Japan greets first-time visitors with mixed signals. You are overwhelmed at their politeness and courtesy, punctuality and efficiency. The country exudes an aura of opulence and confidence; the place is spanking clean and the infrastructure extremely impressive. But it is not as though the country isn't grappling with problems of its own. At present, the Japanese Parliament is engaged in an important debate on implementing reforms in the country's social security and tax systems to revive the economy, dented severely by the colossal damage following the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. In his New Year address, Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihiko Noda, underlined the need for both social security and tax reforms.
With one of the highest lifespans in the world — 86 years for women and 81 for men — Japan has been grappling with an aging and greying population. There have been projections that by 2055, Japan's population of 128 million will shrink to 90 million. For Indians, who are constantly talking about the challenges of a rapidly rising population, it is quite strange that this projection means that Japan's population will decrease at an annual average rate of 0.7 per cent or 760,000 people every year till 2055.
To support the pension and social security costs for the ageing population, the Japanese government proposes to double the consumption tax rate in two stages to 10 per cent by 2015.
In a world spiralling under the blues of economic downturn, Japan was hit doubly by the March tsunami and the nuclear crisis it triggered at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Speedy shutdown of nuclear reactors followed, as the entire country panicked. The huge energy import bills to offset the loss of nuclear power sent the Japanese economy last year into a trade deficit for the first time in 31 years.
Innate strength
Rebuilding the disaster-hit areas is high on the Japanese Government's agenda. But the dignified, calm and stoic manner in which the Japanese society responded to the unprecedented trauma and damage caused by last year's earthquake and tsunami, displayed to the entire world the innate strength of the Japanese people. A very polite society, it is common for those visiting Japan to hear ordinary Japanese thanking the rest of the world “for very kindly coming to our rescue through aid; we really appreciate it.”
But, then, the Japanese way of life and adherence to their tradition and values are legend. Our guide Sumiyo Tarai was full of interesting anecdotes about Japanese culture, and one such tale relates to the Japanese tradition of removing footwear before entering any home. So, on the first train ride from Tokyo to Yokohama, she told our group of visiting Indian journalists that the Japanese would take off their shoes before entering the train coaches. “But when they reached Yokohama they realised they had no shoes! And from then on the practice of removing shoes in trains was given up!”
The gender disadvantage
But, then, traditional values are not always good or desirable. In a world where women are disadvantaged to begin with, Japanese women have been treated even more shabbily from historic times. It is well known that even though women's numbers at the workplace are improving, they are yet to be given their due place both at the workplace and home.
I asked Sumiyo, if even today, Japanese women workers of equal seniority compared with their male colleagues were expected to pour out tea for the men.
She smiled and neatly ducked the question by saying: “These days we have vending machines in offices, so that question does not arise!”
But I did notice one thing, and sincerely hope it has nothing to do with all our meals in Japan, as we were served at Indian restaurants for the first three days: there was no attempt to serve the women first in our 14-member group; invariably, they were the last to be served!
Perhaps, the biggest and most heated debate on the gender front in Japan pertains to the immense pressure that was put on Crown Princess Masako to bear a son, because only a male member of the royal family can inherit the throne. In 2001, when after one miscarriage, when she gave birth to a daughter, there was a glimmer of hope that this law would be changed and, in 2005, a five-member government-appointed panel recommended that it was time to do so. But in September 2006, when the Crown Prince's younger brother's wife, Princess Akishino, gave birth to a son, this debate was conveniently shelved as the imperial household got a male heir!
But what the immense pressure on Princess Masako to bear a male heir did to the health and psyche of this very talented and accomplished Harvard graduate and former diplomat, is not a tale any Japanese or, for that matter, any woman, would be proud of.
For several years, she has reportedly suffered from ill health and depression and stopped making public appearances. On the one hand, you have such glaring examples and, on the other, you notice how tech-savvy the Japanese society has become. Perhaps, one reason might have to do with its shrinking population. But any first-time visitor's introduction to the tech-savvy Japanese way of life will begin with its hi-tech toilets, with temperature-controlled seats and computerised panels, that do the washing at the press of a button. If the instructions are in Japanese, do not panic. There are adequate drawings to take you through nature's call!
But technology in Japan goes beyond the loos. A few members of our group, who missed out on exchanging currency at the airport bank, had to do so in a Tokyo city bank. About 10 of us trooped into the bank to be greeted with smiles and polite bows and were directed to a machine that speedily converted dollars into yen. Four people converted their currency, and we walked out in five minutes after a pleasant experience where the only human intervention was the bow with a smile. It made us feel welcome, even while the job was done at super speed!
At Canon's Iota factory, we watched in admiration the quiet and efficient manner in which cameras were being manufactured, with the air-conditioning system moving air from the top through the floor to eliminate even a speck of dirt. The perfect combination of human intervention with mechanised and technological inputs ensured finished products of sterling quality.
My takeaway from Japan will be its people's amazingly polite and helpful nature — seek directions on the road from a Japanese and he will walk along to show you the way — their discipline and efficiency. A modern society and the world's third largest economy.. and yet loathe to shed some of its prejudices, particularly gender-related ones.
Responses to >rasheeda@thehindu.co.in and >blfeedback@thehindu.co.in