Japan – The Basic Stuff Just Works

I relocated to Japan in February 2008 – over sixteen years ago, now. My timing was pretty good since I was able to complete my relocation before the business world decided to fall apart in the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

SIDE NOTE: Japanese pop culture has a much better term for this – Lehman Shock (リーマン?ショック). So much easier to say than “the 2008 Global Financial Crisis”.

The recent “post-lockdown” or “post-COVID” travel surge, coupled with the exchange rate, has led to a lot of first-time visitors, many who post on LinkedIn. Instagram, or other social media about how nice it was to visit. Many want to move here, want to take advantage of the digital nomad visa, or buy property.

However, based on my own experience, international relocation is complicated, expensive, and messy, so what makes Japan look so attractive? Common themes in all these social media posts are cleanliness, convenience, cost, politeness, and ease of getting around but I think there is a bigger theme: the basic stuff just works:

Basic Stuff That Works

• Taxis – Clean, available, and worry free.
• Trains – On time, frequent, and running early in the morning as well as late at night.
• Package deliveries and mail – short delivery windows, clear missed delivery notifications, and multiple ways to reschedule.
• Stores – Staffed with knowledgeable staff with high quality products.
• Restrooms – Plentiful, clean, and nice to use.

There are more examples – safe streets, nice parks, convenient busses, etc. – but they are all related to the mundane, repetitive, everyday tasks that need to be done and are done well in Japan.

Americans may take pride the historical “protestant work ethic” but that pales in comparison to the Japanese version. There is a “default” pride in quality and a pursuit of perfection from junior staff to senior leadership in most Japanese organizations. The smallest and most remote chain store will have the same quality of service as the flagship store in the heart of Tokyo.

Does Everything “Just Work”?

Not everything works so smoothly, I’m afraid. The strength of the work ethic can often lead to a fixed, formulaic behaviors. Often, there is a pre-selected, pre-approved, industry standard pattern for a particular interaction (A leads to B which leads to C, etc.) so when something unusual happens or there is a unique need, the interaction falls apart.

In Andrew Hankinson 's Now and Zen podcast, he used the example of ordering something slight off menu or customized. In America or Europe, the wait staff would come up with a way to make it happen, but a Japanese waiter would just say it is unavailable.

That rigidity in process can be noticed in many situations – banking, real estate, enterprise sales, retailing, government services etc. – which can get grating over time. The lengthy process for renewing a drivers license, the almost-legally-required half-day annual physical, and the dozens of hardcopy forms you have to fill out every month are not much fun to deal with.

Overall – Japan is a Pretty Good Place to Live

Even with all the little illogical irritations, Japan is still a place I like to live. The hot, humid, energy-draining summers are canceled out by the cool clear winters and the ease of day-to-day living cancels out most of the difficulties. Unless something big changes, I think I’ll be here for while.