Japans Horror

I learned a little about the Japanese culture when I was in Japan a few years ago. For example, one day I was walking down the street snacking on a power bar. Part of the wrapping fell on the sidewalk and I stopped and picked it up. Several people walking by stopped and applauded literally applauded my action of picking up the garbage.

I thought what a different society from our own. Where I live, people treat the streets like garbage cans, leaving fast food containers and cigarette butts everywhere.

Well, after watching the horrors of recent weeks I’ve become even more impressed with the Japanese people. These people have had to endure a massive earthquake, a devastating tsunami, and an ongoing nuclear catastrophe. Tens of thousands have had their homes washed away and will be homeless for who-knows-how-long. Hundreds of thousands have been told to evacuate their homes because of nuclear danger. Millions are without electricity. Grocery shelves are empty. Food and water is in short supply. Children have lost parents and parents have lost children.

And yet… there is no rioting, no protest marches and no looting reported in Japan. We’re not seeing news footage of angry people saying that emergency services are not doing enough for them, even with the possible threat of a nuclear meltdown. Even though grocery shelves were empty, there was no looting or protests demanding food or water or services. While there were huge lines at the hospitals, people reportedly waited patiently and in an organized manner, to get treated.

This is impressive and it certainly doesn’t sound like the way North Americans or Europeans would react to such a situation. You only have to look at the looting and rioting that took place in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. There’s a lot we can learn from this faraway disaster. About our own society, and how we behave when things go bad.

I don’t know what it is about Japanese culture that makes them behave the way they do. Courteous, respectful of their neighbours, subdued - almost stoic. And evidently unwilling to use or create chaos when faced with hardship. Slate Magazine attributed it to laws which reward honesty, a strong police presence, and, interestingly, powerful organized crime syndicates. I don’t know if it’s those outside influences or just a stronger sense of respect for their society. But I do know that these people will not have as difficult time as WE might, rebuilding their cities. Instead of wasting their time bemoaning what they don’t have, and assigning blame, they’ll be pulling together to rebuild their solid social and economic - platform. And I can definitely applaud them for that.

We wish them well and we could certainly learn from them. On keeping our streets clean of garbage and in building a society that is truly neighbor-friendly.