Things that surprised me about Japan when I returned from overseas: 2
Since so many people have never left Japan, they take Japanese rules and common sense for granted.
Though this has changed a bit recently, many Japanese workers still believe that long working hours are normal and that hardship is a virtue.
Perhaps it’s brainwashing from the media, but TV dramas often feature poor, struggling protagonists.
Television variety shows also seem to get very high ratings when they report on celebrity divorces or other unfortunate events.
Moreover, many Japanese people believe that earning money easily is bad.
This attitude led to a dramatic increase in the number of workers who sacrificed their families for their company and died from overwork.
Working more than 10 hours a day was common.
You can imagine how exhausted most workers are in a country like this.
That’s why a major reason I go to Southeast Asia is to recharge my batteries.
So when I return home after fully recharging in Southeast Asia, I’m often left speechless by the stark differences from other countries.
If Southeast Asia is dynamic, then Japan is completely still.
There is no movement, as if time has stopped.
Southeast Asia is also very colorful, but to me Japan appears to have a colorless landscape, like an old black and white photograph.
