Japanese Culture

[AnimeFan188]

Japan's Philanderers Stay FaithfulTo Their 'Infidelity Phones':

"Over the past few years, as many people rushed to trade in their old phones for
smartphones, Japan's philanderers have remained faithful to one particular brand:
Fujitsu Ltd.'s older "F-Series" phones, which feature some attractive stealth privacy
features.

The aging flip-phone—nicknamed the "uwaki keitai" or "infidelity phone"—owes its
enduring popularity to customers who don't believe newer smartphones are as
discreet at hiding their illicit romances."

See:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/japans...035400852.html

[Sephi]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, seeing i'm planning a trip to Japan. With the island dispute, are there any violence of safety risks for Chinese tourists?

[Malkuth]

Originally Posted by Sephi

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, seeing i'm planning a trip to Japan. With the island dispute, are there any violence of safety risks for Chinese tourists?

I have been only 40 days here, but as with any country, avoid places frequented by those patriots... particularly for Japan an example would be the Yasukuni shrine.

[SaintessHeart]

Japan should let old 'hurry up and die': minister

Japan's finance minister Taro Aso said Monday the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" instead of costing the government money for end-of-life medical care.

Aso, who also doubles as deputy prime minister, reportedly said during a meeting of the National Council on Social Security Reforms: "Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die. You cannot sleep well when you think it's all paid by the government.

"This won't be solved unless you let them hurry up and die," he said.

"I don't need that kind of care. I will die quickly," he said adding he had left written instructions that his life is not artificially prolonged.

During the meeting, he reportedly referred to "tube people" when talking of patients who cannot feed themselves.

The 72-year-old Aso, a former prime minister, has been in his current job less than a month, but has a long history of planting his foot firmly in his mouth.

In 2001 he triggered a furore by saying a successful country was one where "rich Jews" wanted to live.

After Monday's mis-step, he tried to backtrack, insisting he had only been talking about his personal wishes when he said the elderly should shuffle off quickly.

"I said what I personally believe, not what the end-of-life medical care system should be," he told reporters.

"It is important that you can spend the final days of your life peacefully."

Aso was born into a blue-blooded industrialist family but his often crude verbal slip-ups stand in marked contrast to his heritage.

He is the grandson of Shigeru Yoshida, one of Japan's most influential prime ministers who helped rebuild the country from the ashes of World War II, and he is married to the daughter of another former premier.

Ageing is a sensitive issue in Japan, one of the world's oldest countries, with almost a quarter of its 128 million people over 60. That figure is expected to rise to 40 percent within the next half-century.

At the same time a shrinking number of workers is placing further strain on an already groaning social security system, with not enough money going into the pot to support those who depend on it.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Japan should let old 'hurry up and die': minister

I do not understand how these types of people are able to remain in power for so long. And consider how old this guy is, maybe he will use himself as an example?

[RRW]

there is actually a real issue of old worker in japan. basically company tend to keep the old people instead hiring the young one even if old person way of job is outdated and the young one is "smarter" than the old one. resulting stagnant in japan industry

[Guernsey]

I am not sure but isn't respect for the elderly a very important thing in Japan?

[Kudryavka]

I wonder if Japan is having a job shortage problem like my country? Here it is very common for new college grads to not get jobs and people with less experience to get laid off first, bcause companies always respect the older workers first (even when they could pay the younger guy less).

We brought the problem onto ourselves by sending our unskilled labor away... now the only jobs we have that dont need a degree are Mcdonalds and crop picking, which both pay terrible.

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Guernsey

I am not sure but isn't respect for the elderly a very important thing in Japan?

Even then, that's pushing the so-called respect a little too far. Everyone, including myself in 30-35 years time, will have to be reminded on how outdated I am and the only thing the old should do is to prepare themselves for this fateful day.

[AmeNoJaku]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

I do not understand how these types of people are able to remain in power for so long. And consider how old this guy is, maybe he will use himself as an example?

Whether one disagree with Abe or not, people acknowledge him for not lying sugar-coating his opinions and beliefs, like most politicians.

Originally Posted by RRW

there is actually a real issue of old worker in japan. basically company tend to keep the old people instead hiring the young one even if old person way of job is outdated and the young one is "smarter" than the old one. resulting stagnant in japan industry

I don't think he was referring to that at all. Wasn't he talking about the cost of public spending for the care for the terminally ill pensioners?

[Azuma Denton]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

I do not understand how these types of people are able to remain in power for so long. And consider how old this guy is, maybe he will use himself as an example?

Seniority hierarchy is still very strong in Japan.
On the bright side: "You should respect your elder"
On the negative side: "No young man should take on important position"


Actually many of this seniority gap between old generation and young generation has been poured into film and manga, but still, as they say, old habit die hard...

[Guernsey]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

Even then, that's pushing the so-called respect a little too far. Everyone, including myself in 30-35 years time, will have to be reminded on how outdated I am and the only thing the old should do is to prepare themselves for this fateful day.

I really hate that and I hope to not get treated that by young people when I turn 55.

[DonQuigleone]

The positive side of Seniority in Japan is that workers tend to have a great deal of loyalty for the companies they work for, and tend to work for it (and their own) benefit, as they know the company won't lay them off, so they'll be around to benefit from the companies success.

Western companies, by contrast, simply treat their employees like disposable chattel. Very few actually care much for their employers, and rarely put their heart and soul into their work, and companies put no effort into training their employees, because they "know" the employee will up and leave as soon as someone else offers them a larger paycheck.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Western companies, by contrast, simply treat their employees like disposable chattel. Very few actually care much for their employers, and rarely put their heart and soul into their work, and companies put no effort into training their employees, because they "know" the employee will up and leave as soon as someone else offers them a larger paycheck.

Western companies, in contrast, are more flexible when it comes to doing work. As long as work is done efficiently and without damage to any financials, they are okay with workers skiving and leaving early. As long as the big shots are not around though.

Though in most big companies Western or Eastern, the top is completely detached from the bottom. I just had an argument with a senior manager over safety issues and TBH, he has absolutely no idea that writing letters won't solve issues with broken pallets - hammer and nails does.

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Western companies, in contrast, are more flexible when it comes to doing work. As long as work is done efficiently and without damage to any financials, they are okay with workers skiving and leaving early. As long as the big shots are not around though.

Though in most big companies Western or Eastern, the top is completely detached from the bottom. I just had an argument with a senior manager over safety issues and TBH, he has absolutely no idea that writing letters won't solve issues with broken pallets - hammer and nails does.

From what I can see, western companies until quite recently were the more dysfunctional. After they all started copying Japanese style "lean production", they improved...

As for the top being disconnected from the bottom, under lean you're supposed to practice Genchi Genbutsu, and at Toyota even the CEO spends some time working on the assembly line. I don't know how well Japanese companies have stuck to the attitude though. From my limited exposure to Japanese manufacturers, there still seems to be little "division" among the employees compared to a western company. Line workers, engineers and executives all largely dress the same, and work among one another, whereas in an old style western company all those roles were strictly separated.

I think the manufacturing and software industries have been quickest to adopt Japanese style management. Retail, Fast food and maybe Finance have been the slowest, still relying on strict hierarchies and combative and competitive relationships, rather then cooperation.

However, this is all from my reading, and much of my reading is dated. In my Education "Lean" was very much the in thing, but I don't know how much exposure it gets outside Industrial Engineering. After the Japanese property bubble I think people are less keen to copy the Japanese, to their loss, because I think on the whole many Japanese companies point to a better way to do business (though not in all respects). I'm curious to know what kind of approach the Chinese take. I don't know much about how their booming industry operates, but I have a feeling it's quite regressive, and might be pushing us backwards in terms of relying on brute force massed cheap labour rather then an efficient and involved work force, as in Japan.

[Azuma Denton]

Hmm, i thought that many of Japanese model company is slowly being labeled outdated because of the seniority hierarchy they cant quickly adapt to the latest condition. And that is bad for the current global market.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

From what I can see, western companies until quite recently were the more dysfunctional. After they all started copying Japanese style "lean production", they improved...

As for the top being disconnected from the bottom, under lean you're supposed to practice Genchi Genbutsu, and at Toyota even the CEO spends some time working on the assembly line. I don't know how well Japanese companies have stuck to the attitude though. From my limited exposure to Japanese manufacturers, there still seems to be little "division" among the employees compared to a western company. Line workers, engineers and executives all largely dress the same, and work among one another, whereas in an old style western company all those roles were strictly separated.

The CEO says, "I don't have the time! I don't even have the time to learn how the company is being managed!"

Even though the company was separated, there are a couple of MNCs which I worked for who have clueless managers with the negotiator's sense - asking the 3 whats : "What is your problem?", "What would you suggest?", "What do you need?" (and in some cases, the 3rd one would result in "What if I give you X instead?"). The 2nd question makes the job even more fun than it is supposed to be, and practically the colleagues I have worked with enjoyed being asked the 2nd question.

It isn't really about whether the manager is on the floor to have the experience or not, it is about whether the manager is willing to negotiate or not to get things done.

I think the manufacturing and software industries have been quickest to adopt Japanese style management. Retail, Fast food and maybe Finance have been the slowest, still relying on strict hierarchies and combative and competitive relationships, rather then cooperation.

However, this is all from my reading, and much of my reading is dated. In my Education "Lean" was very much the in thing, but I don't know how much exposure it gets outside Industrial Engineering. After the Japanese property bubble I think people are less keen to copy the Japanese, to their loss, because I think on the whole many Japanese companies point to a better way to do business (though not in all respects). I'm curious to know what kind of approach the Chinese take. I don't know much about how their booming industry operates, but I have a feeling it's quite regressive, and might be pushing us backwards in terms of relying on brute force massed cheap labour rather then an efficient and involved work force, as in Japan.

I effectively summarise the Japanese efficient workforce into a two pronged repetitive algorithm :

Objective : Read. Learn. Succeed.
Success achieved : How can we make it more successful?
Failed : What can we do to make it succeed?

The philosophy of kaizen is as simple as it is.

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

The CEO says, "I don't have the time! I don't even have the time to learn how the company is being managed!"

Even though the company was separated, there are a couple of MNCs which I worked for who have clueless managers with the negotiator's sense - asking the 3 whats : "What is your problem?", "What would you suggest?", "What do you need?" (and in some cases, the 3rd one would result in "What if I give you X instead?"). The 2nd question makes the job even more fun than it is supposed to be, and practically the colleagues I have worked with enjoyed being asked the 2nd question.

It isn't really about whether the manager is on the floor to have the experience or not, it is about whether the manager is willing to negotiate or not to get things done.

The key thing about "Genchi Genbutsu" is that it allows the manager or engineer to see what exactly is required, and many details will occur to him that might be overlooked by the people communicating with him due to their "obviousness". As an example, when Toyota first entered the US market, the lead design engineer actually decided to drive 5000 miles around the US, from Alaska to San Francisco, and San Fransico to New York, in order to see what unique conditions existed in the US market. One of his findings was that Americans like to drink coffee on their long highway journeys, and so inserting cupholders would be necessary. If they had tried to ask people in the US, that kind of detail would probably have been ignored.

Though good negotiation is a plus, from what I can see if the manager is only talking, he's a superfluous part of the organisation ("muda"), and should be cut out. From what I've read of Japanese companies like Toyota managers and executives tend to involve themselves in the nitty gritty, and so I think they're directly contributing to the companies value rather then simply leaching off it (as can be often seen with certain American CEOs.)

Another strength of Japanese companies is that CEOs usually come from the inside, rather then being some kind of rotating outside "caste", and so they should have some kind of idea about how their business are being managed.

I effectively summarise the Japanese efficient workforce into a two pronged repetitive algorithm :

Objective : Read. Learn. Succeed.
Success achieved : How can we make it more successful?
Failed : What can we do to make it succeed?

The philosophy of kaizen is as simple as it is.

Yes, but more importantly, that philosophy is applied at all levels of the organisation, from the highest executive to the lowest line worker. Whereas in American style Mass Production, it was only one discrete part of the company who was involved in trying to improve the production process, and everyone else was expected to obey. Of course, the Line workers could probably make a lot more simple practical suggestions about improving the line then a distant engineer, who would probably be more given to over-engineering everything. Of course that would would require line workers to actually think and be listened to, a big no no under the american system (that would mean they couldn't think of them as disposable labour to be dropped at the first opportunity!).

@Azuma Denton: I wouldn't be too quick to condemn Japanese companies. Right now they've taken a hit due to China's extremely low wages, but in the long term Japan's industrial sector is much more secure as it's competitive advantages are very hard to imitate. As China's wages start to rise Japan will be in good shape again.

Also, while much of Japan's business are plagued by a certain kind of cronyism, many companies still are able to pump out quality products at low prices, particularly when you look at companies like Toyota or Mitsubishi, who are world class in my book.

Japanese efficiency can be seen in other sectors too, where else in the world could 20 minutes of decent quality animation be pumped out for less then $200,000? Even Macross Frontier cost less to produce episode by episode then the Power Puff Girls. That efficiency means that Japan still has fundamental strength. It's weaknesses I think are more governmental and financial (the exchange rate and high cost of living really hammers Japan).

I'm personally against seniority, but I think the system of "lifetime employment" has many benefits. I think a bit more flexibility would be a good thing though.

[aohige]

I work for an American company, and every few month number of people dissapear due to lay-offs.
Just last month three people from my team got laid off, one of them who shared my work. (Now I got double work...)

As much as I love my job, and would LIKE to believe I'm a more valuable asset than the laid off ones, I know everyone is dispensible, and I'm not immune to it.
That does make me worried, and yeah, it's kind of an unhealthy stress. I swear it seems like quarter of the company gets laid off every year.

[Kudryavka]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Japanese efficiency can be seen in other sectors too, where else in the world could 20 minutes of decent quality animation be pumped out for less then $200,000?

In South Korea, India, China, the Phillipines... anywhere in Asia except Japan, really. Look how inflated that yen is! :P

That's why American animators dont outsource work to Japan anymore, for a couple decades and counting iirc. Not denying that Japanese animation is efficient though.

p.s. yes I kno there are more than 5 asian countries.

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Even Macross Frontier cost less to produce episode by episode then the Power Puff Girls.

I believe thats more using cheaper animation tactics (limited animation), outsourcing animation to Korea (yep, even Japan does it too now), and paying Japanese animators around 1,000,000 yen a year (which is terrible in a country with the highest cost of living, or close). Japanese animators between ages of 20 and 30 get paid $11,600 a year

And also PPG was made in the time when American animators got paid $50,000 starting. The animation legends were raking in $100,000+ easy.