Japanese see disaster as opportunity for broad change

[Bonobo]

By Don Lee and Julie Makinen, Los Angeles Times
April 11, 2011

One by one, members of Japan's heartthrob pop band SMAP make their pitch: "You are not alone," says one. "Let's help each other," beckons another. Then comes the final exhortation from celebrity Tortoise Matsumoto: "Believe in Japan's strength!"

Before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Japan had been floundering from two decades of economic malaise, political gridlock and such entrenched social problems as a shrinking population and dispirited youths. Now, many hope the catastrophe will be a catalyst that will turn around the nation and give it a rebirth.

As the economy has languished, many graduates of even top-flight institutions have had to settle for temporary work. Beaten down, scholars say, many young adults have turned inward or timid, so much so that Japanese have coined terms to describe this condition: hikikomori, social withdrawal; soushoku danshi, literally, herbivore men.

"We were headed in a bad direction before the disaster," Imaizumi said. "Even then everyone thought we needed to change the direction of the system. This is a good opportunity to do that.

More at http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-japan-rebuild-20110411,0,9144.story

[Ghost Dog]

1. I've been encouraged to see young people in Japan,

as interviewed by and prominently reported in Spanish press, saying, essentially, "We used to take so much for granted. Now we have to rebuild and to learn to live more efficiently, using much less energy."