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7th POSTCARD FROM TOKYO - 2004 NOVEMBER 10th

Reflections after 18 Months in Japan

1) A distinguishing feature of Japanese society is ganbatte kudasai 頑張って下さい.
Centuries of total isolation from the outside world and Samurai enforcement, with on the spot decapitation to anyone failing to serve the collective interest or pursuing own needs, as well as centuries of power struggles and cleansing of nonconforming sections of the population have resulted in a people who's idea of fulfilment is to serve the group(s) with utter devotion they belong to, without regard to personal well-being or needs. Encouraging your fellow group members with a cheerful "Ganbatte!" "Do your best!" (best for the group - goes without saying) is heard everywhere all the time. Once this concept is grasped, many things in Japan become much much clearer. i.e. The strength of Japanese companies, the lack of ideas, "sheep herd" tourist groups, the inability to reform quickly, the long time taken for decisions ...

2) In traditional Japanese companies there is a figurehead boss (chauffer driven about like fossils in big black limos) who in fact only play a respectful representative role like royalty! Have been promoted by age not merit! Japanese company decision making is always made in committee, in nearly endless spiral of meetings and checking that no one objects to a proposal. Whenever a decision is finally made, implementation is almost instantaneous and always thorough. (Contrast western style companies - quick decisions but slow implementation)

3) Rules must be adhered to, but are never written! Enquiries to public agencies will never yield an official written answer, only the opinion of whoever is at that post at the time. And they change posts often! No specialists with years of experience, but all generalists, constantly checking back with colleagues to find the collective opinion. (Similarities to an ant hill, or even the BORG in the SF series Enterprise)

4) If you are interested in culture, and want to see the best in the world, you will find it in Japan. The Japanese have the ability to seek out and find the best that the world has to offer, to take it on, preserve it, reproduce it. This applies to culture, technology, business - all areas where mankind has risen above himself and excelled.

5) Why is every 3rd car in Tokyo a taxi? Capsule hotels? Simple: Office working hours are usually from 10am to 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm.... BUT most trains home stop running at 11pm!! AND 90 minutes commute each way is THE NORM! And no-one ever leaves before the boss does. And going for a beer with colleagues afterwards is a duty.... in other words: it gets very late, and there are no trains.

6) Then there is the insanity of daylight hours in summer! In June it gets light at 4:30, dark at 6:30! So there are many daylight hours in the early mornings where the streets are totally deserted..... ideal for dog walkers & early joggers.

7) Civil service structures were adopted from the Germans in the late 19c and have remained largely unchanged since. (The US occupation forces after WWII never figured it out, and left it intact) visible example: Kindergarten children everywhere are dressed in Bismark naval uniforms. The gothic style Diet parliament building is a copy of Berlin Reichstag, which was destroyed in WWII. Medical teaching uses German. They say the ultra punctual train system is that of Germany 100 years ago. (Cumulated sum of lateness for all High Speed Trains per year is less than 30 seconds!)

8) The German copy of the high court has a mind boggling backlog of cases, rendering the entire imported legal system ineffective. As the learned guide summed up during the tour of the high court building: "We're waiting for a change to come from outside..."

9) As in many other Asian countries, the Japanese are impervious to noise pollution: Robot trolleys in factories continual beep, beep ... Loudspeakers in parks, in streets... blaring instructions, music, chimes to tell kids its time to go home for dinner. Election loud speaker vans... 4 out of 5 words are yoroshiku onegai itashimas ... de gosaimas (the polite language packaging - of more importance than the words themselves)

10) Gift wrapping is just as or more important than the actual gift. Of course destroying the wonderful wrapping by revealing the gift value in front of the giver is an embarrassment.

11) Internet is so FAST and so CHEAP!

12) The food quality and variety is a wonderful experience, and worth the expense

13) Autumn typhoons rage, and quickly pass, leaving clear blue skies, Mt. Fuji visible and hot temperatures.

14) The utmost and highest moral authority is not religion, not the law of the land, not by any means the emperor. No, the overriding set of rules by which society is governed is determined by the particular group of which you are a member. Work group, family group, club group. If you want to benefit from the group, you are expected to serve it in a totally selfless way. Attempting to compromise the wishes of the group with your own needs, no matter how pressing, is simply not tolerated. Being the slightest bit selfish in any way is punishable by a merciless cold shoulder until you do the honourable thing, and expel yourself. That is a basic mechanism of Japanese society. It comes naturally, after being genetically cleansed the past millennia. (True sincere gratitude to my Namban friends for their patience and this horizon widening experience. My house is for ever your house.)

15) Finally, Ganbatte above all else. Do your best at all cost

16) Oh yes, and those incessant Ambulances... argh...

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