Imane Kurdi I have just returned from my first visit to Japan. A country so different from anywhere I have ever been and yet so familiar that I felt quite at home there. Sitting over dinner one evening, we discussed the similarities between Japan and the Arab world. There was the rice-based diet, my father too used to finish each meal with a bowl of plain white rice as the Japanese normally do. Taking off one's shoes when entering a home, eating while seated on the floor, sleeping on mattresses that are brought out at sundown, all of those reminded me of how my grandparents lived. We could also easily identify with the social hierarchy and patriarchal structure, the respect shown to elders and guests and the Japanese sense of hospitality. And finally something about the colorful stalls and shops, overflowing into the streets with their banners and beautifully packaged goods, as well as some of the over-the-top modern architecture reminded us of places in the Arab world. As for the differences, one shines out like a neon sign: the Japanese have a formidable work ethic. Japan works: the country functions like a Swiss clock, its workers work not only hard but well. Not once during my time there did I see an example of someone being lazy or sloppy. Of course I did already have an image of Japan as a country where people work hard; I had images in mind of men devoted to their companies, working late into the evening and into the weekend and never taking time off, almost like robots whose souls have been bought by the corporations that employ them. To my surprise I found that working hours decreased dramatically over the last two decades as the country has sought to redress the life-work balance of its workforce, so much so that average annual hours actually worked by workers are now less in Japan than in the US: 1,728 compared to 1,787 for 2011 according to the OECD annual report, way lower than the 2,090 for Korea or 2,250 for Mexico. You do not tip in Japan and how I wish the rest of the world would follow suit. Why tip someone for doing their job well? It is profoundly illogical. I have always felt uncomfortable giving a couple of coins to a hairdresser or a porter, the gesture of dropping money in someone's hand reminds me of the rich giving money to the poor, a remnant from a bygone age and something rather patronizing. People should be paid correctly for what they do making tipping redundant, and that is the case in Japan. Japan is also a country with a low crime rate. In cafes you see women leaving their handbags unattended as they go to the counter. Men have their wallets hanging out of their back pockets. Anywhere else you would be asking to have your pocket picked, but not in Japan. What especially struck me about the Japanese is that they take pride in their work, which coupled with their strong sense of aesthetics leads to a particular kind of perfectionism. Everyday things like the way a table is laid or a dish is served can be of breathtaking beauty. Japanese women dress impeccably, their clothes are wrinkle-free and their hair perfectly styled even after a storm. But what struck me the most is how courteous they are. I have never encountered people so polite. Of course I only have the experience of a visitor, and those who work there may have a different story to tell, but I was impressed. Little things that niggle me elsewhere are dealt with: signs remind people not to talk on mobile phones in public places, waiters come to you immediately and do not show impatience or annoyance, people converse in a low voice, people are helpful and friendly, you never hear people screaming or shouting at each other, and cars do not beep their horns or overtake aggressively. All in all there is something very harmonious in the way people deal with each other and I found that refreshing. Partly that comes from something else the Japanese are very good at: obeying rules. There are rules for everything and they are spelt out in detail. At a crossing there is a drawing on the ground to tell people where to stand. I stood greatly amused at a red light on a road where there were no cars to be seen, watching the Japanese people on the other side wait patiently for the light to change before crossing: I'd forgotten jaywalking was an offense in some countries! Perhaps what sums up my view of Japan best is the following story. In Tokyo we went to visit Sensoji Temple. As we arrived a group of young Japanese accosted us. They were learning English and said that they would like to practice their language skills by being our guides. My knee-jerk reaction was to push them away, surely they were trying to scam us for something. But they weren't. Armed with a sheet of A4 where they had written the English vocabulary they needed, they spent an hour showing us around. We chatted about their studies, took pictures, exchanged points of view, and once the tour was over, they bowed politely and went on their way. We could do worse than learn from them. — Imane Kurdi is a Saudi writer on European affairs. She can be reached at [email protected]
