There was a panel discussion on television this morning. The participants had some credibility — much more than the usual group of comedians and cute faces. Intellectuals mainly. My wife was watching so closely she didn’t hear anything else.

They discussed recent acts of random violence in Akihabra and other places, especially the June 8 attack in Akihabara in which 3 people died and 12 were stabbed.

The discussion moved from the specific events to deeper issues in Japanese culture and society. The overall consensus was that — relatively speaking — more young people in Japan are being encouraged to develop their own ideas, thoughts, and dreams. More and more preschools and elementary schools are creating space for individuals to be unique and expressive. (Note: This is still a recent trend. Many children are still growing up in environments that primarily pressure them to perform and conform.)

A young man in Shibuya at 6am on a Saturday (after spending the night at a club)

But society is not ready for people who want to be themselves. The education system and families don’t prepare youth mentally or emotionally to move forward on their own. Even if they emerge from school with personal dreams and aspirations, they reach the working world and must jump in (ready or not) or risk being left behind.

Going back a step, as young Japanese move from preschool to elementary, junior high, and high school their education becomes increasingly narrow and confining. The purpose is to teach information and methods not to build the character or thinking skills necessary for individuals who need to stand on their own. By junior high school everyone is expected to be on the same page racing to complete the extensive curriculum and prepare for the tests that determine their futures. Some start to drop out of school for various reasons (pressure, bullying). Rather than pushing these drop-outs outside (back to school or into a job) their families hide them away in shame — indefinitely. Many of these develop into hikikomori. Then there are those who graduate from high school or university retaining some of the empowerment and dreams of their childhood, but they face the future not yet knowing who they are or what they want to do. This is acceptable in the USA and other societies that encourage individual development. Young people in the USA often work a series of jobs; and people in their 30′s and 40′s continue changing jobs and careers. This is all part of their growth and learning process. But in Japan there is enormous pressure to find a job after graduating from school and then stick with it. Companies are looking for young workers who can be molded into the image of the company. Increasing numbers of young Japanese are working part-time jobs, hoping for something better to emerge, but for many this becomes a dead-end. If they don’t start a real career in time, it’s very hard to break in later. And it’s extremely difficult to change jobs, let alone careers, once you’ve passed into your thirties.

In summary, more and more Japanese have been encouraged on a pathway toward self-discovery as children; they have been encouraged to develop their individuality and dreams; but then their personal development was cut short, and they had to lower their expectations and accept work as a role — or be isolated. A few — probably many — have anger issues. Most endure (or kill themselves), but we’re seeing that every once in awhile someone acts with deadly violence against others. An interesting fact about many of the recent perpetrators is that they chose their victims at random. They can’t say why they killed. They have very little connection to society or to themselves. (Note: In the Wikipedia article on the Akihabara killing read the paragraph about the perpetrator’s “Early life and education.”)

I’ve written this based on my wife’s recollections of the panel discussion and my own impressions. I hope to get a copy of the program from NHK and use it in Global Adventure to stimulate discussion. Then hopefully I’ll write a more in depth response.