group welfare must always come before individual self-interest, a social mentality that was driven predominantly during and post-WW2. Individuals were expected to sacrifice their personal lives for the good of the nation. The psychological phenomenon known as groupthink further contributes to a harmonious society; with most people striving to put the benefit of the group ahead of their own personal desires because they are aware that their actions affect those around them.

Along with this, apologizing in Japan is more than just saying you’re sorry –it’s about politeness, and letting others know that you are reflecting on what went wrong. It has become part of Japanese culture and is employed across the board, by individuals, public figures, celebrities, corporations, and even governments. You can also find companies dedicated to apologies. Even though apologizing is often a personal practice, it is essentially an act that considers the whole and
how each individual affects it.

Japan has some of the longest working hours in the world, where nearly a quarter of Japanese companies have their employees work over 80 overtime hours a month; often unpaid. The ‘salaryman’ is the driving force behind Japan’s economy and work culture, where loyalty to the company is expected and, despite being entitled to 20 days a year, recent surveys found Japanese workers left 10 days unused. This work ethic dates back to Japan’s economic miracle from the 1950s and has been reinforced by Japan valuing the group over the individual.

Despite the obvious problems associated with this, Karoshi (death by overwork) is a social issue prevalent in Japan that came to the attention of the wider community in 2015 after a female office worker killed herself due to depression resulting
from being overworked. Her case triggered a national debate about Japan’s work ethic and forced the prime minister to address a workplace culture that often forces employees to put in long hours to demonstrate their dedication. Recent steps have been undertaken to encourage a better work/life balance, such as introducing new public holidays and ‘Premium Fridays’ to encourage employees to leave early; although a social change in mentality appears to be the biggest challenge.

Shintoism is Japan's indigenous spirituality, it is the belief that every living thing in nature contains kami, or gods; with up to 80% of the population taking part in Shinto rituals, although a much smaller number would actively describe themselves as ‘Shintoists’. Japan is the only country in the world where Shintoism is widely practiced, but Buddhism is equally prevalent- many Japanese people will observe Shinto traditions throughout their life, but have a Buddhist funeral.

The two religions peacefully co-exist as most Japanese people consider the rituals rather than the beliefs to be fundamental to Shintoism. Alongside this, Japan has well over 100,000 festivals every year across the country to celebrate the various deities and religious practices, with excellent food stalls, entertainment, and offering an unrivalled experience into life in Japan.

For 220 years, Japan placed itself under diplomatic isolation from foreign influence, primarily due to the colonial and missionary ambitions of Spain and Portugal, and was only lifted in 1853 when the US demanded the borders be opened. In Japan’s self-imposed isolation, traditions of the past were refined and transformed in the urban societies of Kyoto and Edo.

Restricted trade with Chinese and Dutch merchants spurred the development of Japanese porcelain and provided an opening for Ming literati culture to filter into the artistic circles of Kyoto and Edo.

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki horrified the world and lead to the end of World War II. During the years of US occupation that followed, news coverage that dealt with the aftermath of the bombings were silenced, including the rise in radiation-related illnesses, birth defects, and the long-term effects on the surrounding regions. After the crew of fishing boat Lucky Dragon No. 5 visited an island known for America's testing of various nuclear weapons, they were subjected to the unprecedented detonation of Castle Bravo and had quickly fallen ill to acute radiation syndrome, and their story quickly became a sensation; gripping Japan in fear and panic.

At the height of this, the 1954 original "Gojira" arrived in theatres as a symbol of thermonuclear weapons and the victims. Its skin texture was modelled to resemble the keloid scars of survivors, and its signature atomic heat beam was generated by the nuclear energy inside the creature to bring destruction to the cities of Japan. Gojira became a horror movie that peered into the Japanese people's fear of radiation and the potential long-term effects of the atom bomb, immortalised into a generic monster movie that maintains popularity.

Japan is notorious for the seismically active land under which the country sits. This was highlighted on March 11th, 2011 when a 9.1 earthquake shook north-eastern Japan, unleashing a destructive tsunami that resulted in a nuclear meltdown.

The effects of the earthquake were felt around the world, from Norway's fjords to Antarctica - where the tsunami broke icebergs off from ice sheets. The earthquake was so powerful, it shifted the Earth on its axis of rotation shortening the length of a day by a microsecond, moved Japan's main island of Honshu eastward by 8 feet, and around 250 miles of Japan's northern Honshu coastline dropped by 2 feet. The earthquake produced a low-frequency rumble which travelled into space and was detected by the GOCE satellite.

The total economic cost could reach up to $235 billion, the World Bank estimated, making it the costliest natural disaster in world history.

Japan has more 7-Eleven locations than anywhere else in the world. Of the 67,400+ stores around the globe, 20,700 stores (nearly 31% of global stores) are in Japan, with 2,705 stores in Tokyo alone. The original American convenience store, struggling with debt, was bought by the Japanese company Seven & I Holdings Co., Ltd. on September 1, 2005.

As of July 2019, 7-Eleven has stores in all 47 prefectures of Japan with the opening of 14 new locations in Okinawa Prefecture. The aesthetics of the store are somewhat different from that of 7 Eleven stores in other countries as the stores offer a wide selection of fresh food and products at low prices, as well as renowned high levels of service.

The 7-Eleven stores have become a staple of Japanese culture and feature prominently in anime and manga. 7-Eleven stores in Japan are also popular among tourists from other countries, as the Seven Bank ATM machines at branches will accept foreign debit and credit cards for withdrawing cash in Japanese yen.

One of Japan’s strengths has always been in the area of innovation, and with an aging population, the need for innovation to improve Japanese life is becoming more necessary; particularly in the fields of digital farming and autonomous driving.

Japan is rapidly moving toward “Society 5.0”, adding a fifth chapter to the four major stages of human development: hunter-gatherer, agrarian, industrial and information. In this new ultra-smart society, all things will be connected through IoT technology and all technologies will be integrated, dramatically improving the quality of life. To realize this new era, the Government of Japan is doing everything it can to encourage various start-ups and small- medium enterprises to come up with brand-new and innovative ideas. Along with one of the best healthcare systems in the world, Japan is also the largest producer of robots, accounting for some 60% of global output.

In the near future, robots and AI could become an alternative work force in the elderly care service industry, which is expected to suffer from a major shortage of caregivers.