Why The Japanese Care What Foreigners Think Of Them

Japan has been called “the only country that cares what its foreigners think,” and I’ve definitely found this to be true. There are TV shows in which bilingual foreigners stand up and talk about aspects of Japanese society that feel strange to them. One of the most popular TV shows is Why Did You Come to Japan? On the show, they interview foreigners who landed at Narita Airport and, if their reason for visiting Japan is interesting enough, have a camera crew follow them around. In today’s post, let’s explore why the Japanese care what foreigners think of them so much!

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The Japanese Obsess Over How They’re Viewed Internationally

Recently I came across an article that explored how Japanese people are viewed by foreigners. I thought it was quite interesting, because I don’t believe Americans would be eager to read about what people from Europe or other countries think of us. Let’s explore the points made in the article and see if they make sense!

Everyone is a Drone Working for a Corporation

According to the article, foreigners assume that every Japanese person wears a suit and goes to work in an office building. This is certainly a reasonable stereotype to have, but of course the closer you look, the more likely you are to see people who don’t fit this mold. There are obviously Japanese people working in Internet cafes on creative projects, or doing essential services for the elderly, or transporting goods around the country. Some Japanese people are even lazy!

Everyone Thinks the Japanese Work Too Much

Everyone has seen pictures of Japanese salarymen catching the last train home so they can eat, sleep, and return to work the next morning. And it’s true that the default mode of people in Japan is to ganbaru, to do your best at your job. But the abusive “black companies” we see in internet memes or the Zombie 100 anime are the exception, not the rule. I’ve argued that Japan has a well-regulated employment system for the most part.

According to Wikipedia, the Japanese aren’t the workaholics everyone assumes them to be. Japan ranks #43 in annual hours worked, behind the United States (#39), Poland (#18) and China (#11) and ahead of the UK (#51) and Sweden (#56). While the Japanese do work longish hours, they are unfortunately one of the least productive nations in the developed world.

The Japanese are Unobtrusive and Vague

Supposedly the Japanese are seen as having personalities that are conservative and self-effacing, and never laughing in public. I went out drinking with the foreign staff of J18 Publishing and JAST USA last night, and I can say that we foreigners were making a lot more noise than the Japanese people around us. (I hope we weren’t too loud.)

What are some things to avoid doing on your next visit to Japan? Here’s a blog post with my advice for you!

Japanese Do What Everyone Else in Their Group is Doing

One term that defines the Japanese is 右にならえ migi ni narae, which means “do what the person on your right is doing,” as if they were part of an army, marching in order. This is the word the Japanese will use to describe why their country went to war during WWII, that everyone was stuck in a loop, marching in step with the person next to him. The article listed a famous joke, which I’ve translated here:

A luxury cruise ship began to sink during its voyage. The captain had to instruct the passengers to quickly escape from the ship and jump into the sea.
To the American, the captain said, “Jump in, and you’ll be a hero.”
To the Englishman, “Jump in, and you’ll be a gentleman.”
To the German, “It is a rule on this ship that you must jump in.”
To the Italian, “If you jump in, you’ll be popular with the ladies.”
To the French, “Don’t jump in.”
To the Japanese, “Everyone is jumping in.”

Japanese Know Foreigners View Them Through the Lens of Anime and Manga

Considering the cultural powerhouse that anime and manga have become, it’s unavoidable that people worldwide would view Japan through its pop culture. Hopefully, most fans will at least widen their focus by watching Japanese films or dramas. I wonder if the popularity of Bungou Stray Dogs is inspiring fans to start sampling Japanese literature? That would be a great way to understand Japan in new ways.

Japanese Are Always Punctual

According to the article, Japanese are extremely punctual, arriving an hour before the time when they’re supposed to be there. This is 100% accurate. My wife knows to never trust any time estimate from me, because I live by “American time.”

Thanks for reading this blog post about how fascinated the Japanese people are by foreign opinions of them. Have you found your own view of the Japanese people to change over time? What caused them to change? Tell us in the comments below!