Ch 12 — The Temperament of Japan

Another acquaintance of mine, who was also in a senior position in a bank, had a similar problem with a more senior executive, and he wanted my advice. I told him my advice was based on a four-point formula: first, adjustment; second, adjustment, adjustment; and, lastly again, adjustment. He took my advice, and now he is very happy with his job.

What is the difference between the concept of justice and the concept of adjustment? The difference is that obtaining justice, having to be effected on a bilateral basis, becomes a very difficult task, while adjustment, being a unilateral matter, can be instantly achieved. In the case of injustice, when some other party is behaving unfairly towards you, justice becomes a thorny issue between the two rival parties. In the quest for justice, demands and protests will naturally be made; a confrontation ensues, and sometimes this even leads to violence. Frequently, such action proves to be counter-productive.

The case of adjustment is completely different. In this case, there is no rival or other party. You are the only player. When you opt for adjustment, you instantly find the starting point, and if justice in practice leads to confrontation, adjustment always leads to peace.

There is a well-known saying: Politics is the art of the possible. This saying pertains not only to political affairs but also to all the affairs of human life. Therefore, the best way to proceed in all aspects of human existence is to adopt a realistic approach. You have to differentiate between which target is possible and which is not, between what is achievable and what is not.

All men and women have to strike a balance between their desires and the external situation. Simply by running after one’s desires, one does not necessarily achieve one’s goals. One must fully comprehend the external situation, the external circumstances and the external opportunities. One can achieve one’s target only by taking into consideration what lies beyond oneself. That is the only realistic approach and is, therefore, the wisest approach.

The Japanese are deeply committed to quality. They strive to excel in their endeavours, often prioritizing perfection above all else, even at the expense of personal and family life.

I met a gentleman from Singapore who was a business manager. I asked him why he came to Japan. He replied that he came solely to learn. I asked again what it was about Japan that had impressed him so much that he travelled here to learn. He said he had heard and read a lot about Japan’s industrial development, but there was one incident he read that deeply moved him and made him decide that he must go to Japan to gain something from there. I inquired what that incident was. He opened his briefcase and took out an English magazine. It was the following incident:

“A story is told about an expert from Sweden who went to Japan to study worker participation in management. While at a factory, he was very impressed when he saw a Japanese worker start to cry spontaneously in response to one of his questions. When he did not receive an answer from the worker, he inquired about it from the supervisor. After hearing the entire story, the supervisor explained that the real issue was that when the expert informed the worker that their company was not meeting export demands as it used to, the worker became very distressed. The supervisor stated that Japanese workers are deeply concerned that if exports decline, it would harm the entire nation. In their view, it would be seen as a reduction in Japan’s productivity standards.”

After reading this incident, I reflected on how sensitive a Japanese person is about their nation, unable to bear the thought that any of their shortcomings might bring shame to it.

I recall a time from my childhood, before World War II, when the phrase “Made in Japan” signified something of poor quality and weakness. At that time, toys and other items typically came from Japan and were sold at low prices. I wanted to understand how Japan transitioned from its earlier state to the modern era when, contrary to the past, “Made in Japan” has become a label of quality products.

After speaking with some Japanese people, I learned about a concept called ‘education years.’ It became evident that after World War II, Japan underwent a sustained movement for awareness and reconstruction, evolving into a national movement. This movement aimed to change the national outlook.

The phase known as the ‘education years’ lasted approximately 15 years during the fifties and sixties. After fostering a constructive consciousness within the nation, there was another phase of around 15 years focused on the pursuit of quality, which spanned the sixties and seventies. Thus, the thirty years of intellectual effort resulted in the practical development that Japan has achieved today.