The 'real' Japanese people, full of things we're curious about but not quite sure about.
A Japanese correspondent specializing in psychology deciphers 24 psychological codes.

"Japanese Psychology Box" is a cultural book that approaches 24 topics that people are curious about regarding the unique behavior and culture of the Japanese people from a psychological perspective.
There have been many books on Japan and the Japanese people, but none have approached the subject in such an interesting and entertaining way.
This perspective on Japanese people through 24 psychological codes, including romantic relationships, mediocrity, ongaeshi, nuisance, and the right-wing shift of the younger generation, provides a fresh perspective on interpretation and is even beneficial as it helps us delve deeper into Japanese culture.
The book is also quite enjoyable to read, as it uses the current affairs program format to present cases first, followed by interpretations and evidence.
If you get immersed in it and read it, you will find yourself nodding your head and saying, "Ah, so that's why it was like that."

The face of Japan I saw was different each time.
How should we understand their ever-changing nature? I wanted to understand the minds of "ordinary Japanese."
I wanted to study systematically, not just make arbitrary interpretations based on simple experiences.
I have read hundreds of papers and books from Japan and Korea.
As I studied, phenomena that I had previously considered completely separate became gradually connected and integrated into one.
There were times when I hit my knees in amazement, saying, "Aha~" at the realization.
--- pp.11-12

The reason Japanese people are so self-deprecating is because they have a very strong norm against publicly praising themselves.
Social psychologist Hiroshi Azuma pointed out that Japanese people tend to avoid positive things when talking about themselves and talk negatively, and they avoid boasting and showing off because they have an aggressive nature that threatens others.
Other studies have shown that Japanese people not only strongly dislike people who brag about themselves, but even view them as lacking in ability.
Japanese people often think, "He's an idiot for bragging about himself," and avoid meeting him. --- p.31

Nakama, a keyword for the younger generation in Japan, is a broader concept than the Korean word peer.
It could be a friend, it could be a comrade.
Sometimes it is used in a negative sense, such as 'gang', and is similar to the slang term 'partner' used in Korean society.
Above all, there is a strong sense of belonging to the group, a strong bond like camaraderie. In Journey to the West, the Sun Wukong, Tripitaka, Pigsy, and Sandy are typical examples of nakama relationships, as they journey together through all kinds of hardships.
(syncopation)
Columnist Suzuki analyzes that the younger generation of Japanese people dream of overcoming the difficulties of the world together with their close-knit group of friends, like those in the manga "One Piece."
And he cheers them on, saying that in an era where the myth of lifetime employment has collapsed and the Gundam generation's values ​​of relying on organizational hierarchy are no longer valid, the rebellion of the One Piece generation, which aims for an equal and horizontal society, must succeed for Japan's bleak future to change.
--- pp.37-38

Japanese scholars explain this psychology as the so-called 'creditor personality.'
Social psychologists Greenberg and Westcott classified people into "creditor personality" and "qualifier personality" based on their reciprocal tendencies, and it was found that many Japanese people have the creditor personality type.
This type of person finds it burdensome to receive help, so it would be more comfortable for them to become a helping creditor.
They believe in the reciprocal norm of giving back as much as they receive, and are sensitive to being indebted, so they feel a great sense of psychological debt.
So when they receive help, they want to pay off the psychological debt as quickly as possible because of the feeling of indebtedness.


Scholars point out that a kind of maternal myth that places the responsibility for childcare on mothers is strongly entrenched in Japanese society.
This is a typical example of so-called "single-parenting," where the mother alone bears infinite responsibility and is criticized. Eiko Tabusa, author of "Moms Are Human Too" (not published in Korea), likened Japanese mothers to "marionette" puppets.
As soon as they are born, they are inseparable from their newborn and are considered “inorganic creatures without desires, thoughts, or individuality.”
Because patience and perseverance are the ideal of a 'good mother', you have to sacrifice and give up everything.
He criticizes it as “a human rights issue.”
While such perceptions still remain strong in our society, they feel much more entrenched and deeply rooted in Japanese society.
--- pp.190-191

Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the declaration "It's not post-war, it's post-disaster" has become a fad in Japan. In a 2014 NHK survey titled "Japanese People's Views of the 70 Years of Postwar Life," the Great East Japan Earthquake was cited most frequently as the event that had the greatest impact on post-war Japanese society.
(syncopation)
Aggression also increased to relieve anxiety.
One study found an increase in the use of derogatory or dismissive words online, as well as a significant increase in comments and blog posts containing emotional anger or arguments.
He also points out that there has been a significant increase in the number of Japanese people filing complaints, or "claims," ​​with various public institutions such as TV stations and government agencies.
This was not a typical Japanese behavior of suppressing discontent, and was interpreted as an aggression never seen before.
--- pp.287-288

--- p.161