Positives and negatives of Japan

In other words, stereotypes and wrongful judgement are part of what's causing the problem, right. But there was also another factor that I heard of that leads to this issue from a guy called Gaijin Goomba( please do not judge me for watching his vids, I am simply an average anime fan who wants to learn more about Japan along with it's positives and negatives) http://youtu.be/mmNUGGGd_E8

I'm not judging you, I also watch Gaijin Goomba's videos on occasion. The specific video is really interesting and the observation that the synthetic relationship model is slowly spreading to the West surprised me. More and more people have less free time so the synthetic relationships are probably their only option for companionship.

Anyway, sticking to the title of the forum. Positives: Japan is the center of good anime and games. Obviously everyone can agree the food is good. The technology they develop is amazing, who knows, maybe Chobits will become a reality. The culture is interesting, and I would like to see, and learn more about it. Negatives: Racism, but that could be due to the old generation, just like with every other country. Lolicon, and all the other weird fetishes; I'm guessing that lolicon was formed due to the age of consent being 14, which can cause a few problems even though there are laws that protect the minor in the relationship. Rape, this is one of the main reasons why I am reluctant to go to Japan with my sister. Both me and her are intrigued by the country, but if some creep tries to get too close to my sister then I'm getting my JoJo on, and start orororaing the guy. http://33.media.tumblr.com/824dac67ecd4386f63aeaa696cf62268/tumblr_nf9l3d6e9a1u0iy2fo2_500.gif

Now that I got that out of the way, returning to the topic earlier. Does anyone know why Japan forces its people to work to such extensive hours, not to mention no sick days, which forces them to use their vacation days instead. I mean forcing your employees to work so hard can't be healthy both mentally and physically.

Now... I think that that is kind of a misconception. Japan's work culture does seem to promote "karoshi" death by overwork. HOWEVER, they do have both sick and vacation leave allotted. It's unfortunate though because sick leave is limited so after a while of taking sick leave a person may be forced to take out of their own vacation time. The work culture of Japan has deep roots, and in the culture in general, nobody questions it, or tries to change it. They simply accept it. As someone who works for the navy full time, I find myself having to work a lot, and I know with any hard-working person it's hard to have a work-life-balance. This is also understandable for a typical hard-working Japanese person. Instead of bothering to seek out a partner, try to figure out a time to meet up and go on dates, it's sometimes easier to just play a game. It seems to be catching on with the western world, too.

I actually read an article with an illustrated chart, and it's really sad. It basically talks about and shows how the most common/primary targets of train molesters are in this order: Little girls, Schoolgirls, Modestly-dressed girls, Flashily-dressed girls, Strong and confident foreign girls. http://www.quora.com/In-Japan-false-charges-of-molesters-in-the-subway-train-have-been-a-huge-problem-and-fear-for-businessmen-What-do-you-think-is-a-solution-to-prevent-false-accusations

I read it and, as a rule of thumb just don't be fumbling with your phone on the public transportation in Japan. It's considered rude and highly frowned upon anyway, and it helps make you more aware of your surroundings.

It's not rude, unless you're with someone like on a date or social gathering... but that is true it can make you unaware and vulnerable. Keeping aware of your surroundings is definitely one of the best ways to avoid perverts, so you can move away from people who may be too close. xD I may be lucky that I have only taken the trains with my mother, and only wear pants in public. I noticed many girls in Tokyo wear short skirts. The trains in Okinawa don't seem to have the same issue, but maybe because their trains are never packed and always have lots of room, and most girls wear pants or are old.

I read somewhere in the comments of the Gaijin Goomba video that the long work hours has its roots in the 1930s. In the 1930s the Fascist government promoted the culture of excessive work, according to this person. This work culture just remained as people accepted it as the norm. Don't know if it's true but it makes sense.

Positives: Great food Amazing geography Extremely innovative developments in technology Diverse subculture groups Low Crime Politeness Fascinating Historical culture Negatives: Extremely xenophobic towards other cultures/races Racist as fuck Poor treatment of women Conservative outlooks Low-tech attachments and anchors Botched economy Politeness (like somebody stated, true thoughts are hidden) Most of everything is mandated by a majority population that is older (60 or above years) Poor availability when it comes to anything medical (Their hospitals are only open from certain times, you aren't guaranteed being seen, no insurance, and they are closed on the weekends) High expectations in work culture. Gods forbid you get sick or are late. Anime/Manga are, by majority, seen as a childish thing Entertainment Industry isn't as flashy as you think (usually boring or sub-par, censored) Weapon Laws (No guns or swords. A big downside to our collectors) Extensive process for foreigners to acquire a drivers liscense, etc. Requirement to learn Japanese, fluently, or constantly have a translator. Businesses have full rights to refuse you service based on their views of you as a customer (race, ethnicity, lack of language skills, etc) Heavy reliance on cash-money over alternative payment methods, and it already costs a lot moving or visiting the country. Lack of living space Lack of easily financed housing Lack of housing fit for seasonal changes (many Japanese houses/establishments lack heaters for instance, though they do contain air conditioning) ---- There are many more negatives, but I'll leave them out for personal research. That being said, the youth culture in Japan is more open minded than the older population, but they are in the minority. Most of the "Great" that comes out of Japan is idealized through Anime and Manga, so it creates a false dichotomy in the perception of the country. That being said, I love Japan for what it has positively, but as I grew up I learned that it's probably not a place I'd want to live. I would love to visit it, however.