All About Japan - Japan’s notoriously taxing work culture

Japan has some of the world's most recognizable cultural signifiers — sushi, cherry blossoms, little bitty cars — and yet scratch the surface and you’ll find a country you never even imagined. At the end of today's Daily Dose, you’ll know some of the most divisive figures in the nation’s history, understand the economic ebbs and flows of the last 20 years, and learn about the biggest scandal in a beloved Japanese sport (and no, it’s not the one you’d expect).

business and science

1 - How Much Work Is Too Much?

Japan’s notoriously taxing work culture — which offers employees a lot of security but little flexibility — is finally budging, with the younger generation increasingly going independent. Only 17 percent of the workforce is classified as freelance, but it’s growing quickly … and that’s already seeing its own toxicity, with 62 percent of freelance workers saying they’ve been subject to “power harassment” like intimidation, unreasonable demands from employers or sexual harassment. Meanwhile, Japan’s working hard to change another aspect of its work culture: fathers’ resistance to taking parental leave. Just a tiny fraction of dads take time off despite Japan having one of the most generous policies in the world, instituted to try to pave the way for more women in the workforce by making it cushier for fathers to take on a fair share of parenting.

2 - How to Find Cheap Digs

Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in — but a haunting little loophole could get you a 50 percent discount on your rent. If someone on the premises died of unnatural causes, like suicide or murder, the law recognizes it as an “incident house” and you’ll be able to get it for cheap … just try not to think about the circumstances.

3 - The Queen of Fraud

The 1990s in Japan are still referred to as the Lost Decade, a lengthy bust following the boom of the 1980s. And as the Lost Decade began, Nui Onoue — a restaurant owner also known as the Dark Lady of Osaka — perpetrated what’s still the biggest investment fraud in Japan’s history. At the time she was a multibillionaire, the country’s biggest investor and the host of regular religious sessions at her unprofitable restaurant. She bilked big banks with fake certificates to obtain illegal loans and eventually went to prison, where she died. Meanwhile, many worry that economies around the world haven’t learned the lesson that bubbles burst.

4 - Up a Tree

Japan’s reputation was built on technology, but two-thirds of the country is actually covered by forests, and trees have long been big business there. After World War II, primeval beech trees across the country were cleared to make way for coniferous forests that could provide stable lumber. It turned out to be a big mistake, though: The trees aren’t as profitable as was once hoped, and as they age they leak nitrogen into the surrounding streams, poisoning the water. But mass logging would likely undermine Japanese commitments to cut carbon emissions — a real catch twenty-tree for the country’s forestry industry.

politics

1 - Border Disputes

Japan, a notoriously difficult emigration destination for foreigners, is now struggling with the fact that its population is aging faster than that of any other nation (with a current median age of 48.6 years old ). Opening borders wider than a crack has long been a political third rail in Japan, but with a need for young workers, immigrants may be the answer. The country’s tight migration policies also disadvantage those living inside or outside of the system, encouraging trafficking and exploitation, according to longtime pro-migrant activist Ippei Torii.

2 - The Kamala Bump

In 2018, Japan passed legislation encouraging gender parity in the political arena — and so far that’s going … just OK. Less than 10 percent of the country’s House of Representatives are women, compared to 23 percent of the U.S. House of Representatives. And to put this in historical perspective, women in Japan weren’t even allowed to vote until 1946. But Kamala Harris’ ascension to the U.S. vice presidency is giving some people hope: Like 61-year-old Seiko Noda, whose ambition to become Japan’s first female prime minister has been stymied by her inability to become president of her ruling Liberal Democratic Party, despite running many times.

3 - The Elephant in the Room

Jikido Aeba — or “Jay” if you’re American — is a huge fan of Donald Trump, particularly the U.S president’s hostility toward China. This chair of the Japanese Conservative Union has spoken at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) and even authored a book about his idol, The Trump Revolution. Now he’s trying to create a tea party for Asia, hosting the first J-CPAC in 2017. In 2020 he announced plans for a cryptocurrency named “Liberty,” a joint project between U.S. and Japanese conservative organizations. Whether he’ll be able to maintain momentum in a post-Trump era is still up in the air.

4 - Imperial Measures

After World War II, many expected Emperor Hirohito, who’d allied himself with Nazi Germany, to resign. Not a chance: He continued to rule until the late ’80s, when his son Akihito took over … and began an unprecedented reign, apologizing to China for Japan’s wartime conduct and reaching out to unfriendly nations to make amends. In 2019 he became the first emperor of the oldest continuous monarchy in the world to abdicate since the early 19th century. His son Naruhito has taken over as the emperor, ushering in the Reiwa age — but Naruhito has no sons of his own, and his daughter is legally unable to inherit based on her gender. So his younger brother has been officially sworn in as heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

sports

1 - Race to the Top

While the Tokyo Marathon’s debut in 2007 makes it a relative newcomer when compared with those in London or New York, Japanese runners actually complete more marathons than any other nationality, with its raw number of marathoners increasing more than fivefold between 2005 and 2015. There’s some historical precedent for this, though: The first Japanese Olympian, Shiso Kanakuri, was a runner, though he never finished the 1912 race and left the country in shame before being invited to complete the course 54 years later. That’s the slowest marathon ever recorded. Fun fact: Japan currently ranks ninth in the all-time medal table for the Olympics.

2 - Hands On

The type of wrestling most associated with Japan is sumo. But they’ve got their own version of America’s hootin’-and’-hollerin’ combat sport, in the form of New Japan Pro Wrestling, a subscriber service that’s gone international — with millions of fans stateside. Japanese wrestling audiences are quieter than their American counterparts, but the performers are just as dramatic and kitschy. As with many sports that require a lot of touching and breathing on each other, NJPW was suspended for a time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

3 - Paddle Pushers

Japan’s most delicious sports scandal is in a discipline not many people care about: canoeing. In the run-up to last year's Tokyo Olympics, top Japanese canoer Yasuhiro Suzuki was banned from the sport for eight years after he confessed to spiking the drink of a younger rival with steroids. The doping episode forced Japan’s canoe federation to bring a new focus to athletes’ mental health — and to monitoring drinks.

religion and culture

1 - Grave Issue

Buddhism and Shintoism are the nation’s two major religions, but Japan’s small Muslim community has been growing rapidly. It’s now estimated at 230,000 people, and while some aspects of Islamic life have become widespread within Japan’s borders, local Muslims have come up against a difficult religious wall: There are no cemeteries. In 2018, 99.97 percent of Japan’s dead were cremated (which accords with Buddhist tradition), and the purchase of a plot of land to build a Muslim cemetery has been met with stiff resistance.

2 - International Influence

While Buddhism originated in northern India, it’s a newer Japanese strain of the religion that’s recently revived Buddhist traditions on the subcontinent. Bharat Soka Gakkai, a form of Buddhism based on the teachings of a 13th century Japanese monk, doubled its number of Indian followers to 150,000 just between 2014 and 2016, and BSG appears to still be growing. Could this new wave of Buddhism overwhelm other traditions in India?

3 - Oh, and the Snacks

Japan is famous for its food culture, and OZY’s got your back when you plan your next trip to Tokyo. We’ve got the scoop on where to drink, where to get the best cheap ramen and (of course) where to eat pig testicles. Check out more recommendations here. And now that cat cafes are terribly passé, Japan’s capital now boasts a glut of owl cafés.

Community Corner

Quiz Time!

Let's see what you've picked up from today's Daily Dose!

What percentage of Japan’s House of Representatives are female?

• Less than 10 percent
• 20 percent
• 50 percent
• 80 percent

True or false: Japan’s imperial house is the oldest continuous monarchy in existence.

What kind of primeval trees were cleared in Japan after WWII?

1. Oak
2. Beech
3. Elm
4. Cedar

What percentage of Japan’s dead were cremated in 2018?

1. 22.5 percent
2. 55.7 percent
3. 88.8 percent
4. 99.9 percent

Which beloved Japanese sport has seen a doping scandal ban one of its top players for eight years?

1. Badminton
2. Gymnastics
3. Canoeing
4. Sumo

What is an “incident house”?

1. A former brothel
2. A place where someone died of unnatural causes
3. A nuclear-contaminated apartment building
4. A jail

Japan’s first Olympian in 1912 competed in which sport?

1. Running
2. Swimming
3. Pentathlon
4. Wrestling

True or false: Japan has a notoriously stingy paternity leave policy.

Answers:

1. Less than 10 percent
2. True
3. Beech
4. 99.9 percent
5. Canoeing
6. A place where someone died of unnatural causes
7. Running
8. False

Go Deeper

What to Read:

• The Memory Police: In this fantasy novel, a mysterious police force ensures that certain objects disappear and are forgotten … and those who remember have to hide the truth.
• Territory of Light: A classic published in the late ’70s, this tale of a struggling single mom in Japan was only published in English this year.
• The Pillow Book: The real-life diary of a 10th century Japanese noblewoman, this historical artifact comes off as incredibly modern.

What to Watch:

• Fireworks: A ’90s crime classic, this story of a depressed detective-turned-painter who tangles with the yakuza was written by, directed by and stars quirky Japanese comedian Takeshi Kitano.
• One Cut of the Dead: This underrated low-budget horror film follows the cast and crew of an underrated low-budget horror film who are plunged into a real zombie apocalypse.
• The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan: A biopic of Japanese sports legend Shoji Segawa, a champion of shogi (aka Japanese chess), this will satisfy you far more than The Queen’s Gambit.

What to Listen to: 

• Uncanny Japan: This podcast created by an American immigrant living in Japan dives deep into the country’s myths, folklore and ghost stories.
• Abroad in Japan: A popular English-language look at some of the culture shocks of Japan, from KFC to falling asleep on trains.
• News in Slow Japanese: Want to practice your Japanese? This is a great way to learn listening (and some current events while you’re at it).