As the World Gets Smaller the Groups Get Closer:

Japans Cultural Maintenance of its Group Mentality

Dr. Takahashi
JAPN 306
12/10/14
By Karina Koagedal

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Table of Contents
Introduction.p.1
Thesis..p.1-2

Implications of Japans Cultural Maintenance of the Group

Group Mentality Maintained Through Business. p.2-5

Paid Holidays and Uchi-Soto Pressure

Nomikai Implications of Giri and Uchi-Soto
Cultural Maintenance of the Group in the Work Place Physically
Implications for the U.S. of the Japanese Business Worlds Group Mentality

Group Mentality Maintained Through School p.5-9

Clubs and Circles Create Uchi to Soto

Schools Festivals and the Implications for the Group
Local Community and Group Connection
The Ritualistic Practice of Classroom Clean up and Bowing Culture
American Teachers VS Japanese Teachers
Lessons for the U.S. via Student Empowerment

Group Mentality Maintained Through Media. p.9-11

Summer Wars
Same Boat Mentality Breeds the Group Mentality
Consequences of Being Soto

Conclusion p.12-13
References. p.13
INTRODUCTION
Stereotypes exist for a reason. They are not always wrong or carry a terrible meaning. It
is a stereotype that the Japanese are good a school. This stereotype can be explained and exists
due to simple statistics; CBS News (2010) states compared to the 75% U.S. high-school

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graduation rate Japan has a 90% graduation rate. From this example it can be seen that Japan
is doing something right in terms of its education. That something right can be explained and
proven many different ways but the group mentality is the common denominator through out.
The rest of the world in particular in the U.S. could learn from Japan and its cultural maintenance
of the group mentality also called the herd instinct. Group mentality or the herd instinct is
defined by Merriam-webster.com as, A theoretical human instinct toward gregariousness and
conformity. While the definition may be simple the cultural implications for the future are much
greater.
THESIS
The Japanese mind can be defined by many concepts however the concepts that maintain
the strong group mentality throughout Japan are keys to its success and partially its failure in the
new globalized world. Some concepts that strengthen Japans group mentality include ringisho,
nemawashi, and uchi to soto. They can be seen through out Japans business, media-art and
socio-cultural worlds. I define cultural maintenance as the steps a culture of people take
consciously or not to keep aspects of their culture alive white make it unique and in the 21st
Century. This cultural maintenance of the group can be specifically seen within Japanese
business, school life, and current pop-culture media such as anime and manga.
Implications of Japans Cultural Maintenance of the Group
Through an examination of Japans cultural maintenance of its group mentality one will
be able to see the positive and negative impacts it could have an other nation and culture. The
rest of the world in, particular in the U.S., could learn from the cultural maintenance of the group
mentality, specifically the positive and negative angles of this maintenance. Through the
continuous use of ringisho, nemawashi, and uchi to soto concepts not only make Japan a major

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global competitor but also could assist other nations in rising to the top of the ever-changing
global landscape.
GROUP MENTAILTY MAINTANED THROUGH BUSINESS
The salary man is a common stereotype of contemporary Japan. A salary man is
essentially a Japanese-business man whose salary is paid by a corporation. He is a workaholic
and his job matters more than his family because he is trying to provide a stable middle-class life
style. This stereotype is still prevalent today; it can be seen in the media world of Japan,
specifically anime and manga. One example is Salary man Kintar, a manga and anime series
based on the life of a Japanese businessman. Still, the salary man is not always the main
character in anime or manga, he can been seen as a sub-character as well, such as in Marmalade
Boy where the four parents all fit that salary-man roll, because they all work at corporations ,
dress to the stereotype and leave their kids to their own devices. This stereotype is not only
within Japan but it is in the U.S. as well commonly called the whitecollar business man, who is
never home and is also a workaholic. While the salary-man exists elsewhere, within Japan this
stereotype dives deeper into the maintenance of the group mentality of Japan with the business
world.
Paid Holidays and Uchi-Soto Pressure
The salary man is not ignoring his family for monetary reasons; there is a group pressure
on employees that can be felt throughout Japan. This group pressure can be seen through out the
work force in particular surrounding opinions about taking days off or taking paid holidays. Peter
Barakan from Begin Japanology (2011) states, Japanese workers rarely take their allotted paid
holidays He goes further to into detail stating that corporations and the government are
pushing their workers to take days off to increase domestic tourism and boost the economy,

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while in America everyone takes their paid holidays with vigor. This reluctance of Japanese
workers to take days off, lies within the pressure of the uchi-soto groups within Japanese
companies. Mr. Barakan (2011) later interviews one worker who states that he does not take his
holidays off because his co-workers do not do the same and he would worry about what they
would think about him, if he did take them off. Japanese workers want to maintain their uchi
group or their inside group. This is the relationship they have with all of their co-workers in their
company. They do not want to inconvenience their co-workers and upset the group harmony by
taking days off. Not taking holidays off is direct evidence of the pressure the uchi group or inside
group of a company puts on their workers and the workers maintain this cultural nuance.

Nomikai Implications of Giri and Uchi-Soto

The maintenance of the group mentality can be seen in other places within the Japanese
business world. In particular with the nomkai or after work social events and other giri or
obligatory events. A common stereotype of Japan is the Japanese people drink too much. One
example of this stereotype in media travels over seas to the U.S. It involves articles about capsule
hotels that house drunk business men and women who missed the last train and because they
drank to much with their co-workers and they need somewhere to stay before work the next
morning. This stereotype exists because the nomkai or the after work drinking and eating social
events are common to Japanese companies. These are giri events or obligatory events maintain
the group mentality of Japan. Jon Alston and Isao Takei (2005) state that people go to these
events to get to know whom they are working with (p.61). They are their to maintain the uchi or
inside group relationship between their co-workers and bosses. These nomikai are essential
because in Japan is it a common belief that a little alcohol gets the tough rolling and you can

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truly begin to connect with people equal footing at these events. Nomikai facilitate the uchi to
soto concept thus continuing the group mentality within the Japanese workplace.

Cultural Maintenance of the Group in the Work Place Physically

Cultural maintenance of the group can also be seen with the workplace physically. As Jon
Alston and Isao Takei (2005) said there is no private space in a Japanese company (p. 135-136).
Personal cubicles, like in the U.S., are not common and or non-existent. This exemplifies a
cultural tenet in the Japanese the work place. The company office belongs to everyone and must
be shared. One must share each others airspace and workspace. This allows for stronger group
dynamics because one is unable to hide in their cubicle being unproductive because the eyes of
their coworkers and bosses are literally on them all the time. Another aspect of cultural
maintenance of the group within the Japanese business world can be seen in the practice of
nemawashi and ringisho. Both of these practices are done for the good of the group so when the
big meeting happens and big decisions are made there is no conflict and group harmony is
achieved. Nemawashi or the pre-planning is where all the comprising and comunication happens.
It is essential to maintaining the group harmony within business (Alston & Takei, 2005, p.93).
Ringisho gets ideas, compromise, and understanding from the bottom employees up to the top
ones in the company, so everyone is on board. It allows the companies to have lower level
employees take initiative for the good of the group (Alston & Takei, 2005, p.77-78)

Implications for the U.S. of the Japanese Business Worlds Group Mentality

While many of these cultural maintenance practices in Japan that keep the group
mentality relevant to the Japanese, many are negative. For example on a individual level such as

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not taking days off to be with ones family, spending too much time after work with co-workers,
or worrying about the status of ones uchi-soto group. There is something that the U.S. can take
away from this. Japan is one the worlds leading business countries and it is through this
dedication to the group that Japanese workers have elevated their place in the competitive global
landscape. Some aspects of the group should be explored in other countries.

GROUP MENTAILTY MAINTAINED THROUGH SCHOOL

While business is important for putting Japan on the map world-wide. The future citizens
of Japan, as in the current students, are even more essential to Japans success. A cultural
maintenance the group mentality is not simply shoved into a culture. One cannot force the group
to be maintained, it must be fostered over time. Young people spend most of their time in school,
and Japans school environment is where this innate desire to keep the group is most readily
learned and fostered.

Clubs and Circles Create Uchi to Soto

In Japan clubs and their less formal counter parts, circles, are school organizations that
allow students to explore their interests outside of academia with their peers. Mr. Varela(2007)
whowrotehisdissertationonJapaneseschoollifestates,For many, student clubs and circles
create the social nexus around which their longest-lasting friendships will be formed. (p.2).
These groups and friendships are an example of the strong uchi group, that is essential to young
Japanese students as they mature. Clubs and circles not only create a strong uchi friendship
group, based on common interests, they also continue the group mentality via school trips and
entering into tournaments. (Valera, 2007, p.2). This branch off the main group activity is where a
strong group mentality is fostered. These trips take the students out of their comfort zone of

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where their clubs usually meet and challenge them to keep the connection with each other in a
new environment.
Schools Festivals and the Implications for the Group
School festivals carry a heavy weight for the maintenance of group mentality in Japan.
Part of that is in the money states Mr. Valera (2007),Clubs and circles often require a large sum
of money to participate and while many students get part-time jobs just to participate in the these
activities, much of the money is invested in and comes from the school festivals (p.2). Japans
school festivals are basically a giant fundraiser for the clubs and other student organizations
associated with the school. Students are dedicated to the clubs and school. This is an example of
the cultural maintenance of the group because it shows a dedication to the group which in this
case is the whole student body and their dedication to their clubs. Still, the funds are not the most
essential part of the school festivals. The key here is in the community and the students who
group together and participate in these festivals.
Local Community and Group Connection
Not only do the students who put on the school festivals during high school through
college get all of their student body involved, they also get the local surrounding community
involved as well. This can bee seen in the case study of North-sea Universitys school festival
planning committee in where they got local businesses frequented by students involved with
their advertising via asking them to post fliers about their up and coming festival (Valera, 2007,
p.9). Also talks with the local community council have been tried in the past as well as reaching
out to the local high schools to put up advertisements (Valera, 2007, p.9). This shows not only
how strong the group culture is in Japan but also the importance of the local community and

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expanding the groups sphere of influence. School festivals touch everybody, the students who
put them on, the businesss who advertise them and the community as a whole who participates
in them. They all work together to create a stronger community. The cycle is repeated year after
year, in school after school, affecting generation after generation. School festivals are just one
example of the cultural maintenance of the group mentality in Japan.
The Ritualistic Practice of Classroom Clean up and Bowing Culture
While school festivals are an important tenet of the cultural maintenance of the group
mentality there are other aspects of this within the Japanese school system. Gakko Soji or
cleaning that is done by students is a concept that is in the Japanese school system. Shojiro
Nakanishi (1997) who wrote a dissertation on this topic states that The origins of this concept
stem back to the Buddhist purification process and in contemporary Japan. Gakko Soji gives
students a sense of duty to their community.(p.1) Cleaning up the school as a student with your
peers teaches one to cooperate and gives them a sense of duty to the school. This is an example
of the cultural maintenance of the group mentality through a ritualistic practice of Gakko Soji.
Gakko Soji is a continuous and ritualistic practice. Constant practices of cultural
maintenance foster a lifelong practice. There are other ritualistic practices that achieve this
cultural maintenance. Bowing culture is another example within the Japanese school system.
Bowing culture in the Japanese school system is ritualistic because at the beginning of a lesson in
elementary school students learn to stand, bow and sit back down together. The Japanese ritual
goes Kiritsureichyakasuki. Students do this all in unison. Marcia Baris-Sanders (1997)
states, that this is common at the beginning of each class he taught (p.1). This repetitive practice
fosters strong group mentality because the action is done together all at once. Still, bowing daily
is but one of many practices in the Japanese school system that continues the group mentality.

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American Teachers VS Japanese Teachers
There are other practices that continue the group mentality in Japans schools. This can be
seen in the teachers. Analyzing the differences between American teaches and Japanese teachers
can exemplify the group mentality in Japan. Discipline is handled differently in Japan than in
America. The common image in America involves scary principals punishing the children. Also,
the teachers classrooms are seen as scared ground, thus are to be respected by students and not
over run with noise and disruptions. This can be seen in common media representations in the
U.S. such as iCarly, where the school administration and teachers are strict and unforgiving in
their rules and expectations of their unruly students. The motif of a scary principal or strict
teacher is common in American media because it is common in American schools. From a
personal perspective, I remember as a junior high school student being terrified of our vice
principal and feeling like classrooms were places to be utterly respected or face the wrath of our
teachers. Marcia BarisSanders(1997)perspectiveonJapaneseschoolsontheotherhandshows
thattheteachershaveacloserelationshipwiththecommunityandtheirstudents(p.1).
DisciplineishandleddifferentlyinJapan.Studentsshouldnotmessupbecausetheyareall
expectedtogettheirworkdoneforthegoodofthegroup.Iftheydomakeamistakeup,during
theyearlymeetingwheretheteachervisitstheirhomeiswheredisciplinewilloccuratthehand
oftheirparents(BarisSander,1997p.1).Thiscloseconnectionbetweenteacherandparents
createsastronggroupmentalitywithinthecommunitywhenitcomestoraisinggoodmoral
citizensofJapan.Otherprosofthegroupmentalityleadtotheempowermentofstudentsstates
Marcia BarisSanders(1997),In using group activities for learning, cooperative student effort
for school events, and peer pressure for classroom discipline, Japanese teachers involve and
empower their students. (p.1) Empowering students empowers the future citizens of Japan and

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this will lead Japan to a stronger global force in the long run. A tight-knit local community leads
to tight-knit country.
Lessons for the U.S. via Student Empowerment
This empowerment is of students is a lesson for America. We have many issues with our
school system. Too many to cover in this short paper but taking hints from what is working in
other countries could really help us. Because of Japans dedication to empowering their students
enjoy school more. Marcia BarisSanders(1997)statesthattheydropoutrateinAmericais
25% overall and about 50% in urban areas and in Japan it is 10.3% (p.1) Students in Japan are
staying in school because they enjoy school and the group mentality that is fostered there. This is
a lesson that they U.S. could really benefit from. Also the group consensus that can be seen in the
cleaning ritual I think could really help with the cooperation aspect of American schools. It could
help students feel a sense of responsibility for their school and become more involved with their
classroom. Thus they would be learning that the classroom it is not sacred place to be looked at
from afar, but a place for true work to get done and it is to be taken care of. Still, this would put a
lot of janitors out of work, but the benefits for U.S. school children could be great
developmentally wise. One the other hand while bowing culture would not be so readily adapted
to American schools. Still, some sort of a starting and ending ritual, in the past the pledge of
alliance, I think would give American students and sense of completion to their studies. Thus
they would feel less like cattle beginning moved from classroom to classroom by a bell ringing
system. They could take pride the completion of their lessons via the staring and ending ritual.
GROUP MENTAILTY MAINTAINED THROUGH MEDIA
A common theme through out this essay has been how the media has portrayed relevant
cultural motifs and stereotypes both in America and Japan. Too some extent the media

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represents how we see ourselves and how we want the world to see us. The vision of how we
want to world to see us leads me to analyze how Japan wants the world to see it in this modern
age. Japan wants to be seen as a cohesive group working to better humanity. The group vision is
the main desire. The case study of the recent contemporary film, Summer Wars, that has gained
popularity in Japan and America is influencing how American sees Japan and how Japan wants
to be seen.
Summer Wars
This this case study is important because it has been a popular film. Popular films gain
credibility and notoriety and thus are cataloged in a nations psyche a perception of another
nation. Jonathan E. Abels review of Summer Wars shows the plot theme of the group mentality.
In the end, .the extended family and the extended Internet society must work together to
overcome the virus This working together aspect was threaded throughout the main plot and
conflict and in the end the strong group mentality of the family and the virtual world brought
down the villain. They all had to use their set of specialized skills together to succeed. The group
mentality is also shown in the strong matriarchal character of the grandma who leads the family
into battle. She can be seen reaching out to her different networks through snail mail and
continuing the idea that, by having a connection to your community or your uchi group, can save
you in a pinch. Thus, by being connected to the group one can succeed in life and triumph over
evil.
Same Boat Mentality Breeds the Group Mentality
Jonathan E. Abel continues to says this film has were all in the same boat
sentiments. This film carries that group mentality sentiment to completion via the setting of the
big family reunion and the virtual world of OZ. Everyone is involved in the family reunion and

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has a part to play within the group. Therefore, when the conflict arises during the family reunion
it touches everyone because everyone has a stake in the family. Also everyone in OZ, globally, is
affected by the conflict that arises in OZ.
Consequences of Being Soto
The main theme of the film then could be said is the group will save the day, and dont
ever get to disconnected from the group or bad things will happen. An example of a bad thing
that could happen can be seen in the long-lost cousin Wabisuke who as Jonathan E. Abel
describes has, lost his moral compass while studying abroad in America. He was separated
from the group too long and the individualistic culture of America made him make decisions that
eventually hurt the group and he was cast out into soto or the outsider group. He is made an
example of in the movie of what happen to someone how does not go with the group. Overall,
Summers Wars is just one example of how media culturally maintains the group mentality in
Japan and how that it exported to the rest of the world as the image of Japan.
Media Exportation and the Implications for the U.S.
What this means for America is the fact that we too export media to the rest of the world
and should be cautious of the image we want to send about our culture and people. Too strong
an image only propagates more stereotypes that may or may not be true. Thus media exportation
from a country has an impact how the world sees said country. Stronger evidence of this can
been seen in the news. However, popular media that is none-news related, has a more
subconscious message that I think lingers longer and has a stronger impact on how a country
views another country.
CONCLUSION

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Japan has a lot of stereotypes surrounding it. Still, these stereotypes and how the media
exports them could have a strong impact on how the world sees Japan. America too can learn
from Japan and how it internalizes its stereotypes culturally. Yet it is no surprise that some of
these stereotypes have strong cultural ties that continue today. Group mentality or strong group
orientation is a common stereotype yet Japan seems to do a cultural maintenance of this
stereotype and continue it in contemporary society. It can be seen that Japans cultural
maintenance of the group mentality it has had positive and negative outcomes. Many of the
positive outcomes can be seen in the school system. Students gain a sense of community and
belonging thus they drop out less. Yet many negative aspects exist as well. The business world is
where they most readily exist. The dedication to ones uchi group in the work place allots for a
lot of pressure on employees and continues the stereotype that Japanese workers are overworked.
It also continues that stereotype that Japanese workers do not spend enough time with their
families because of this group pressure and other obligations to continue the group cohesiveness
such a nomkai.
It is interesting that Japans cultural maintenance the group mentality is strong from
childhood until adulthood, yet the positive aspects wane as one gets older and the pressures of
the group get wider and stronger. This trend in the Japanese mind I believe could help the U.S.
to see where its cultural trends are. It also exemplifies how these trends should or should not be
maintained for the future. A cultural exchange of the common trends through many cultures
could aid the world in an understanding of people and how they work within a culture. Also how
that culture should evolve for the future as the world gets smaller and people become more
complicated.

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References
Abel, J. E. (n.d.). Jonathan E. Abel review of Summer Wars by Hosoda Mamoru. Retrieved
December 10, 2014, from http://mechademia.org/reviews/ jonathan-e-abel-review-ofsummer-wars-by-hosoda-mamoru/
Alston, J. P., & Isao, T. (2005). Japanese business culture and practices a guide to twenty-first
century Japanese business. Lincoln: IUniverse.
Baris-Sanders, M. (1997). Cooperative education: Lessons from japan. The Phi Delta Kappan,
78(8), 619-623.
CBS News. (2010, September 14). other nations outclass U.S. on education [Video file].
Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/other-nations-outclass-us-on-education/
Field, S. , & Labbo, L. (1998). Stepping into elementary schools in japan. Social Studies and the
Young Learner, 10(3), 6.
Herd instinct. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/herd%20instinct

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Nakanishi, S. (1997). Gakko Soji (School Cleaning by Students): The Japanese Curriculum for
Socialization. n.p.: ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing.
Varela, A. (2007). Ritual and Social Change: A Japanese Example University School Festivals.
n.p.: ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing.
Yudhistira, D. E. (2011, December 1). BEGIN Japanology holidays [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O7FtM2Xwyw