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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-01-27, Page 6The right technique Craig Palmer is enjoying a visit with his parents, Al and Bev of Brussels after having spent two and a half years in Japan. Here, he gives Mom a demonstration in the art of eating with chopsticks. Next to them is a kimono, which Craig brought back as a gift. Traditionally worn at weddings they may cost as much as $30,000. PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1993. Man says Japanese society has its flaws By Bonnie Gropp There are few places in the eastern world which fascinate us these days as much as Japan. Much has been said about its culture, industrialization and rigid approach to education and career. However, while most of us relyon second hand information, Craig Palmer, the 29-year-old son of Bev and Al Palmer, of RR2, Bluevale, is well-informed on the subject; for the past two and a half years he has lived and worked in Japan. Craig, who is currently home for a visit, spent his first year in Japan as a representative of a Japanese Heritage language school in Toron- to. His duties were to teach 10-15 year old Japanese students English for the board of education in the city of Kariya in central Japan. When his contract was up at the end of the year, Craig, who had been studying part-time while teaching full-time, decided not to renew. "I had aspirations to learn Japanese so I signed up at a lan- guage school for foreigners in Nagoya City," he said. Thus the table turned for the next year as he became a full-time student, and taught part-time. After graduation Craig did research work for an import com- pany called Hazama, helping them with trade shows, sales, and research. Part of the reason he returned home was, in addition to seeing his family, to arrange for shipment from Japan to here "of everything from lobster to beef jerky". When asked about the Japanese system, he says it's one which works well for them, but couldn't be applied here. Also he says, it is not without its faults. "The system is based on what is called the Con- fuscious Theory, which essentially is that working for a company is more important than family," he explains, adding that the average Japanese father doesn't see his son more than five minutes each day. Another major fault, he says, is that everyone in a company is expected to put in overtime, even when there's no work. "You don't take vacations either. It's consid- ered disloyal." Change is in the process, Craig says, but it's coming slowly. "The younger generation are seeing when they travel what others are doing and they like it. The role of women, he says, is subservient, though it too is chang- ing slowly. They work until they reach their mid-20's when they are expected to marry. Craig compares it to how women were treated in the western world 50 years ago. Like those women there are some trying to break through the restric- tions, he says. One area where women are in complete control, Craig says, is in child rearing. "It is her job to get them the best advantages, the best education and the best tutoring." This tremendous pressure to develop the gifts of the children is one Craig says he wouldn't want his child to experience. "Being a child should be having a lack of responsibility. That is why there is such a high suicide rate amongst Japanese teens. They are under tremendous pressure to succeed. If they don't excel they 'lose face'," he said. Craig added that once students make it to university the workload is lessened because they have essentially succeeded. The ones who haven't excelled have their futures mapped out for them in a Children, women's responsibility blue collar job or in a position with a second rate company, he said. Companies with well-known names are the prestigious ones to work for. Juniors in a corporate position start at a monthly wage of approxi- mately $2,200 U.S. which would increase as they move up the lad- der. Upper middle management and higher get paid more than those in comparable positions here, said Craig. Another outstanding feature of Japanese society is the aspect of individuality as opposed to group work. Craig says Japanese students are given little freedom to think as individuals. "There is a Japanese proverb which says,' The tallest nail is the first to be hammered down', which is saying that those who stand out from the others are the first to be looked down on. There are positive attributes to this way of thinking, however, they don't know how to work on their own." Middle management is fmd- ing that the juniors can't make the simplest decision, leaving the more experienced to handle the prob- lems. A good job is not gauged neces- sarily by what the job is as for what company you're working for. "Even sweeping the lunch room for Toy- ota is considered a good job because it's a big name." Changing jobs is also frowned upon, Craig says. "There is little freedom to move from one job to another. One positive aspect of their soci- ety is the poverty level which, Craig says, is quite low, though there has been an increase in unem- ployment in the past six months due to the economic slump. "No matter how economically poor a company may be, they won't lay- off their workers, they'll re-assign." Companies are able to do this because they have monetary re- serves, he said. "I take my hat off to Japanese government and private industry for not letting their employees go. If people have disposable income then they're still spending money." Housing in Japan is quite high, Craig says, so most live in apart- ments. That does not mean howev- er, that they are not a materialistic people. "They like brand name products, "said Craig. "Second hand Levis are very popular. To bring in a product equal in value to a name brand product but at a lower price creates skepticism." Another very positive aspect of Japanese society is its low crime rate. "I have women friends who often walk by themselves atone in the morning, " said Craig. With amusement Craig explains that the Japanese have a rather exaggerated view of the crime situ- ation in North America which is made more confusing by an inabili- ty to distinguish Canada from the United States, says Craig. "The only television shows they see are the real-life dramatizations like COPS so they would ask me ques- tions about whether it was true peo- ple could really carry guns here. I would try and explain that's the way it is in America and we're not part of America, but it didn't seem to register." The Palmers visited Craig last spring and were most impressed by the hospitality of the Japanese peo- ple. "They went out of their way to be nice," said Mrs. Palmer. They also visited during the pret- tiest season in Japan, Hanami. "Hana means flower and mi is to look," says Craig. "The end of March and first of April is the most beautiful time in Japan; when the cherry blossoms bloom. That is when people will take time from work and gather under the trees to drink saki and revel in the beauty of spring." The service industry is a clear example of the levels of politeness afforded to others. "The service ,industry is impeccable," says Craig. "It is designed to give customers the maximum satisfaction." Another thing Mrs. Palmer no- ticed is the lack of bitterness the Japanese people have regarding the war. Hiroshima, for example, the Japanese admit was a horror, but it was war. Craig explains that they understand a lot of level-minded Japanese committed many atroci- ties. "The real irony is they idolize America for their fashion and social structure but can't incorpo- rate it to their way of life," he said. Craig intends to return to Japan in Feb. 15 and has applied for sev- eral positions including one through a Japanese English Teach- ing exchange program which would have him working in a Japanese Municipal City Hall doing translations, marketing, teaching and business communications. Though Japan and Canada have very good ties, he says, the Japanese have a strong sense of nationalism unlike the acute region- alism experienced in Canada. He feels this is due to the fact it is 1/27 the size of Canada. "There is a cul- ture and tradition that is highly val- ued and practised through festivals, as well. Japan is a land of festi- vals," said Craig. "And one of the impressive things is that everyone participates." "That is one of the reasons why I'm going back," said Craig.. "There are festivals celebrating everything from flowers to fertility and I still have so much to see." Letters Reader seeks info THE EDITOR, Recent articles on Christmas Credit and local shopping programs indicate a growing interest in how we can strengthen our local communities and economies. The book The Living Economy explores ways to develop a sustainable economy. The chapter on "local currencies" is particularly relevant to local communities and may be of interest to your readers. It identifies three functions of money: as a medium of exchange, as a unit of value and as a store of value. In other words we use money when we buy and sell stuff (including labour), we use money to put a value on stuff and we save money to buy things in the future. Money is an "enabler". Its presence enables transactions to occur more easily than barter. But "lack of money exerts a severe restraint on exchange. Even when there is no shortage of goods and services to be exchanged in a community, if those with the goods and services to offer have no money, the exchange can be prevented and the economic activity of the community stifled." From the perspective of local communities national currencies have several problems. The quantity and availability is determined outside the community. It is withdrawn from the local community and if it is returned it is under outside control. It is subject to speculation and devaluation on the international currency markets. This can lead to "large scale unemployment, with local skills and local assets lying idle, at the same time as many local needs are unmet, because of a lack of a means of exchange to bring these needs and resources together." Creating a "local currency" does three things. It keeps the flow of money within the local economy reducing wealth export and retaining local control. It prevents speculation in the means of exchange. It ensures that all those with goods and labour have a currency which they can use to exchange them in the local market. The chapter then goes on to describe various experiences with local currencies including the Labour Exchange from 1832-1834, the Guernsey experiment from 1815-36, 1914 to the present, the Worgl experiment from 1929 to 1934 and the Local Exchange Trading System or LETSystem currently operating in British Columbia. In the Guernsey and Worgl cases the local municipality issued local notes which were used to pay for public works and then circulated in the community. In Worgl "they were first used for the payment of wages for the building of streets, drainage and other public works by men who would otherwise have been unemployed. During the first month, the money had circulated 20 times. Taxes were paid, unemploy- ment greatly reduced and local shop keepers prospered." The mayors of 200 other municipalities decided to follow the Worgl example but the Austrian national bank took legal action and succeeded in stopping it. The Local Exchange Trading System involves an agency which serves a local area. Members from the area open an account with the agency. No money is deposited or issued and the agency acts only on the authority of a member in making a credit transfer from that member's account into another's. No interest is paid or charged on account balances and a member may know the balance and turnover of another member. When a member "sells" to or "works" for another member his account is credited with the value of the transaction and the other member's account is debited. The system always has a 0 system balance since one member's credit is another's debit. The unit of exchange is the green dollar which is tied to the Canadian dollar. In its first 20 months the Comox Valley, BC LETSystem enabled about $(green)250,000 worth of trade to take place between members. Systems for local exchange and "local currencies" may offer opportunities for promoting local communities and their economies. They are worth exploring as alternatives to buffer our local communities from the high costs of free trade and economic globalization. I am working on a graduate course on Sustainable Economics this winter and would be interested in hearing from your readers if they have experience with "local currencies" or would be interested in information I uncover in my research. I would be particularly interested if a local municipality and business association are already exploring these options or would like information on them. Tony McQuall RR 1, Lucknow, Ont. NOG 2H0 (519) 528-2493.