1) Japanese People and Society discusses the geography, climate, population trends, and religious beliefs of Japan. 2) It notes that Japan has the world's longest average healthy life expectancy of 73+ years, which is attributed to factors like their diet, public transportation, socialized healthcare, safety, and strong social relationships and family values. 3) The document also examines Japanese cultural traditions and societal values, including other-oriented thinking, importance of status and hierarchy, emphasis on politeness and avoiding confrontation, and balancing social obligations.

1. Japanese People and Society
by Steve McCarty
Briefing foreign officials & scholars for the
Japan International Cooperation Agency
JICA Kansai Chapter (2022 slideshow)

2. Fuji japan by Travelbusy.com, 2012, CC BY 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/da5BdG
Symbols ofJapan (Spring sakura& Mt. Fuji)

3. Geography and Climate

4. Japanese People
Image and Reality

5. Japanese Society
• Population trend
• Family structure

6. Demographic shift,its reasons,anddifficulty of solutions(more
children and immigration)
“Six out of10respondentssaid thebiggestreasonfor havingfewerchildrenthan
theyreallywant is that‘it coststoo much moneyto raise and educatechildren’.”
From: https://japanforum.nbr.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind1307&L=list&F=&S=&P=70494

7. 伊勢神宮外宮別宮月讀宮 - Tsukiyomino miya (Gekuof Ise Grand Shrine)by Tamago Moffle, 2010,CC BY-SA2.0
Japanese religions

8. NARA: 法隆寺 Horyuji temple by ume-y, 2013, CC BY 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/eSekCB

9. Kyoto spring:
Kiyomizu
Temple
Summer:
Gion Festival

10. Kyoto fall

11. OSAKA
Big Issue Stall – Osaka Station by GanMed64,
2011, CC BY 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/aGkhiz

12. SHIKOKUisland
DSCF0752.JPG by Kazu Letokyoite, 2007,
CC BY 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/LcWcC

13. HIROSHIMA: Peace Memorial by
Stripy T-Shirt, 2004, CC BY-SA 2.0
https://flic.kr/p/2fuzj
NORTHEAST JAPAN
earthquake/tsunami:
Volunteer at Kesencho,
Rikuzentakata by Hajime
Nakano, 2011, CC BY 2.0
https://flic.kr/p/aGC8ia

14. Why the world’s longest
average healthy years (73+)
• Japanese food:
• variety, nutrition, strict standards
• Abundant water, sanitation
• Cleanliness, daily bathing
• Public transportation:
• exercise, cleaner air, economical
• Socialized medicine, including dental care
• Safety: low crime & violence, solid infrastructure
• Economic stability, mostly middle class society
• Traditional values: communal, trust strangers
• Relationships: contributing to the family or group
gives especially older people a reason for living

15. More about
Japanese Society
• Traditions & new attractions
• Gradually changing values
• The Lonely Crowd
• Difficult to meet strangers

16. Japanese ways
of thinking
• Other-oriented values
• Individual and peer group
• Concept of time
• Environment and nature
• Status and hierarchy
• Male-female differences
• Importance of age
• Reasons for many suicides
• Human relations most important

17. Social behavior
& relationships
• Levels of social distance
• Intimate circle, face relations, strangers
• Politeness, indirectness, formality
• Avoiding confrontation
• Inside and Outside
• uchi & soto, honne & tatemae
• Private self (reserve) & public self (restraint)
• Many Obligations: gimu, on, giri
• Balancing give & take of gifts & favors
• Symbolism of gifts and objects

18. https://japanned.hcommons.org/japanology