Japan’s Culture: What they did to get to where they are

Juan José Cuervo T.

Japan’s culture is one of the most advanced in the whole world. Since the last century,
they have developed one of the best societies in history. The economy, the benefits, and
other things are described as the best of their kind. But how was this possible to achieve?
Well, Japan´s culture has impulse their society to advance to where we see them now.
The first main point and reason why Japan’s society is advanced is because its
economy. Economy can rely on many sectors and activities, but what Japan offers in the
best way are in the entertainment and technological fields. Japan is characterized in the
world because of their art. Specially the art shown in TV shows (anime) and comics
(manga). This type of art has changed the entertainment world since the last century,
giving great quantities of money to the anime and manga industries. Also, this
entertainment has moved to the next step, by jumping in the videogames market. Also,
Japan has improved a lot its economy thanks to their technology. Their inventions,
discoveries and machines have changed the world, and, in the present, Japanese brands
can be seen everywhere around the globe.
The world is not a very nice place. Bad things have conquered us, for example greed or
ecocentrism, and this can be seen in countries like Colombia, where the low empathy does
not make us advance. In Japan happens the opposite. Most of 90% of people is respectful
and collaborative. This tradition began since many centuries ago. Japan’s civilization was
under the Shogun’s commands. Here, people had to be respectful and kind with him and
his army. If somebody showed disrespect, they were killed. This respect also came earlier
from the Taoism, which stablished that way of living in “inner peace”. The reason why this
tradition is still going on is because Japanese people educate their children to have
manners. In school and in home, kids are taught to respect their seniors, places and
others. Things like cleaning their school as an ordinary activity is what makes them so
educated and nice.
Last thing why Japan is a very advance society is because their submissive standards.
Letting others to be first is something what their culture can differ from others. This, of
course, can cause bad effects, like isolation in their lives or low interaction between them.
But what is also generated is a great quantity of humility. This humility creates a great
cooperation between them and, thus, advance in their society all together.