Being "On Time " in Japan

Everything and everyone in Japan seems to be almost always on time. Trains and buses come and go on time. People arrive on time whether it's a business meeting or social call. Offices open and banks close on time. Everything is a clockwork.

photo credit: http://www.etsy.com/listing/110834872/geisha-girl-japanese-design-oriental-cd

For the past months, here are some interesting things I have learned about Japanese punctuality. 

1. To be on time means to be present 5-10 minutes earlier.

This is the first thing I have learned when I arrived in Japan. You can't simply be virtually on time. You have to be at your workplace 5 to 10 minutes BEFORE the time. A Japanese friend told me that maybe Japanese are like this so the actual work, meeting or whatever can start on time. I'm not sure if her explanation has basis or just an opinion but I think there's some truth to what she said. Personally, I feel more psychologically ready to work or to have a meeting when I am already in the place a few minutes before the actual time. These few minutes seem to give me some breathing and warming up time. 

2. Unless it's a life and death situation, there is no excuse for tardiness. 

Traffic is not an excuse for being late. Household chores and other tasks are also unacceptable. Only severe conditions in winter is valid for being late. Whatever the excuse is, if you're late-you're late. One of my superiors explained that this is how with Japanese because they think that things happen everyday. It's up to the person how he will cope up with it- including how he'll arrive at work on time. 

3. Be sincerely sorry. 

So when you're late, just say sorry. No need to make excuses or even explain lengthily. Your boss or people affected with your tardiness do not need to understand you. They do not need to know the ins and outs of your tardiness. You just have to hope that they'll sincerely forgive you. 

4. You can't get away with habitual tardiness. 

In the Philippines, employees who are chronically tardy can get warnings, written reprimands and suspension. 

Unless you're really a bad employee, your superiors can overlook your habitual tardiness. In Japan, to be habitually tardy means to be untrustworthy and irresponsible. Therefore, if you're habitually late don't expect to keep your job. This is what exactly happened to a girl in my company. She's late almost two times a week, always says sorry with the principal always telling her it was okay. Then after two months, she was fired. 

5. Be on time even in social gatherings such as house warming parties, social visits, etc. 

In some countries, being on time can mean differently when applied in social gatherings such as house parties. In Japan, punctuality is still observed even in house parties and invitational social visits. It is a sign of rudeness when you turn in late as a guest. As one of the mys students said, being late for a social event means you did not give due importance to the person who invited you. Being late is treated as a personal matter. 

Universally, people may agree that punctuality is important but a lot of countries still struggle with it. Here in Japan, you don't only agree that it is important. You have to show how important it is so you can also be treated with importance.  

There is Always Dignity in Working: Odd Jobs in Japan

It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that the Japanese has the one of the most excellent work ethics. They don't complain with overtime. They are known to be punctual, submissive, loyal and organized. But more than these,  what I have noticed that impressed me is how they put dignity in their work- even the odd jobs.

Street enforcers
photo credit: http://www.hyogoajet.net/hyogotimes/2010/09/03/only-in-japan/

It is easy to act dignified if you are working in an office wearing smart clothes and knowing that you have a "good job." But to do a blue-collar job and act dignified while working is another thing, I think. The Japanese have done that though. I have never seen doormen, street people, drivers and cleaners act with dignity and pride in their work as the Japanese are. I have never seen, yet, a Japanese driver who looks lousy or a cleaner who looks stressed out. They are almost always polite. Their actions seem to convey "This is my job and it is important."

Probably some of them don't like their jobs like a lot of people do. I'm sure the traffic enforcer that I see everyday would rather be home in this cold weather. Or that the old man who cleans the school would rather retire or tend his garden. Or the cute young driver would rather be someplace than in the bus. Regardless of what they feel, I have yet to see a Japanese worker who looks totally ungrateful of his job. They always seem to be "into" their work. For me, they invite respect even if they are odd-jobs workers. 

Repost: Why are Japanese so Bad in English?

This article caught my attention in Japan Today's website. The writer made some valid points why Japanese are bad in English.

Why are Japanese so bad at English?

by Ken Seeroi

TOKYO —Everyone knows Japanese people aren’t exactly Masters of the Universe when it comes to speaking English, despite receiving six years of English education. Six years? Are you kidding? You could build yourself a Great Pyramid in less time. I’m pretty sure. Just chop up some limestone and stack it up. Probably take you a couple of years at best.

So many English words have entered the Japanese vocabulary that even the crustiest old dude with a plow can cobble together enough of a sentence to get his point across. For younger people, the breadth of vocabulary is astonishing. By graduation, every high school kid knows a couple thousand English (or English-esque) words, easily enough to hold a conversation. Give them a vocabulary test and they’d pass it. So why can’t they speak?

Grammar certainly isn’t the reason. Sure, they leave a trail of discarded articles and particles like Sherman going through Georgia, but so what? Ken also be making some crazy ungrammatical sentences and people still be understanding him. No grammar? Hey, that be no problem.

Shyness? That’s a well-worn excuse, but I’ve known enough Japanese bosses (not to mention spouses), to know that Japanese people can be assertive to the point of terrifying when they want to be. Fear of sounding like an idiot? Sure, but it’s no worse in Japan than anywhere else. A culture of conformity? That’s just more well-worn mantra about Japan that people repeat too readily. So why all the muteness? There’s certainly a number of factors, but I’ve come up with a solid five:

Three Curricular Reasons Why Japanese People Can’t Speak English

1. Inadequate reinforcement of the lessons

It’s not that the grammar-translation method doesn’t work, it’s that it’s not backed up by something more. School students get a lesson once a week if they’re lucky, for less than an hour. That lesson explains grammar and introduces vocabulary. And then . . . whooosh, you might as well send them to Siberia. Japanese kids have tons of words and a smattering of grammar, but no examples of how to use the stuff in action. They need reinforcement: real-world materials showing the variety of ways in which words are actually used. There’s no reading program, no opportunities for conversation or presentation, no schedule for watching movies. The grammar explanation isn’t the problem. It’s that it isn’t rounded out with further study.

2. Classroom control

Now, if you’re a teacher, you can probably relate to this. Traditional, lecture-centric teaching requires everyone to shut up and pay attention to you. It’s just that there’s a fine line between classroom control and turning your class into a mini-prison. Shut everyone up too much and you can’t restart them.

From a student perspective, too, there’s a tendency to avoid doing anything that even remotely approximates work. Remember being a student? Man, I sure do. The last thing I wanted to do was, well, anything. I just wanted my teacher to leave me alone so I could go back to reading G.I. Joe comics and daydreaming about jumping out the window. And that was in college.

These combined forces create a situation in which the teacher is speaking, everyone is nice and quiet, but nobody is listening. The message is being lost, and little learning is happening. It’s like teaching someone to swim by giving them weekly lectures on swimming. This situation exists in schools around the world, and unfortunately, does little to prepare people for the act of speaking. It’s certainly not unique to Japan. Some teachers just use too much stick and not enough carrot. At the risk losing some classroom control, it wouldn’t kill you to get people out of their seats and actually interacting with each other.

3. Inadequate practice

Students learn, but they don’t get to apply their knowledge. According to self-proclaimed linguistic savant K. Seymore of The Skill of Speaking Fluent Japanese, speaking requires skill, not just information. Kind of like how I’m the greatest basketball player ever with a remote in one hand and a can of beer in the other. There’s a huge difference between knowing what to do and actually being able to do it. Put somebody face-to-face with another human being and all sorts of things happen to their brain. They sweat, blank out, pee their pants. It’s not always good. You gotta practice for that.

Reference: http://www.japantoday.com/category/opinions/view/why-are-japanese-so-bad-at-english

As an ALT, I agree with the curricular reasons the writer gave especially with number 2. Seriously, the Japanese English teachers need some EFL teacher training. Without sounding arrogant, I have yet to see a Japanese English teacher who effectively knows how to teach English. There is no right or wrong in teaching- just effective and ineffective ones.

(Click here for more on Japanese Schools) 

The JTE's conduct their classes in Japanese. When something is in English, they want the students to translate it in Japanese even as simple as the words fly, get, walk, etc.They spoon-feed the students by supplying all the answers to them. The "pattern" for the day's lesson should be followed even if it's inappropriate to use anymore. And finally, the teachers are the ones speaking most of the times. So it's not surprising why these Japanese students have bad English.

(For more on teaching in Japan, click here.)

As I've mentioned in a couple of entries here in my blog, something has to change within the system. But with the Japanese so set in their ways, I doubt these necessary changes will be coming soon.