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Japan Values
Empathy and Human Relations
In Japanese mythology, the gods display human emotions,
such as
love and anger. In these stories, behavior that results in
positive
relations with others is rewarded, and empathy,
identifying oneself
with another, is highly valued. By contrast, those actions
that are
antisocial, or that harm others, are condemned. Hurtful
behavior is
punished in the myths by ostracizing the offender.
No society can exist that tolerates significant
antisocial
behavior in the long term, but Japan is among the
societies that
most strongly rely on social rather than supernatural
sanctions and
emphasize the benefits of harmony. Japanese children learn
from
their earliest days that human fulfillment comes from
close
association with others. Children learn early to recognize
that
they are part of an interdependent society, beginning in
the family
and later extending to larger groups such as neighborhood,
school,
community, and workplace. Dependence on others is a
natural part of
the human condition; it is viewed negatively only when the
social
obligations it creates are too onerous to fulfill.
In interpersonal relationships, most Japanese tend to
avoid
open competition and confrontation. Working with others
requires
self-control, but it carries the rewards of pride in
contributing
to the group, emotional security, and social identity.
Wa,
the notion of harmony within a group, requires an attitude
of
cooperation and a recognition of social roles. If each
individual
in the group understands personal obligations and
empathizes with
the situations of others, then the group as a whole
benefits.
Success can come only if all put forth their best
individual
efforts. Decisions are often made only after consulting
with
everyone in the group. Consensus does not imply that there
has been
universal agreement, but this style of consultative
decision making
involves each member of the group in an information
exchange,
reinforces feelings of group identity, and makes
implementation of
the decision smoother. Cooperation within a group also is
often
focused on competition between that group and a parallel
one,
whether the issue is one of educational success or market
share.
Symbols such as uniforms, names, banners, and songs
identify the
group as distinct from others both to outsiders and to
those within
the group. Participation in group activities, whether
official or
unofficial, is a symbolic statement that an individual
wishes to be
considered part of the group. Thus, after-work bar hopping
provides
not only instrumental opportunities for the exchange of
information
and release of social tensions but also opportunities to
express
nonverbally a desire for continued affiliation.
Working in a group in Japan requires the development of
successful channels of communication, which reinforce
group
interdependence, and the sense of difference from those
who are not
members of the group. Yet social interaction beyond that
which
occurs with individuals with whom one lives and works is a
necessity in contemporary society. If the exchange is
brief and
relatively insignificant, such as buying a newspaper,
anonymity
will be maintained. But if the relationship is expected to
continue
over a long period, whether in business, marriage,
employment, or
neighborhood, great care is likely to be invested in
establishing
and maintaining good relationships. Such relationships are
often
begun by using the social networks of a relative, friend,
or
colleague who can provide an introduction to the desired
person or
serve as nakodo (go-between). The nakodo
most often
refers to the person (or people) who negotiates marriage
arrangements, including checking each family's background,
conveying questions and criticisms, and smoothing out
difficulties.
But this kind of personal mediation is common in many
aspects of
Japanese life.
Group membership in Japan provides enjoyment and
fulfillment,
but it also causes tremendous tension. An ideology of
group harmony
does not ensure harmony in fact. Japan is an extremely
competitive
society, yet competition within the group must be
suppressed. Minor
issues are sometimes dealt with by appeals to higher
authority, but
they may well smolder unresolved for years. Major problems
may be
denied, especially to outsiders, but may result in
factions or in
the fissioning of the group
(see Interest Groups
, ch. 6).
It is
often the individual, however, who bears the burden of
these
interpersonal tensions. This burden is reflected in high
rates of
alcohol consumption and of minor, sometimes psychosomatic,
illnesses. Many Japanese cope with these stresses by
retreating
into the private self or by enjoying the escapism offered
by much
of the popular culture
(see The Arts
, ch. 3).
Data as of January 1994
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