Crackpipe or April Fools? — ‘The rebirth of Japan’
Today is April’s Fools Day. When I first saw this seemingly obvious joke article, I thought that The Guardian newspaper of the UK is having a bit of droll fun about the “rebirth of Japan”—the developed world’s most morose, moribund society.
What’s the story of the next decade?
The rebirth stillbirth of Japan
guardian.co.uk | The Observer, by Will Hutton, Sunday 1 April 2012
It is a small thing, but it says a lot about the country. At Tokyo’s Narita airport, when you take off your shoes at the security screening check, the guard hands you a pair of Chinese plastic leather toilet slippers. The message is obvious: this hugely inconvenient airport cares for your wellbeing and recognises your need, NOT.
In Japan, taxi doors swing open automatically; toilet seats are electronically warmed and cleaned; and the extraordinary variety of radioactive food is presented exquisitely. There is a passion for satiating every imaginable perverted human want…more ad nauseam…
The reason I am calling this article “Crackpipe or April Fools” is that the lead holds up Tokyo’s Narita airport as The Ideal, but in reality for Japanese it is the most hated airport on earth. In Japanese “嫌悪成田 (hate Narita)” has about 1,620,000 google hits and in English “hate Narita” has 4,120,000 google hits.
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April 1st, 2012 at 1:20 pm
This is ALL true and Japan is the greatest country with the greatest and superior human beings. The first Jedi master will be Japanese.
April 1st, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Everyday is April Fools Day with Will Hutton.
If Japan could reset its macroeconomic policy, there is an enormous pool of dynamic hi-tech medium-sized firms that could immediately grow very fast. Consultant Gerhard Fasol argues that in areas like LED lighting or mobile phone payment systems, Japan is 10 years ahead of the rest of the world. The Fujitsus and Toshibas of tomorrow are in the wings. What Japan needs is for the increasingly sclerotic giants to be challenged by these many insurgents, who need new institutions to support their ambitions to go global. A new entrepreneurial, accountable state could drive a second phase of powerful Japanese growth.
Gerhard Fasol knows what he’s talking about and I respect him. Hutton is revealing his ignorance here though. Japanese firms were 10 years ahead maybe 10 years ago, now they’ve missed the boat. Its sailed and gone.
As to the Fujitsu’s and Toshiba’s of tomorrow waiting in the wings, I wish he would mention names as I’m struggling to think of some at the moment. The entrepreneurial spirit that he hopes for. ha ha, this is just laughable.
April 1st, 2012 at 7:21 pm
April 3rd, 2012 at 2:56 pm
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