Urbanization: Tokyo- Urbanization solves all problems?

If Singapore was “extraordinary” (the term associated with it since it gained independence), I believe Japan, or more explicitly Tokyo, would be a “miracle” after World War Two. Japan was transformed into an economic superpower, second to the America, after the war. It was touted as the safest country with the lowest crime rates as compared to other industrialized nations, and Tokyo was considered relatively safe. It has one of the world’s fastest mode of transport- the bullet train. It is one of the leading countries in technology, games, manga, music and movies, and continuously exports its own culture via these means. Many attributed these successes to the policies implemented to General Macarthur, who was in charge of rebuilding Japan after the war. However, being skeptical, I doubt that Japan is so perfect and flawless. Hence, I’ll be looking at the pressing implications of urbanization on Japan’s megacity, Tokyo.

A capitalist market often comes along with urbanization. The market has no doubt done exceedingly well for Tokyo, transforming Japan into an economic superpower. However it contributed to the high suicide rates due to stress too. The Health Ministry report said 81 people committed suicide or tried to commit suicide because of stress at work in fiscal year 2007. Some of the workers had worked about 160 hours of overtime a month, it said. A typical work week in Japan is 40 hours. Fewer than half of workers take their paid annual leave; there is a mountainous 7.2 billion yen of unpaid overtime; paternity leave remains frowned upon; 41 per cent get less than six hours sleep; and working yourself to death is so ingrained that it is recognized by the courts and honored with a special word, karoshi. Worse, many Japanese regard suicide as a show of sincerity to expiate their shortcomings, and view it as an act that would restore honor (this partly arises from the samurai spirit and culture too) to their name, their family, or organization. Teenagers are not excluded from this too. Recently a 14 year old killed herself by mixing laundry detergent and cleaning fluids, releasing noxious fumes into the air and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people from their homes. Teenagers commit suicides due to the competition to get into the prestigious University of Tokyo or largely because they were being bullied by classmates. Observers say the youngsters may have been taking their cues from the adults, since there is no “wrong” for the adults to commit suicide.

Tokyo is characterized by high costs of living and turning into “MacWorld” too- the teenagers are unduly concerned about acquiring branded stuffs like Gucci, Armani, Mac cosmetics and more. Prostitution has a benefit to young women. With just the sacrifice of their body and without much excessive labor, they can make a great amount of money. A young girl working behind the counters at a fast-food restaurant would make about seven or eight hundred yen an hour. In comparison, she could earn 40 to 50 times that amount by having sex, or even by just spending time, with an older man (Schreiber 84). The money is a significant appeal. Girls brought into police custody from a 1994 police round-up of several date clubs said, "they were not poverty-stricken, but wanted the money to buy expensive clothes" (Moffett, "Strange Moves" 30). In Japan, sex and sexual relations are not viewed as moral issues as they often are in the Western countries and in the United States in particular. Japanese have traditionally viewed sexual relations as a natural phenomenon, "like eating, to be enjoyed in its proper place" (Morrison 1). Thus, prostitution is widely accepted as a natural component and even a necessity in society. This "acceptance" of prostitution in Japanese society can be observed in their very relaxed laws against sex with children and prostitution, which says that it is legal in Tokyo for men to have sex with children as young as the age of twelve. Similarly, under an Antiprostitution Law in Japan, prostitution is deemed illegal, but in effect it is permitted to exist so long as authorities can control it (Morrison 3).

In all, it can be seen that suicide and teenage prostitutions have cultural roots and is coupled with relaxed laws on these two areas too. But it cannot be doubted that due to urbanization, it created a very competitive society in Tokyo where costs of living is extremely high too. To maintain livelihood, one has to keep his job. If everyone work long hours and remain competitive, every individual is compelled, willingly or unwillingly, to do so too, under peer pressure. And when one submits to pressure, it is not surprising that his will to live in a very stress environment is undermined. Due to globalization and trade, branded stuffs find its way to Tokyo too. They represented trend in the fashion-conscious state, thus it is no surprise teenagers are attracted to them. Yet, as teens, they do not have the monetary means to acquire these products. The capitalist system somehow encouraged an individualist character and fuels consumerism. Hence, teens may find nothing wrong to acquire something they wanted, even if it meant selling their bodies. Therefore, though urbanization brought benefits to Japan, it contributed to issues that are intertwined with other factors, and these issues may not be healthy in the views of others. Japan, is not free of problems due to urbanization too.






References:
· “Suicide rate takes a worrisome jump”. Edwin Karmiol. 1999. http://www.atimes.com/japan-econ/AH04Dh01.html
· “Suicides in Japan directly linked to work-related stress increases”. MARI YAMAGUCHI.2008. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4923254
· “Overworked Japanese feel the strain”. Deborah Cameron. 2006. http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=55
· “Prostitution in Japan: A Young Body Worth a Profit”. Nguyet Thu Nguyen. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rhetoric/105H17/nnguyen/cof.html
· “Spate of ‘detergent suicides’ hit Japan”. 2008. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/01/detergent.suicide/index.html