Cultural Differences

A friend I grew up with in Japan, Helen, noted on her Facebook page today about how the Japanese people are acting in the face of this disaster. 

She said, "she admires the Japanese for being so composed after such tragedy. I have seen images of rescue workers praying over dead bodies, and have seen footage of the rescued apologizing for being an inconvenience to the rescuers. No looting, no rioting, no chaos. Just people helping each other out." 

I watched this video that someone had taped with their phone. He was stuck in this one area surrounded by water. In the midst of that area, there was one house still standing so everyone else stuck along with him walked to that house to find shelter and warmth. The people that lived there welcomed everyone openly. They shared what little food they had AND apologized for not having more. They all sat around a fire and comforted each other.

How many times in other countries facing these disasters that the military police has to be on hand to keep looters out and control the situation? You don't see rescue workers honoring the dead as they find their bodies. You don't see people being humble for being rescued.

It has been ingrained in the Japanese culture to be civilized, to help one another and to be compassionate. They have integrity and are honest, hard working people and most would not take from others to have more. They share. They share what little they have to keep the community alive. Remember, Japan is a country that believes in Buddha.

I recall when I was young how my mother would say certain things when I acted out. Kamisama (God) will punish you if you act like that or you will get a bachi (bad Karma) if you say this. So as young kids, my friends and I learned to act a certain way, to help without being told, to be humble and grateful for what we have in our lives. Sure, we are Americans but we grew up differently than the kids, stateside.

Today on the news, the governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, told reporters that the disaster was "a punishment from heaven" because the Japanese have become so greedy. That is how they think. They overstepped their bounds and get punished for becoming so greedy.

Maybe other countries including the U.S., needs to take a page out of their book and adjust how we live in a society of greed and arrogance.

I wrote this article on Monday because of what my friend had posted and submitted it to the Japanese magazine that I guest write, from time to time. I translated it into English and posted the article on my FB Notes page and had gotten tons of feedback from almost all of my friends, either as a comment or mostly in a private messages. Some were from friends whom I grew up with and related to my story; others hadn't noticed it until it was written and wanted more clarification. And others had noticed but didn't understand how it could be. As I told them, it is just as it is supposed to be. They are Japanese. They are proud yet humble. Strong yet gentle. Dedicated and loving. That is the background I come from and I am honored to call myself Japanese, even if only half.

Here we are, a week later, the military, both Japanese and U.S. stationed there, are having problems getting into the area due to increment weather. It is freezing temps with lots of snow, making it hard for helicopters to fly as they cannot see clearly to land safely.

The stores are running out of food, yet they are placing all items 50-75%  off and know that their sales are going to be bleak this year. Everyone in Japan will have to start over. But they are doing what they can to help one another and still no police to control anything and no looters to be found anywhere. Just a lot of people that are grateful to be alive, who hope that their loved ones that they have not found are, too.

Today, a friend found an article relating to my article on CNN's website. She told me about it as she had read what I had written earlier this week. Now CNN was telling the world. Here is their story.