Foreign Student (hereinafter, FS): I’d like to know about the Japanese temperament. What character traits would you highlight? Teacher (hereinafter, T): Firstly, they are considerate of others and avoid conflict. In other words, they care about the general consensus and act according to their assessment of the prevailing mood. That means not pushing themselves forward, but acting in a humble fashion. Put from a critical standpoint, they could be seen as being difficult to pin down, inscrutable, lacking in leadership qualities, lacking in individuality, and as having a tendency to avoid responsibility. In addition, there’s a tendency to think of themselves as being set apart from foreigners, that is lumping all foreigners together as being people from a separate world. On the other hand, they take an interest in foreign cultures, and adopt anything they perceive as being good, altering it to suit their own style. FS: I see. How has this temperament been formed? T: It is said that these tendencies have been greatly influenced by the fact that because Japan is an island, its population is mostly racially homogenous. In addition to this, it was once an agrarian society. It’s essential to work as a team when it comes to planting and harvesting rice. Because of this, it’s important to carefully weigh up the impact of one’s words when dealing with other people. Those who upset the balance are ostracized so that they find it difficult to remain in the community. As a result, it is thought that sharing the cooperative values of others, that is a mindset that places most importance on the greater good of the group, easily took root among people of the same race. A strong interest in foreign cultures seems to derive from a longing for things that are not available in their own island country. However, adopted customs did not replace the native culture, but rather complemented it; just like the traditional Japanese religion of Shinto coexisted with Buddhism which came from overseas. FS: What are the negative aspects of the Japanese temperament? T: Since it’s a race with shared values, there’s a tendency for everyone to march to the same tune. If something of interest comes up, it’s covered by newspapers and TV all over the country. The monolingual reports reach all corners of the country in the blink of an eye. If it’s a product, it simply turns into the latest craze, but ill-intentioned individuals can exploit this (cultural tendency) with troubling outcomes. FS: Can the diligent Japanese be used in such a way? T: A good example would be the Japanese people in the run-up to World War II. The people were manipulated by government and media propaganda declaring that a war was inevitable due to pressure from powerful countries. Once the idea took root that Japanese people should prioritize the defense of their country, they fought to the bitter end before being defeated. Realizing the error of their ways, the Japanese threw themselves into the reconstruction effort. As a result, about 20 years later, Japan was the world’s second most successful economy. FS: The driving force behind this is a strong sense of community whose orderly conduct after the Great East Japan Earthquake moved the people of the world. T: Despite the fear that they can be led in the wrong direction, it can still be said that the essence of the Japanese temperament is for the individual to value social harmony, a practice that has been nurtured over the ages.