Modern Japan: Origins of the Mind: Japanese Mentality and Tradition in Contemporary Life

The book takes a fresh look at modern Japan, and does not treat the Japanese as enigmatic or mysterious people; their ways of thinking and their culture can be explained by an honest appraisal of their history and of the norms that have shaped this history. This book not only reveals the mentality and national character of modern Japanese people but also attempts to explore and analyze the roots of their mannerisms. Everyone knows that the Japanese are generally more polite than other nationalities, but why is this so? Why do they embrace a relaxed attitude when being served by others? Surely, there must be specific reasons to account for these observations. Delving into the social values of the Japanese, why do they value loyalty and commitment so much? How long have they been upholding these virtues? Why, when interrogated by the police, even without being beaten or tortured, do they easily confess guilt for crimes that they have not committed? What are the reasons for such behaviors? All these questions and more are answered in this engaging and illuminating book. Contents......Page 26 Why Japan?......Page 8 What is the Main Idea?......Page 9 What is NOT Included in this Book?......Page 10 About the Author......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Technical Remarks......Page 16 Brief Historical Background......Page 18 Japan’s “Three-Cycle Response” for Innovative Change......Page 32 Ig Nobel Prize Winners......Page 36 The Most Creative of Imitators......Page 41 Abbreviating the Nearest Space......Page 48 Polished Simplicity......Page 56 Material Things and Immaterial Thoughts......Page 62 Addiction to Algorithms......Page 70 The Principle of Conformity and Sense of Humor......Page 83 Patterns of Speech......Page 89 Formalism and Self-Suppression......Page 94 The Aesthetics of Silence......Page 101 In Pursuit of Excellence: Tidiness, Cleanliness and Punctuality......Page 105 Celebration and Gift-Giving......Page 111 Touching Eternity......Page 118 Masks and Rituals......Page 126 Behavior Categories......Page 132 It’s Not About Money......Page 140 The Customer is Always Right — The Japanese Version......Page 144 Hey, I’m a JR Passenger!......Page 148 Bakufu as a Driving Force of Progress......Page 158 Side Effects of Perfect Service......Page 165 Domesticating the Natural World through Imitation......Page 178 On Environmental Protection......Page 182 Foreigners and Internal Safety......Page 188 Children and Adults......Page 196 Group Pressure......Page 200 Educational Standards and Uniformity......Page 203 Sensei Means “One Born Before”......Page 210 Encouraging Social Activity......Page 214 Diligence versus Talent......Page 218 Diligence: The Authentic and the Assumed......Page 222 Paying the Price for Success......Page 229 Japanese Balance Between Work and Play......Page 234 The Most Common Vocation in Japan......Page 241 Those Left Behind......Page 246 Power of God, Power of Man......Page 250 Good Neighbors and Distant Relatives......Page 256 From Inner Circle to Outer Circle......Page 263 Confession — The Trump Card of Investigation......Page 272 Looking Back at Tradition......Page 280 Punitive Sanctions......Page 289 Mentors in Uniform......Page 294 The Police as Role Model......Page 302 New Problems on the Horizon......Page 306 Without Regard to Religion......Page 314 Modern Technologies and a Sensible View of Death......Page 324 Japanese-Style Movements......Page 332 Looks and Appearances......Page 340 The Aesthetics of Nakedness......Page 344 Afterword......Page 362 English......Page 364 Japanese......Page 366 Russian......Page 369 Personal Index......Page 372 Subject Index......Page 374 Japanese Glossary Index......Page 380 Ch. 1. The outside world and Japanese creativity. Japan's "Three-cycle response" for innovative change. Ig Nobel prize winners. The most creative of imitators -- ch. 2. Perception of the world and nature. Abbreviating the nearest space. Polished simplicity. Material things and immaterial thoughts -- ch. 3. Everything has its own Kata. Addiction to algorithms. The principle of conformity and sense of humor. Patterns of speech -- ch. 4. How they do it. Formalism and self-suppression. The aesthetics of silence. In pursuit of excellence : Tidiness, cleanliness and punctuality. Celebration and gift-giving -- ch. 5. Cultural rituality and group behavior. Touching eternity. Masks and rituals. Behavior categories -- ch. 6. Japanese service : Simply the best. It's not about money. The customer is always right - The Japanese version. Hey, I'm a JR passenger! The most punctual trains in the world -- ch. 7. Motives and consequences of incredible service. akufu as a driving force of progress. Side effects of perfect service -- ch. 8. Wildlife : Natural and cultivated. Domesticating the natural world through imitation. On environmental protection. Foreigners and internal safety -- ch. 9. Educational values. Children and adults. Group pressure. Educational standards and uniformity. Sensei means "One born before"--Ch. 10. Reluctant workaholics. Encouraging social activity. Diligence versus talent. Diligence : The authentic and the assumed. Paying the price for success -- ch. 11. The unpretentious joy of being a group member. Japanese balance between work and play. The most common vocation in Japan. Those left behind -- ch. 12. Humans judging humans. Power of God, power of man. Good neighbors and distant relatives. From inner circle to outer circle -- ch. 13. Enacting law and justice. Confession - The trump card of investigation. Looking back at tradition. Punitive sanctions -- ch. 14. Preventing crime and educating people. Mentors in uniform. The police as role model. New problems on the horizon -- ch. 15. Romanticizing suicide. Without regard to religion. Modern technologies and a sensible view of death -- ch. 16. Body language. Japanese-style movements. Looks and appearances. The aesthetics of nakedness The book takes a fresh look at modern Japan, and does not treat the Japanese as enigmatic or mysterious people; their ways of thinking and their culture can be explained by an honest appraisal of their history and of the norms that have shaped this history. This book not only reveals the mentality and national character of modern Japanese people but also attempts to explore and analyze the roots of their mannerisms. Everyone knows that the Japanese are generally more polite than other nationalities, but why is this so? Why do they embrace a relaxed attitude when being served by others? Surely, there must be specific reasons to account for these observations. Delving into the social values of the Japanese, why do they value loyalty and commitment so much? How long have they been upholding these virtues? Why, when interrogated by the police, even without being beaten or tortured, do they easily confess guilt for crimes that they have not committed? What are the reasons for such behaviors? All these questions and more are answered in this engaging and informative book