The Hidden Collapse: Japan’s Damaging Conformity in the New Age
Our society, Japan, has extremely advanced technology and an immensely harmonic community, which makes the country
an ideal society. However, its society is not as perfect as it seems. Unlike the country's rapid technological advancements,
the government is living in the past by sticking to its beliefs as a conformist society. Japan is not as close to its collapse
when only looking at its environmental factors, as Jared Diamond primarily focuses on in his talk. Still, the country's real
collapse is largely affected by its societal and cultural aspects.
One societal factor that will drive Japan into a collapse is its aging population issue and diminishing birth rate. This is a
pressing issue, reaching consequences for Japan’s workforce, economy, and welfare system. Japan’s high cost of living,
economy and wages, limited space, and the country’s demanding work culture are reasons fewer people have a desire to
have a family. With such pressing issues, it is important to take immediate action, but Japan is failing to take effective
initiatives. Creating plans to provide young couples with financial assistance for raising children and the promise of
expanding economic assistance for child delivery and higher education have not recovered the damage that has already
been done with the negative social impacts of the country. Yet the question remains: What are the true roots as to why the
population is not increasing if other actions can be taken?
Although the country has taken many initiatives to make Japanese citizens believe having a family is worthwhile, the only
people who can reverse the damage done by the decrease in children are women. Although financial stability is one
motivating factor for women to step back from starting a family, another vital reason is hidden behind the cultural aspects
of Japanese culture. Japan remains a highly patriarchal society in which the idea of a family consists of a man and a
woman who are put in stereotypical gender roles, such as the wife raising children while the husband earns an income.
Even though times have changed, this stereotypical idea of roles in a household still exists. Japanese women have shown a
desire to see these roles change as they begin to pursue their aspirations, but there is always societal pressure that will not
allow them to do this. With Japan’s hesitations towards accepting female roles of all kinds, there are now a limited amount
of actions that can be taken regarding increasing the country's population, which is why there is only one realistic
approach that can be taken.
Population stabilization and economic strengthening are two key aims for the country. A realistic approach to solving
these issues has been brought by the government, as the economic strengthening strategy aims to increase productivity by
developing human resources. Further suggests that accepting foreign workers, particularly highly skilled foreign workers,
to deal with depopulation would improve productivity for the country. Although this seems like the perfect course of
action to take, the major flaw regarding this is that Japan has shielded itself from using immigration to bolster its
population. Japan has maintained its traditional homogeneity and reluctance to accept migrants and refugees. Although
times are changing and the acceptance of foreigners is one of the only hopes of Japan, the strong desire to latch on to past
ideas and societal aspects is consequently leading to the country's downfall.
Japan’s unshakable values of conformism and collectiveness have been promising a harmonious society so far, but taken
in the pressing issues that will hurt its country in the long run, it is what will consequently lead its society to collapse very
soon. Cultural and economic aspects, paired with past ideas regarding gender roles and refugees, have only hurt the
country as its pressing issues have expanded. Old ways of living cannot be applied in an ever-changing world. Let alone
when the country is standing on the verge of collapse as its function as a society is being jeopardized.
Our society, Japan, has extremely advanced technology and an immensely harmonic community, which makes the country
an ideal society. However, its society is not as perfect as it seems. Unlike the country's rapid technological advancements,
the government is living in the past by sticking to its beliefs as a conformist society. Japan is not as close to its collapse
when only looking at its environmental factors, as Jared Diamond primarily focuses on in his talk. Still, the country's real
collapse is largely affected by its societal and cultural aspects.
One societal factor that will drive Japan into a collapse is its aging population issue and diminishing birth rate. This is a
pressing issue, reaching consequences for Japan’s workforce, economy, and welfare system. Japan’s high cost of living,
economy and wages, limited space, and the country’s demanding work culture are reasons fewer people have a desire to
have a family. With such pressing issues, it is important to take immediate action, but Japan is failing to take effective
initiatives. Creating plans to provide young couples with financial assistance for raising children and the promise of
expanding economic assistance for child delivery and higher education have not recovered the damage that has already
been done with the negative social impacts of the country. Yet the question remains: What are the true roots as to why the
population is not increasing if other actions can be taken?
Although the country has taken many initiatives to make Japanese citizens believe having a family is worthwhile, the only
people who can reverse the damage done by the decrease in children are women. Although financial stability is one
motivating factor for women to step back from starting a family, another vital reason is hidden behind the cultural aspects
of Japanese culture. Japan remains a highly patriarchal society in which the idea of a family consists of a man and a
woman who are put in stereotypical gender roles, such as the wife raising children while the husband earns an income.
Even though times have changed, this stereotypical idea of roles in a household still exists. Japanese women have shown a
desire to see these roles change as they begin to pursue their aspirations, but there is always societal pressure that will not
allow them to do this. With Japan’s hesitations towards accepting female roles of all kinds, there are now a limited amount
of actions that can be taken regarding increasing the country's population, which is why there is only one realistic
approach that can be taken.
Population stabilization and economic strengthening are two key aims for the country. A realistic approach to solving
these issues has been brought by the government, as the economic strengthening strategy aims to increase productivity by
developing human resources. Further suggests that accepting foreign workers, particularly highly skilled foreign workers,
to deal with depopulation would improve productivity for the country. Although this seems like the perfect course of
action to take, the major flaw regarding this is that Japan has shielded itself from using immigration to bolster its
population. Japan has maintained its traditional homogeneity and reluctance to accept migrants and refugees. Although
times are changing and the acceptance of foreigners is one of the only hopes of Japan, the strong desire to latch on to past
ideas and societal aspects is consequently leading to the country's downfall.
Japan’s unshakable values of conformism and collectiveness have been promising a harmonious society so far, but taken
in the pressing issues that will hurt its country in the long run, it is what will consequently lead its society to collapse very
soon. Cultural and economic aspects, paired with past ideas regarding gender roles and refugees, have only hurt the
country as its pressing issues have expanded. Old ways of living cannot be applied in an ever-changing world. Let alone
when the country is standing on the verge of collapse as its function as a society is being jeopardized.
