Profound Changes In Japanese Culture Aided by Social Media
Japanese culture traditionally values cooperation: the many over the individual. While there are certainly advantages to this, conformity and repression of individual voices are among the negative side-effects. However, social media has given Japanese youths in particular the tools to express themselves as individuals, triggering a profound change in Japan’s traditional values.
Social media has given a voice to young Japanese activists
Japan has an extraordinarily high suicide rate, particularly among the younger population. Japanese cities have also started to face economic problems, with some (like Yubari, a former mining city) declaring bankruptcy. A recent investigative report by the BBC has uncovered that more young people in Japan are turning to Twitter and other social media networks to speak their mind, and by doing so altering Japan’s rigid social structures.
Social media has also had an effect on the interaction of Japan’s government and its people
Japan’s government has traditionally tolerated little interaction between elected officials and their constituents. The lack of activism in Japanese society has also led to a lack of individual participation and dialog with government officials. Yet social media has started to change this. Initially set up to communicate with the public after the natural disasters of recent years, the Japanese PM’s social media presence has expanded dramatically in 2012-3. The prime minister’s office decided to keep these social media tools to establish a dialog with young Japanese citizens. The office now uses social media for numerous purposes.
Social media has empowered Japanese women and ethnic minorities like never before
Japan, and many other Asia-Pacific societies, are clearly dominated by men. Japan in particular has been known for having a “glass ceiling” that is quite difficult to surmount. Women in Japan are marrying later, earning more, and excelling in fields traditionally dominated by men.
So, how does social media factor into this progress? Polls have shown that more women and minorities use social media websites than the prevailing population in the United States. A similar phenomenon is occurring in Japan. Social media has allowed voices that would normally have gone unheard to find an outlet to express opinions and interests on a public platform.
Traditional communications media, especially television and radio (still hugely influential in Japan), have not been particularly adept at portraying the interests of women and minorities.
Social media has allowed women and minorities to discuss arts, culture, and news in a space that is their own. This has allowed Japanese women to connect with each other and has had a net positive effect on the country’s female employment. While women and minorities have been traditionally hushed, Twitter and Facebook has allowed them to speak without fear of censorship. Now that’s a significant change of which every company seeking business in Japan should be aware!
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About the Guest Author:
Nida Rasheed is a freelance writer and owner of an outsourcing company, Nida often finds herself wanting to write about the subjects that are closest to her heart. She lives in Islamabad, Pakistan and can be found on Twitter @nidarasheed.
