Liberal Japan

Observe the following picture then answer the question that follows:

Quiz question: While driving around Japan you notice a number of cars seem to sort of hang into the opposite lane when they want to turn across it. Some call this cornering. Occasionally this is so bad, that you nearly have to stop your car or at least slow to a crawl to avoid smashing into the other car. Why does this happen?

• a. It’s a symptom of amae. Japanese motorists inevitably feel the need to press upon you with their need to turn. This is sort of their way of pleading.
• b. In Japan bullies rule because Japan is a bullying society (ijime shakai). This is, in essence, a form of intimidating the weaker driver.
• c. This is really a Japanese thing, and only by reading the appropriate kuuki will you be able to grasp why Japanese do this.
• d. Japanese and cars don’t mix.
• e. This only happens to “gaijin”.
• f. It’s because Japanese are ____________(fill in blank).
• g. Things like that never really happen in Japan because Japanese are all excellent drivers.
• h. On a subjective level, I agree it seems to happen a lot in Japan. But until we actually perform some kind of objective study comparing Japan with other countries it’s a bit premature to say it happens more often in Japan. However, assuming that it did, it might be from a variety of factors too numerous to ever really trace. The main point would be to point out the safety problems inherent in such driving and try to look at ways to increase awareness of these problems in Japan. Improved police enforcement might also be a solution.

If you answered a, b, c, d, e, or g you are EXCELLENT at Nihonjinron. However, if you answered h, then I’m sorry you will have to continue to keep working at it. Good luck.

On a serious note, I think that which makes it most difficult to drive in Japan is not having a good intuitive feeling for what the other drivers are going to do. Good or bad, habits seem different in Japan than they were where I grew up.

If you have an opinion about driving in Japan, by all means, PLEASE add a comment. Thank you.

Links:
Driving in Japan & Passing the driver’s test
Japan-Guide: Driving in Japan
The Japan Biker FAQ: general information
At Debito.org:

• Driving in Japan: getting on the wrong side of the law
• Freewheeling opinions about Japan’s Dodgy drivers
• Driving in Japan: My evidence, stats, and Flame Rebuke

Fukuzawa: Japanese driving habits
Big Daikon: Top Secret Tips for Racist Driving Test
Crazy Driving In Japan