[andrewstuart]

I visited Japan and was just astounded at how much better the society is run.

As a tourist, my obviously naive impression was of a place that is incredibly well organised, that seems to have no trouble investing in its own infrastructure, that is extremely safe and clean and generally prosperous. Where the people seem to have a sense of joy and fun.

Just. so. well. organised.

I really loved Japan. My favorite country in so many ways. I really wish I'd visited when younger and maybe lived there for a while.

I did feel unsafe and threatened during my trip there at one point when an Australian tourist became belligerent and angry when someone (not Japanese of course) stepped ahead of him in a queue. I felt ashamed at his behavior.

[drcode]

I agree Japan is awesome (visited twice) but let's not overlook this: https://www.businessinsider.com/world-suicide-rate-map-2014-...

[asah]

Or homogeneity.

[marcus_holmes]

This. My experience in SE Asia has shown me this. Those really strong family links make people happy and provide a safety net that can't be beaten. But it comes at the cost of suppressing all individuality. No following your dream of being an artist - you need to earn money for the family. No marrying the weird guy your mum hates. No moving city because you need to find yourself.

[icelancer]

It's shocking how HN is just overlooking this trait in addition to the very many related things in this regard that we would consider in America VERY "right-wing" to put it kindly. Having Japanese family members over there and listening to their remarks amuses me since I hear their candid opinions on race and such, but uh... Americans who idolize the country and identify as "progressive" or "liberal" would probably do well to think a bit more before praising their society while condemning the conservative wing of the US political alignment.

[mft_]

Well, unless your premise is that the less savoury aspects of some of Japan’s citizens’ views are responsible for the aspects of their country and society that we might admire (and I don’t think you are saying that) then this is tangential to the question we are discussing.

It’s not unreasonable to acknowledge or even admire some aspects of a person, a company, or a country, while also being aware that there are other aspects that are less admirable.

[icelancer]

>> It’s not unreasonable to acknowledge or even admire some aspects of a person, a company, or a country, while also being aware that there are other aspects that are less admirable.

They are two sides of the same coin. You have the "nice" stuff because of the xenophobic policies. I'd be willing to wager the majority - if not all - of the people that loved Japan were white and didn't think about it at all.

[ncmncm]

...or that hundreds of Tokyo buildings will collapse in the next big earthquake? Or have they been fixed, since we learned about it? If so, how?

[LargoLasskhyfv]

Could ask the same about SF, LA, maybe Portland OR, Seattle, Vancouver and really anything in the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Madrid_Seismic_Zone

I'd trust the Japanese more in anything related to earthquake proof building, in spite of their little fuck-up with Fukushima.

At the end of the day, no matter where and when you are, it's your mandatory share of risk in the lottery of life.

Deal with it.

[ncmncm]

The recent claim (maybe 10 ya) was that Yakuza influence forced inspectors to sign off on foundations that were not sound. So they do not have the required pilings. I don't know how that could be fixed, but I don't assert it couldn't be. I assume if it is, it would have been done by now.

[lioeters]

> According to a study by Tokyo University, 87% of the city's buildings have been constructed according to modern anti-seismic standards.

[HarryHirsch]

Compare that to earthquake preparedness in Portland and Seattle. Being underprepared for the next Cascadia earthquake is a policy choice.

[lioeters]

> ..Coastal areas in the region have prepared tsunami evacuation plans in anticipation of a possible future Cascadia earthquake.

> However, the major nearby cities, notably Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Victoria, and Tacoma, which are located on inland waterways rather than on the coast, would be sheltered from the full brunt of a tsunami.

> These cities do have many vulnerable structures, especially bridges and unreinforced brick buildings; consequently, most of the damage to the cities would probably be from the earthquake itself.

> One expert asserts that buildings in Seattle are vastly inadequate even to withstand an event of the size of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, let alone any more powerful one.

> Kenneth Murphy, who directs FEMA's Region X, the division responsible for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska, put it quite dramatically: "Our operating assumption is that everything west of Interstate 5 will be toast."

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1700_Cascadia_earthquake#Futur...

[james_s_tayler]

Depends which end of society you're on.

My sister's in law are up early and on a train for hours into the city where they work until well after dark and are home at about 11pm.

My wife who lives in my home country on the other hand runs her own business from home, sets her own hours and has a lot more free time and independence.

I feel pretty sorry for the workforce in Japan. It's pretty dystopian if you ask me.

It's amazing for kids, university students, senior citizens and if you ever get a day off.

[hn_throwaway_99]

> Where the people seem to have a sense of joy and fun.

I'm going to take issue with that one. Of course "a sense of joy and fun" is subjective, but the extreme social conformism of Japan definitely has its drawbacks.

I mean, take one measurable metric when it comes to "joy and fun": sex. Much as been written about Japan's extremely low birth rates, but that also extends to sex and even just romantic relationships. Decent article: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/07/japan-m...