Japanese People and Society

Text for the “Japanese People and Society” Briefing at the Japan International Cooperation Center in Osaka by Steve McCarty Professor, Osaka Jogakuin College Map and climate of Japan provided by the Japanese government Japanese People: Image and Reality Traditions and Religions (author’s photos) Ritsurin Park in Takamatsu on the island of Shikoku Kukai, 9th Century Buddhist leader who studied in China Shinto Shrine within the Buddhist monastery on top of Mount Koya Japan developed for over two thousand years, isolated for long periods and sometimes borrowing from other cultures, so it has many unique traditions. All cultural properties are exquisitely preserved, but busy modern people have less time these days to participate in traditions except for occasional festivals. The situation of religion is unusual in the world because most Japanese belong to two religions, Shinto and Buddhism. At the same time, they are not very religious in daily life. The Shinto religion is ancient and animistic, today used for celebrations and wishes. The Buddhist religion from the Asian mainland, originally philosophical and ethical, today serves mainly funerary purposes. About 1% of Japanese are Christians, while people from foreign countries can of course practice their own religions. The Constitution of Japan guarantees freedom of thought and religion while promoting international peace. Population Trends and Foreigners in Japan In the period after World War II many children were born and built up the economy to be second in the world by the 1960s. Most of them are living long and healthy lives with secure pensions while fewer and fewer children are born these days. The population has peaked at about 125 million and is projected to go down below 100 million this Century. So while they have enjoyed the harmony of about 98% of people being of the same race and culture, mostly middle class economically, they are starting to realize that they need more foreigners in the future because of the large proportion of elderly retirees. Academics and business people in downtown Tokyo Demographic data provided by the Japanese government: The following chart provided by the Japanese government in 2003 shows the dramatic demographic changes from the past to the present and projected to the future: In an interesting article that is available online (see the References section), BBC reported that “an ageing population is forcing people to reconsider attitudes to immigration” (Buckley, 2004). The article reported that foreigners in the labor force are 0.2% of the population in Japan compared to, for example, 9.1% in Germany. The Japanese government provided the following details on foreigners as of 2003: More details from the Japanese government on foreigners in Japan and movements of Japanese as well as foreigners: Report on Women and Men in a Declining Population A think tank recently studied the situation for Japanese women and men in a declining population, summarizing the report as follows: Leonard Schoppa of the University of Virginia notes the lack of an organized female ‘voice’ to press for better job conditions which would make having both a career and children easier. Robin LeBlanc of Washington and Lee University describes the pressures facing Japanese men, which have led to their postponing marriage at a higher rate than women, while Keiko Yamanaka of the University of California, Berkeley, reluctantly concludes that Japan is not seriously considering immigration as an option to counteract its declining population. Jennifer Robertson of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, focuses on a uniquely Japanese technological solution to possibly resolve the problem of a declining population: robots. (Mohr, 2008) So Japan, with its long history of traditions and a stable social order, tends to change only gradually, and technology may play an important role in future developments. Children in Japan In an article available online, it was observed that: Japanese youngsters spend significantly less time outdoors than previous generations. … several factors have influenced young people's distant relationship with the environment. These range from an urbanised lifestyle with its emphasis on consumption and few opportunities to spend time outdoors, to Japan's notorious cram school system. …author Alex Kerr [who was raised in Japan] says Japanese prefer things to be neat, orderly and convenient rather than natural. (Johnston, 2004) Electronic technologies play an increasing role in everyday lifestyles. Computer use in Japan may not be as much as in other advanced countries because nearly everyone uses mobile phones, most of them with access to the Internet. A concerned parent recently wrote: Here in Japan, as of August 2008, there were 104,426,900 cell phone subscribers, meaning that many adults have two devices and most kids of school-going age also have one. Indeed, around 30% of elementary school students, 58% of middle school students, and 96% of high school students now have a cell phone. … pre-teens and teens in particular live on their cell phones and will easily use them for hours a day if not supervised properly. Family plans and other flat-rate pricing schemes have exacerbated the problem, and for an average kid going to a cram school until 8 or 9 o’clock in the evening, adequate supervision of their phone usage by their parents is not very likely. (Lloyd, 2008) There is a common phrase kodomo no tami ni, which means for the sake of the children. The post-War generation knew hardship, built up the Japanese economy, and gave their children a better life. Whether the past two generations of young parents and children have been spoiled or simply treated well, only time will tell as they determine the future of Japan. The Japanese Personality The author’s Presentation Handout on “Japanese People and Society” outlines many characteristics that were discussed in the lecture. There is the combination of the traditional and the modern, Japanese and Western styles, and gradual change in a large and stable society. Beneath the globalization and technology there are still many traditional ways of thinking and social behavior oriented to others and groups (especially peer groups such as those in the same school class or working section). There are cultural influences from Asian religions, such as Buddhism (仏教) in the stoic or fatalistic way of thinking and Confucianism from China (儒教) in the social system of interpersonal relations. One general characteristic of the Japanese personality is reserve. There is a sense that it is more elegant not to show all that one could say or do. They have a saying that a hawk does not show its claws. A person who is not flashy but humble and understated is especially admired if his or her competence is shown only indirectly through actions or the reactions of others. They are keeping much of themselves in reserve, which may seem mysterious to people from different cultures. But as a result of some of these virtues, even among other Japanese they find it difficult to meet strangers without a formal introduction or belonging to the same organized group, and it can be difficult for foreigners to get to know Japanese people well enough to consider them a friend. Yet they are reliable, and their affection is also kept in reserve, so foreigners can try to accept that Japanese are undemonstrative or reserved. The quality of their interactions is of a similar level to the reliability of their manufactured goods. Their honesty is not of the verbal but rather behavioral kind, such as returning favors or correct change. Similarly, their sincerity in sparing others from negativity reflects their putting others first by carefully considering the feelings or reactions of others before speaking or taking action. Websites on current events in Japan The Japan Times: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ Japan Today: http://www.japantoday.com/ News on Japan: http://www.newsonjapan.com/ References Buckley, S. (2004, October 5). Japan mulls multicultural dawn. BBC News Online. Retrieved November 26, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asiapacific/3708098.stm Johnston, E. (2004, August 17). Japanese children shun the rising sun. The Guardian. Retrieved November 26, 2008, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/aug/17/japan Lloyd, T. (2008, November 27). Cell phones and cancer: What’s the link? Japan Today. Mohr, M. (Ed.) (2008, November). Japan's declining population: Clearly a problem, but what's the solution? The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Born in Boston, longtime full Professor in Japan, Steve McCarty currently lectures for Osaka Jogakuin University and the Japanese government international agency. He is also President of the World Association for Online Education. See https://japanned.hcommons.org for highly cited publications on e-learning, bilingualism, language teaching, the academic life, Asian Studies and Japan. For more articles by the author on Japan or Asian Studies, see https://japanned.hcommons.org/japanology or https://wilmina.academia.edu/SteveMcCarty/Japan