I had come to Japan just 4 months ago but We know that Nepal-Japan relations date back to the late eighteenth century. The relationship became formal with the establishment of diplomatic relations on 01 September 1956. The relations between the two countries are marked by friendliness, goodwill, and cooperation. Nepal established its embassy in Tokyo in 1965 and Japan established its embassy in Kathmandu in 1967. Nepal has Honorary Consulate in Osaka. Japan is a longstanding friend and a major development partner in Nepal. Both countries celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in 2016 by organizing various programs and exchanging high-level visits. All foreign visitors are equally surprised by one thing – the beauty of Japanese towns. Whether day or night places like Shibuya and Shinjuku are bustling with people with the city’s central railway stations having the world’s largest number of users, but what is surprising is the almost total lack of public waste receptacles. Yet each area is always kept clean and attractive. This is especially amazing considering the high density of people going about the city every day. Are there any other cities in the world with a population of slightly less than 9.3 million that manage to stay as clean as Tokyo without waste receptacles? Let’s take a look at the secret to this phenomenon: the way people are raised in Japan.
In my short period in Japan, I noticed that Japanese’s highlighted attitude and behavior are:
1. An Attitude Not of “Someone Will Do It” but One of “We will Keep Our Towns and Public Spaces Clean” :
In Japan, from elementary school and above, part of the education includes a time set aside from studies for cleaning. Up until university, for twelve years children are trained to clean their schools because the compulsory education system basically does not employ custodians. During the rest period after lunch, all students participate in the cleaning of the school grounds. The fostering of cleaning habits also fosters a sense of public spirit and a work ethic, leading to expectations of various educational results. Different groups, each with its own leader, are formed and through actual cleaning activities, a sense of group participation is deepened as is a sense of responsibility. As a result, everyone learns to actually participate in cleaning activities from an early age and the attitude that there is a shared responsibility to keep clean shared areas of use. “Leaving a place cleaner than when we found it” is the moral attitude ingrained in individuals that results in towns and public spaces being kept clean and attractive without waste receptacles.
Extracurricular events, such as outings and school trips, are part of the curriculum of schools all over the world. In Japan, individuals are taught that they should prepare a list of items to take with them before participating in such events and included are plastic bags and handkerchiefs to use in the case of suddenly feeling not well. As a result, individuals manage to take care of their own trash until they are able to discard it in proper waste receptacles; something that is ingrained in Japanese children from a young age.
2. The Collectivist Thinking of Japanese Instills a Sense of Responsibility and Beautification in regards to Garbage :
They Encounter of course, in any country people do not intentionally litter the roadside because they want to. It goes without saying that people everywhere have a moral sense and good manners to put trash in trash receptacles, something that is common sense all over the world. But, problems arise when individuals try to force more trash into a receptacle that is already overflowing with the trash when they place trash beside full receptacles and throw trash by the roadside when no receptacle is in sight because it is too much trouble to look for one. They presume someone else will pick up the trash rather than dispose of it properly themselves. The biggest difference between the way Japan and other countries deal with trash is probably due to the collectivist way of thinking of the Japanese. Emphasis is placed on group behavior rather than individual behavior in Japan. One example is when a majority of people take a certain stand on an issue, then that stand is considered to be the correct one. This custom is referred to as migi ni naru (eyes right), an expression used in the military when making troop formations that refer to lining up in a straight line by adjusting your position with the individual on the right. This can be seen in school activities and events when group formations are required. The command “eyes forward” is shouted by everyone so that they all align themselves in rows by looking at the person in front so as to be in beautiful formation for the principal or person standing on the dais before them. However, according to this logic, if public opinion was that “it is ok to litter”, then it would be considered to be correct, but morals inculcated through compulsory education and home environment would not allow it. “Leaving a place more beautiful than when you found it” is a concept ingrained in Japanese through education that conditions them to believe littering is unacceptable. Another reason for keeping the streets clean as a result of this collective mentality is the Japanese concern over what other people think and how their own actions are viewed. It is an overpowering national attribute affecting everyone. That is not to say that there are not individuals who do litter, as most certainly there are, but most Japanese are conscious of how their behavior is viewed by others and they are keen not to draw attention or be thought of in a negative way. This way of thinking that “if someone does not like it = the handling of trash” then it is not considered to be good. This is naturally a view shared by everyone in the country that makes individuals always conscious of what others are doing, a very Japanese way of being humble towards others, and further strengthens group consciousness.
3. Japanese Consciously Separate Trash and Follow Rules:
The sense of beautification in Japan is strong and as a result, local communities have strict rules for the separation of trash. There are separate days for the collection of burnable garbage, non-burnable garbage, pet bottles, cans, glass bottles, cardboard, newspapers, and old paper, and this makes it necessary to separate these types of garbage in the home for the later collection. This is true not only for garbage in the home, but also in parks, convenience stores, on train platforms, and trash receptacles near ticket gates. Usually, there are more than four types of containers: those for burnable, plastic, cans, and pet bottles. The same is true for schools where the rules for separating garbage are strictly observed, so from an early age, Japanese are unconsciously conditioned to separate trash and not litter. In recent years local communities have taken to selling trash bags which must be used for the collection of trash with strict rules requiring that only these can be used for collection purposes. This further makes individuals more conscious of separating trash. Here are some remarkable examples that clearly show how Japanese separate and dispose of trash. It exemplifies the Japanese proclivity for properly following rules. Take for example the way Japanese board trains. They first allow passengers to get off the train and do not board the train until the last passenger to get off does so. It is then that they orderly board the train in the order in which they had lined up when waiting for the train. Another example is the lines formed on escalators. Some stand to the side in order to make room for others who are in a hurry to walk up or down the moving escalator. A final example is the orderly lines formed outside popular restaurants or at attractions at theme parks like Disneyland. Japanese are careful to follow the rules and stand in line to await their turn, being conscious of other people’s feelings.
4. The Wisdom of Japanese Living in a Small Country and the Individual Sense of Responsibility regarding Trash :
The conscious belief that the disposing of garbage is the individual responsibility of each person exists in the subconscious of each person. This comes in part from the fact that Japan is a small country. Its entire land area (377,914 km2) is less than that of California (423,971 km2). Tokyo has only 2,188 km2 and boasts the largest population density in the world. Of course, Tokyo is not the only city without trash receptacles, but in terms of its land area in regards to the population, the parameters of the waste disposal facilities are small and few in number. For that reason, the Japanese have a subconscious awareness of their environment and trash disposal and this is taken for granted by everyone. Japanese put their wisdom to work by educating children from a young age on how to reduce unnecessary garbage and to not just discard trash anywhere but to hold on to it and look for a proper receptacle. Many Japanese will put their trash in bags and take it home with them, then separate it before discarding it.
5. Volunteer Activities in Communities, Schools, Towns, and Companies :
These are the ways Japanese have a heightened sense of beautification in regards to everyone’s use of public spaces. It is more than just an individual sense of responsibility and conscious efforts. Each civic group regularly conducts volunteer activities for picking up trash. This is a result of the strong attachment communities have with their environments. Local groups regularly decide which ones will be in charge of cleaning; in schools, the same is true where groups clean not only the school but neighboring areas as well. Company employees also show their respect for their location by performing cleaning activities before they begin work. It is not just individuals, but groups of all sizes and types that make an effort to keep their surroundings looking clean and beautiful. This is something all Japanese share in common: a strong sense of following rules in regards to the disposal of garbage and a desire to always keep their streets and towns beautiful.
I found different characteristics to the Japanese people among them, major are:
Politeness :
Weighing in at number one was polite, or in Japanese “reigi tadashii.” Everyone has heard of the traditional Japanese bow used as a greeting during any given exchange. Though handshakes are perfectly common in Japan now, they more often than not come with a bow as well (or two or three). To the Western mindset, this style of address already seems much more polite than a simple handshake, high-five, or shoulder clap. Of course, the term “polite” in and of itself doesn’t only have a positive connotation. It’s possible to remain too polite and distant from a person, even if you’ve known them for quite a while.
2. Punctual :
Japan takes its time management very seriously. The Japan Railway (JR) and other connecting subways and train systems are well-known for their incredibly punctual schedules. As such, when there is a delay of even a minute, the whole system gets thrown off. Trains often issue late slips for passengers to take to their employers if their trains get delayed. After all, it leaves a very bad impression if you’re late to work.
3. Kind :
Unlike polite, which can have its downsides, kind is a genuinely positive word. In Japanese, words with similar connotations to the English phrase are “yasashii” or “omoyari no aru,” meaning “thoughtful of others.” One sterling example of this is the custom of bringing a gift (usually food) when you visit another person’s house in Japan. This praiseworthy adjective was the third-most repeated term in the thread. That’s a winning score on anyone’s report card.
4. Hard-working :
A hard-worker or “hataraki-mono” is definitely a common word that classifies a Japanese mindset. In a culture where your job is supposed to take precedence over even your family at times, it’s unsurprising that foreign nationals would latch on to this particular description. There is even a word for “death by overwork” in Japanese (“karoshi”). It’s not uncommon for people to work several more hours after their contractual quitting time and, if you’re not a contract worker, that means that you aren’t paid for that overtime. Even if you have a “haken” (contracted job), it’s still considered rude to leave right on schedule.
5. Respectful :
Another tie-in with polite, respectful or “tanin ni taishite keii wo hyo suru” to loosely describe it in Japanese, is a mainly positive word. However, it can sometimes be associated with distance. With the epidemic of idolization in Japan, it’s also possible to take respect just a bit too far. Many Westerners find the concept of being so respectful to their elders a bit outside the norm. But in Japan, the older you get, the wiser you are considered and the more respectfully you’re treated. You’ll get in big trouble if you use informal language with a person older than you unless they’re family. Even then, some relatives still expect proper formal language befitting of their senior status.
6. Little bit Shy :
An overall impression of the citizens of Japan is that they’re very shy people, or “hazukashigariya”. This might be linked to their focus on politeness and respect. It is true that you don’t always hear a lot of outspoken Japanese people, especially tourists in foreign countries, but this might be for a different reason altogether. Many Japanese people worry about their foreign language skills and fear to say something incorrectly in English when they talk to native speakers. Conversation practice has only recently become a staple of English classes in Japan.
7. Intelligent :
There’s a definite stereotype of people from Asian countries being the brainy cream of the crop. Whether this is factually correct or not wasn’t technically relevant to the survey thread, but it certainly was a nice compliment. The Japanese word for intelligent is “kashikoi.” Incidentally, if you tried to say the katakana pronunciation of smart, “sumato,” that actually means to be thin and attractive in Japanese. Not that they’re mutually exclusive adjectives, but be careful of confusing your Japanese friends by trying to call someone intelligent and accidentally calling them slim.
0. Grouping :
Do you know how girls are always said to travel in packs? Same goes for Japanese people, apparently. A word of advice to any aspiring English teachers in Japan is to make lots of group activities. Unlike America, where group work is often disliked because sharing the workload with other students inevitably means that it gets divided unequally, Japanese students thrive off of it. They prefer not to have to voice their opinions alone, but would rather share ideas with their peers and make a group decision. In a class of thirty Japanese kids, not many people want to stand up by themselves and read out of an English textbook. But put everyone in groups of three and make them read it in turns and you’ve got yourself an engaged classroom.
9. Formal :
Tying in with polite, Japan has a reputation for being very formal. This manifests itself in both manner and language. Japanese has many different formality levels depending on who you’re addressing. This can be tiresome for people attempting to learn the language, and it can also lead to crossed wires between friends, especially in the case of foreigners and Japanese people. An American might wonder why their friend still calls them “David-san” when they’ve known each other for a few years. Far from wanting to keep distance between them, the Japanese friend might just be waiting for David to mention that they don’t really need to keep titles between them. After all, without checking first, it can be considered rude to suddenly stop using formal language (an act called “yobisute” or “dropping the name honorific”).
10. Clean :
Many Internet users have seen Japanese tourists pick up trash from around campsites and rest stops even when they didn’t make the mess themselves. This habit and others added the description of clean to the list. Did you know that Japanese students clean their schools by themselves? No janitors, just students hauling trash bags, sweeping the steps, and wiping down the halls with washcloths for a good 30 minutes each day. Most storefront owners sweep up the sidewalks and streets outside their stores, too. Making it your business to keep communal space clean is a distinctly different mindset from some Western. In last, we (Nepali people) can learn from Japan. Islandology is spreading globally as other nations recognize the world is a single closed ecosystem.
