The Six Characteristics of the Japanese People

1. Japanese Pacifism

Japanese pacifism is a bit unusual. It is evident that pacifism is ingrained in the Japanese as they have not engaged in war for over 80 years. They have not adopted conscription for 80 years, which signifies their pacifist nature. However, Japanese pacifism is more about "not wanting to engage in war" rather than "winning peace." In other words, the Japanese adopt pacifism because retaliation would be troublesome. Therefore, whether Russia occupies the Northern Territories, South Korea occupies Takeshima, North Korea launches missiles close to Japan, North Korea kidnaps Japanese citizens, or China engages in harassment, Japan does not retaliate. Japan’s pre-war and wartime invasions of countries like China and Korea were not based on Japan’s own unique ideas.

2. Japanese Susceptibility to External Influence

Japanese people are easily influenced by others. When Western countries began colonizing Asia, the Japanese thought, "We can do that too," and started invading Asia. This susceptibility to influence is very strong. Japanese people do not inherently think, "We will definitely do this," but when someone else succeeds, they feel, "We can do that too; let's try." If someone succeeds in making cars, the Japanese will make cars; if someone makes semiconductors, the Japanese will make semiconductors; if someone makes delicious whiskey, the Japanese will make whiskey.

3. Japanese Humility

The humility of Japanese people, often expressed as "Oh no, I'm just imitating others," is genuine. This seemingly self-deprecating humility is powerful. By repeatedly saying "It's just an imitation, it's just an imitation, it's just an imitation," like a mantra, they become focused on their work and end up creating the world's best cars, the world's best semiconductors, and the world's best whiskey.

4. Lack of Desire for Major Success

The Japanese have a relatively weak desire for major success. While their desire to succeed and their sense of inferiority over not succeeding are quite strong, they do not aim for great success. Once they achieve a certain level of success, they feel satisfied and become complacent. This is why Japan has fallen behind in internet services, EVs, and semiconductors, and why they do not ramp up whiskey production. In the past, many Japanese people worked tirelessly until they died, but surprisingly, they did not do so out of a strong desire for major success. Because they lack this desire, if someone tells them, "You don't need to work until you die," they quickly stop working so hard.

5. Ability to Suppress Jealousy

While Japanese people are not free from jealousy, they can suppress it once they get used to a situation. When Japan's economy fell from second place in the world to third after being overtaken by China, the Japanese were initially shocked. However, after a while, they thought, "Well, it's understandable to lose to such a huge country like China." Even if Germany surpasses Japan and it falls to fourth place, or if India seems likely to overtake Japan, making fifth place a certainty, the Japanese are already accustomed to it and do not feel jealousy. Because they do not envy those who surpass them and do not aim for great success, the Japanese economy continues to weaken.

6. Belief That Others Do Not Notice Their Self-Deprecation

The Japanese believe that their self-deprecation and sense of misery are not known to others. This is because almost 100% of foreigners do not understand Japanese, and since foreigners have to cross the sea to come to Japan, they are not particularly eager to visit. In other words, the Japanese think, "Foreigners cannot understand us," and therefore believe that others are unaware of their self-deprecation and misery. Japan feels ashamed of itself, but since this shame is not revealed, they can continue to live with a calm demeanor.