conclude that the cultural background of Japan provides a tolerant or in some cases, even encouraging environment for suicides, as long as people die for so-called “good deeds”. The social expectation is also one of the key factors that had pushed some Japanese people to killing themselves. In many reported cases of Karo-Jisatsu and Karoshi, many victims overly blamed themselves for failing to live up to other people’s expectations and therefore this phenomenon can be interpreted as a way of “face-saving” (Kawanishi, 66), meaning that they failed to maintain a decent reputation or did something unfavorable or wrong that is not favorable to the people around them and thus feel extremely shamed about it. Those employees who had committed suicides…
Suicides are a worldwide phenomenon known in every culture and society. In japan the rate of suicides is among the highest in the world. Japan’s culture is considered to have a very permissive attitude towards suicides by the western nations. The historical past of ritual suicides among the samurais has often been pointed out as a possible motive where choosing death over life was considered a heroic act. Following Japan’s economic resecsion the rates of suicide has increased a lot. Suicides…
In the book, Japanese culture: Its Development and Characteristics, by Robert John Smith, a great deal of information is covered in regards to the specifics of Japanese culture. This book discussed everything from emotion to education. In this essay, topics from the book such as emotion, personality, stress, and suicide rates among the youth. This essay should challenge the reader to think about the Japanese culture in a different light, and provide insight into the culture that otherwise would…
Japan is separated by geography from Asia. Linguistic differences are uncommon among the country, therefore more than 90% of the residents are ethnic Japanese and the rest are Koreans and Chinese. The population is about 120 million and it’s slightly decreasing. Also, Japan has a land area of about 140,000 sq. mi., slightly smaller to that of the size of California (US). Japan has had a great influence in my childhood and present time. Through cartoons, movies, video games, etc. the main reasons…
The Medieval Period started at different times for all places. In Europe it began about 800 CE. In Japan it started about 1100 CE. Feudal Europe and Feudal Japan were two periods of time that were very similar but very different at the same time: politically, socially, and economically. A major difference between Japan and Europe was their warriors. Warriors were important in both but in Japan they were called Samuri and Europe they are called knights. Knights in Europe fought in the military in…
Intro: My family and I have always loved the Nancy Drew books and computer games. One, of the adventure games in particular, had a significant influence on me. Shadow at the water's edge; the setting was Japan. The game gave you a look into the traditions and present-day culture. I was obsessed. There was fashion, foreign language, and an intriguing culture I knew nothing about. Immediately my computer desktop was flooded with pictures and links. This is where it all began. Japan would be a part…
Japan is a small country, which is home to 127 million people. Japan is off the coast of Asia, separated by China by the east, or Japanese sea. The kanji characters that make Japan’s name translate to “sun origin”, which has caused Japan to often be called the land of the rising sun. Japan’s flag consists of a white background with an iconic red orb in the centre, which represents the sun from which its popular nickname is derived. Japan is a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch or…
An Unexpected Endemic Disease: The Internal Modernity Crisis of Samurai in Modern Japan If a survey were conducted across the globe that asked participants to describe what they felt was the defining characteristic of Japanese culture, the Japanese samurai would most likely be the top response. In modern Japan, the legacy of the medieval samurai is at the heart of the Japanese culture. Depictions of samurai’s absolute loyalty, high regard for honor, and continual analysis of shame, can be…
Middle ages Europe vs medieval japan During the middle ages (476 CE – 14th century) of Europe a feudal system was being created, likewise during the same time in medieval japan a similar feudal system was developing. These two feudal systems were almost identical in the social hierarchy and in jobs however there were differences nether less. Some of the similarities though wold be how similar their feudal pyramid worked. This pyramid consisted of the highest member of the society (king or…
Samurai. The Samurai are honorable and courageous warriors that fought for the Daimyo of medieval Japan and protected them throughout their lives. Samurai even allowed women to become a samurai and own land. The Samurai opened up many jobs in medieval Japan. There were many people that became a samurai and got the advantages that came with becoming a samurai. The samurai were given a small piece of land for becoming a samurai and serving their masters the daimyo. The samurai were very important…