tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4896993642961947707.post3060149867073091236..comments2011-09-14T19:17:22.537+09:00William Saitohttps://profiles.google.com/114938657373052673380noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4896993642961947707.post-60629259398642421022011-07-19T21:56:03.590+09:002011-07-19T21:56:03.590+09:00I really enjoy reading your blog posts and they are very enlightening and encouraging. I just want to add some points that stymie Japan&#39;s drastic changes, though the points you&#39;ve made are already comprehensive and there are very few I can contribute.<br /><br />1. Young people are waiting for changes, but never take action.<br /><br />What is deplorable about this country is most people recognize that something must be changed to overcome the smothering social condition. They recognize their working environment is far from ideal, in which the seniority system and top-down decision making are still dominant. Again, they all know what is wrong but do not take action, partly because if doing so they might lose their job or at least be in danger of losing their position in their company.<br /><br />Also, the turnout among younger generations have been quite low (but this tendency can be seen in most developed countries). In consequence, political parties adopt policies that are beneficial to the elderly and putting off the solving of serious problems for the future generations.<br /><br />What I want to point out here is young people must know that changes do not come from the top (the government) nor from outside (Restoration or occupation); change is what people make realize. In this sense, I hope people (including me) manifest their views (criticisms) of the society and take action for the better. They have no time waiting for the doomsday to come in which all the sins are measured and sent to the hell, and all the good people are saved. <br /><br />2. Japan&#39;s intolerance against diversity<br /><br />This point has already been pointed out by you and professor Kurokawa. But I want to introduce some examples to be more concrete about the situation young people confront. <br /><br />If someone has changed jobs twice, the CV is usually recognized as flawed or tainted, i.e. not considered seriously and they have very few choices.<br />I want to take up another example; one of my friends has spent two years in France after graduating from the college. Now she finds it quite difficult to find a job at a respectable company because she is thought to waste her time after graduation and to be already too old to be adopted as an employee.<br /><br />If japanese companies seriously want to change and aim at the global market, they must be more tolerant for the people with foreign experience (and the resulting age gap), but to the contrary. Japanese labor market is still rigid and people&#39;s choice of a company is limited. (these days, a buyers&#39; market) As you know, there is an infamous recruitment system in which most college students start working just after graduation; this deeply impedes the diversity of japanese employees. So, I agree to your proposal of meritocracy.<br /><br />But, I am still pessimistic about the future of Japan; when we look back at history of Japan, essential changes have been caused by external influences and in critical situations. Japanese people are too patient and inclined to make compromises, even when they recognize what should be done. To me, however, this way looks like a changing of the disposition of chairs on the deck of a sinking TItanic. <br /><br />I am really powerless, but I have to keep doing what little change I can do to this country from abroad.<br /><br />(My comment is fragmentary and somewhat illogical, my apologies)A.T.noreply@blogger.com