A Chinese Observation of Japan
I had the chance to tour around Tokyo last year. I was intrigued by the usual tourist places, the ubiquitous vending machines, and the overwhelming politeness. This year, thanks to Mistletoe, I interned in Tokyo for two months at LPixel, a medical imaging AI startup based in the University of Tokyo.
Coming from China, I had a sense of familiarity with Japan: our social principles and language share commonalities. As a tourist, I never got to see the full complexity of the Japanese culture and to meaningfully interact with it. To live and work in Tokyo was certainly different. On the very first day, I was amazed to see that the “push” and “pull” signs on the doors are “押” and “引”, nonsensical in contemporary Mandarin but semantically identical to ancient Chinese. So I started consciously looking out for similarities and nuanced differences, good or bad, that make Japan unique.
The overall culture of Japan is similar with much of East Asia in that reciprocity, reserved politeness, consideration, and dedication are the highest virtues. The differences were also informative.
Where, for example, China has a “whatever works is good” sense of practicality, Japan has a “struggle for the best” sense of perfection. Dedication is treasured in Japan. Indeed, a cultural obsession with meticulousness: untiring staff stand in line along the train platform at Shibuya station to guide the massive crowd during rush hour; a small coffee shop owner in Kamakura dripping coffee since four decades ago. This is especially interesting. As a tourist, I witnessed the efficiency of Japan firsthand. As an intern, I was able to observe in detail what created such efficiency, and the implications thereof. Rules, procedures, and a high regard for experience and dedication enable widespread efficiency. On the other hand, entrenched cultures and rigid traditions can hamper growth. A well-known problem is the overwork culture in traditional companies, contributing to depression and lower productivity.
Japan is also extremely collectivistic, even considering the overall collectivism in East Asia. In individualistic societies, everyone stands for themselves. The optimal thing to do is to market oneself, to be established as a worthy player, and to be selfish (“selfish” meant as a neutral term.) “If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will,” they say. If I do not actively advance myself, I lose out and I have no one other than myself to blame. In Japan, however, selflessness and sacrifice are virtues. People are responsible for themselves, but even more responsible for other people. This goes behind the incredible politeness and harmony that Japan exhibits. But what happens when someone selfish comes along and tries to take advantage of such politeness? The selfless culture reinforces itself by punishing selfishness. If I put myself above others, I will soon have few friends. Selfishness incurs a tremendous social cost.
Observing the Japanese culture allowed me to better understand Japan, and my home culture of China. Both countries have much to learn from one another, but communication is often tainted by the Chinese government fixation on WWII history. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic that regardless of the government voice, newer generations will move on from history and towards mutual understanding.
