Virtues & Social Norms

Japan greatly values collectivist values over individualist ones, and tradition and hierarchy over change. Ethics are framed from the perspective of what is good for the people as a whole. Furthermore the ironclad nature of the following virtues and norms become less pronounced when applied to those outside the culture. For example, the desire for "harmony" is of great importance within the nation, but is not considered of great importance when dealing with international diplomacy.

Unity, Purity, and Nationalism

Creating a cohesive and unified nation that champions its own collective interests has been an eternal goal of Japan. Japan is often analogized as a body with the people within composing the various parts. It is imperative that every part of the body does its part and is of the same mindset and objective as all the others so that the body as a whole may function properly. This focus on a common mindset has resulted in a focus on purity as well. Consequently anyone that is not willing to change to fit in with the social norm is to be outcast for the sake of the functionality of the whole. On one hand this allows for the efficient removal and prevention of normalization of corrosive ideas, as well as those ideas that would cause internal fighting and division. However it comes with the side affect of leaving few options for those that do not wish to conform, as well as makes it difficult for potentially positive ideas to proliferate.

Harmony and Balance

Harmony refers to a state of peace between things. This can be harmony between people, as in your family, or strangers. It may also mean harmony with nature, so compensating for the taking of resources in some way. There are many ways harmony may be applied, but the general purpose to the concept is to foster a world with less needless conflict by adopting a mindset that tries to mend or maintain relationships. This concept is often paired with balance, as in many cases it is excesses and extremities that cause unnecessary conflicts or destruction.

Indirectness

When communicating Japanese prefer to use indirect and less aggressive language as part of their culture of harmony. A Japanese will likely use phrases like "I will consider it" instead of simply saying no to imply the actual answer while allowing both parties to save face. This more indirect style of communication is called "high context" as it relies on a multitude of other factors other than what the person is literally saying in order to discern what the speaker's intent and true message is. The factors can include social hierarchy, setting of the conversation, facial expressions, tone of voice, and more. The benefit of this style is it allows disagreement and harmony to coexist, and keeps escalation to a minimum. However it also leaves room for misunderstanding and confusion if the recipient is not able to discern the context correctly, and the passive aggressiveness of high context communication may be frustrating to those who prefer a more direct approach.

Family and Community

Also known as one's filial piety commitment, every individual is expected to be a steward of their community and a caretaker of their family. This is considered a baseline duty of all people, and failure to do so is considered a shirking of a basic responsibility. This may include anything from taking care of your elderly family members, to assisting in the upkeep of one's home. This cultural focal point of family has led to many homes containing extended families.

Modesty and Temperance

Modesty of dress, attitude, and lifestyle represents humility and conformity to public good and the concerns of others. Temperance refers to restraint in things like drinking alcohol, or venting one's frustration. This type of self control is intended to also contribute to social cohesion as is cuts down on the negative effects of drunkenness and other excesses.

Justice

Japan would have what most would consider overly harsh punishments for crime, but within the culture they are considered appropriate, as crime is considered an utterly intolerable infection that must be treated with great seriousness in order to deter other criminals. Japanese justice is more focused on the preservation and sanctity of the rest of the culture and society than it is with the rehabilitation on the criminal.

Courtesy and Manners

Politeness and etiquette rules apply in almost every social situation one can be in. These manners are a subset of ritual which are intended to guide and elevate one's social interactions in a positive direction. Here are a list of common rules of Etiquette in Japan:

• Bow when greeting another person. The deeper the bow the more formal and respectful it is. Bowing for apology or request to a superior, or in presence of an important person will be done on one's knees.
• Taking one's shoes off before entering a building, especially a home or shrine.
• Avoid "polluting" public areas by making noise, talking loud, eating, or taking up too much space.
• Photography is forbidden within sacred spaces
• One must clean their hands before a meal, and clean one's mouth and hands before entering a shrine
• Walk on the left side of roads and aisles
• Traditional courteous sitting involves tucking your legs under you straightly and neatly
• Using proper honorifics when addressing someone

Social Hierarchy and Submissiveness

A strong Confucian style hierarchy system instructs how a person is to approach a social situation from a leader/follower dynamic. These rules aren't soft guidelines of vague respect, but rather important rules that are expected to be honored. Those in a position of leadership bear a responsibility of wise leadership to those in the follower role, and those in the follower role are expected to be submissive to the leader regardless of their personal opinions. Here are the most common leader/follower relationships:

• Emperor leads the citizens
• Man leads woman
• Elderly lead youth
• Teacher leads student
• 1st born leads second born

Tradition and Ritual

Great reverence is given to one's ancestors and the traditions and rituals they have passed down. The ways of one's fore bearers are considered a sacred gift that must be respected and preserved in respect for their wisdom and legacy. Everything from clothing, to architecture, to the other virtues mentioned on this page are considered part of the Japanese tradition that must be preserved by the current generation for the future generations. The importance of acting out all these sometimes arcane acts that one's ancestors did is called ritual, and they are especially important from a religious perspective to spiritually connect with one's ancestors.

Discipline and Work Ethic

A strict dedication to one's work or education is a strong expectation of society. A job is not simply seen as a task for income, but rather an extension of one's duty to their community, and their coworkers and boss are seen as part of their network of duty bound relationships. Because of this it is not uncommon for Japanese to work harder than other people, and will often spend time outside of work with their coworkers. For students, high expectations are placed upon them for high performance, and they also excel educationally compared to others as well. The downside to this is the immense pressure for exceptional performance can break certain people who are not able to bear it.

Benevolence

A extension of one's filial piety and community responsibility, those who are able and have much are expected to take care of a provide for the poor as part of their role as a leader. Typically this expectation of benevolence does not extend past one's own community, and long distance charity to strangers is much less common than inter-community generosity. Benevolence also extends to a gift giving culture in Japan, where many holidays and events come with some manner of gift giving, even if small in scale.

Religious Observation

Japan's native religion of Shinto is massively influential in the everyday lives of Japanese, who are almost universally supportive of its overt and active influence in government and society. Children in the society are raised up in the religion at birth, and its practice is done with gravitas and reverence. Japanese who leave the religion are ostracized by society.

Warrior Sacrifice

The most important virtue of a warrior is to bring honor to one's master by bringing success in battle. This one principle of loyalty to one's superior by carrying out their duty to either success or death is the core of the Japanese warrior's ethos. It supersedes all other warrior principles including those relating to honor towards one's opponent. The greatest honor is one's effective service to the nation, not in restraint of action in the face of the enemy. This mindset of self sacrifice for the nation reaches death cult status in the minds of some, who will sometimes throw away their lives believing their brazen courage gives them spiritual power, be it in life, or even after death. Risky suicide charges, and other actions that befuddle those who do not understand why. This thought process only becomes more prevalent as you go up in ranks, where an officer may even commit suicide with their sword if they fail, dishonor themselves, or are going to be otherwise taken hostage. This act of "seppuku" entails a person cutting open their abdomen with their sword, and then an assistant cutting off your head immediately afterwards. Similar to the other virtues discussed, this self sacrificial mindset is an expectation of soldiers, not an exceptional act. Those who die in battle are said to be given special privileges in their afterlife for their bravery.