Why Are Japanese Companies Dead?

[@visualeconomiken]

Unlimited data on your trip to Japan (international eSIM): bit.ly/HolaFly-VEKEN

[@Berkana]

How old is SoftBank? They're Japanese if I remember correctly. How old is SoftBank?

[@Berkana]

What about Bandai-Namco? How old are they?

[@xapaga1]

@@Berkana 45 years old. Masayoshi Son (or Son Jeong-ui in Korean), a third generation ethnic Korean resident in Japan (who would be later granted a Japanese nationality) founded a company called Unison World in 1979, which is the precursor of today's Soft Bank.

[@xapaga1]

@@Berkana 74 years old. Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. was formed by a corporate merger between Bandai and Namco in 2005. The former (the older one) was founded in 1950 as Bandai-ya, the latter in 1955 as Nakamura Seisakusho Manufacturing Company.

[@xapaga1]

@@Berkana I'm utterly at a loss why they deleted the following comment of mine posted two days ago: 74 years old. Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. was formed by a corporate merger between Bandai and Namco in 2005. The former (the older one) was founded in 1950 as Bandai-ya, the latter in 1955 as Nakamura Seisakusho Manufacturing Company.

[@steve222345]

I'm surprised that so few knew the work culture in Japan. I worked with a few Japanese companies. If they miss print 0.01 cent on their purchase order, they have to re-issue it. And to re-issue it, they have to have three different managers sign PHYSICALLY on the revised purchase order.

sounds very impractical

[@Sachin6197]

sounds similar to some old giants of Indian businesses

[@missplainjane3905]

So thorough, though what's wrong with physical

[@timedone8502]

I used to work for a large Japanese firm and it’s terrible. Long, unproductive hours, promotion not based on competency, etc…It’s a culture that only works for Samurai emoloyees, not for me.

[@xapaga1]

Actually during the feudal times (the age before the 1868 Meiji Restoration + Westernisation) only about 7% of the population was the _samurai_ warrior class.

[@xapaga1]

@@TTKDMS Oh yeah, upgrading one's status occurred to the Tokugawa Shogunate regime (1603-1868) themselves. Ieyasu (the boss of the Tokugawa clan and founder of the said shogunate) at the height of his military glory altered his family tree to insist that he was a direct descendant from Genji (or the Minamono clan, who ruled Japan from 1185 to 1219). Genji on their part had claimed their ancestry to Emperor Seiwa (850-881; reign 858-876) as well, so this automatically meant that Ieyasu descended from the gracious and noble Imperial Family, which was of course a fairy-tale fantasy.

[@xapaga1]

@@TTKDMS Surprise, surprise. A certain percentage of the world's population is descended from Emperor Genghis Khan (or Činggis Qa'an, c.1162-1227; reign 1206-27) of the Great Mongol Empire. Even a seemingly "white Caucasian" professor in Florida, USA was identified by a private DNA lineage detection company as a Genghis Khan descendant, which was reported some 15 years ago.

[@edwardpi9852]

Living the dark ages before the declaration of independence. It seems slavery is live and well. The truth is slavery never died just changed in to a different form.

[@islamicschoolofmemestudies]

Samurai employee = Employees that are from boss's clan/kin.

[@Merle1987]

My God, they have lower labour productivity than Canada. I didn't think that was humanly possible.

[@mammajamma4397]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@sayyamgibrani]

LoL 😂 true !

[@ydcjydcj1724]

Man, you bad 😅😂😂

[@MarketsDriveTheWorld]

As an Italian: We have higher labor productivity than Canada and Japan, and almost like UK? 😱😱

[@vijaz5559]

In canada, you become lazy with high benefits. In japan, you become a slave to you, mostly incompetent senior with close to little benefit

[@henrikosterman8855]

I live and work in Japan while speaking Japanese and "karoshi (過労死)" doesn't mainly mean working so hard that it makes you take suicide rather that you work so much that you die. The headlines in the newspapers are usually ignoring cases with suicide and focuses on the rare but occurring cases where the employee actually died unintentionally by working too much. Like lack of sleep or other such physiological factors. Yes that is very possible. That is how long hours some people work here.

[@asianguy86]

That's why i am glad japanese economy is bearing the brunt of overwork culture

[@shiki325]

Something needs to change

[@MrKrtek00]

100+ hours overtime, constant stress, lots of alcohol and tobacco to relax are not a good combination

[@JJ02979]

Japan destroyed its own economy on the order of theirs master, Japan also sacrifice is semi conductors industry for its master, very loyal Shiba Inu

[@asianguy86]

@@JJ02979 which masters

[@AlexA-eg7gz]

At one point, I was seeking employment in Japan. However, upon observing the extent of the workload they anticipated, I promptly reconsidered my decision. It's like they live to work, not the opposite.

[@raylopez99]

I also interviewed there, but, fortunately, they rejected me for another candidate. My blessing.

[@Nightzo]

Makes you wonder how anime characters have so much spare time on their hands ne?

[@ZetaMoolah]

@@Nightzoits called fantasy lol

[@katynewt]

They DO live to work. A lot of conversations I've had with Japanese inevitably end up deviating to topics like work and food, despite my best efforts...

[@asianguy86]

​@kabutynewt But they don't live in poverty like india or Pakistan or Nigeria

[@Rohv]

Japanese companies moves slow. But one thing you cant deny is the quality of their products. These are high quality products that are built to last.

[@TurdBoi-tf5lf]

I have seen decline in that for the past decade actually

[@akmalhafiz8763]

Work hard doesn't necessarily translate to good results. Work smart does that most of the time.

[@CENTERIANATICS]

Facts

[@mirzaahmed6589]

No one ever said working hard is a guarantee of success.

[@edwardpi9852]

So proud of dumb ceos and board of directors. In a great depression, I get to buy companies at 99% percent off.

[@breadbreaker500]

@@mirzaahmed6589that’s the notion in many cases, especially with the culture people like Elon Musk are driving in their businesses.

[@Corsuwey]

I recall asking at McDonald's if I could have less mayo on my teriyaki burger. And after going through asking several people all the way up to the head manager, they told me... .... ... "No!" That happened about 15 years ago. I've never dared to ask such again. BTW, I am resident status in Japan for about 20 years now.

[@timothyrday1390]

There's no "light on the sauce" option at the McDonald's in the country where I live now. They only understand sauce or no sauce. 😅

[@SanSan-lb9iv]

Why can’t you scrape off some of it by yourself. That way, you choose exactly how much mayo you want to eat. They could technically put less mayo, but exactly how much less? It is up to the individual’s taste to decide how much is too much.

[@tman229]

@SanSan-lb9iv I think the issue is that you can't ask for your food to be modified at all, which was (not sure about now) definitely a thing in Japan. I mean imagine not being able to eat this delicious and put together upon being ordered burger just because japan don't want to omit a single ingredient even if irrelevant to what makes the burger. What if you are allergic to that simple ingredient? Sure if it's something like an onion then you can scrape it off but what if it's something like Mayo?

[@長谷川静也-w9j]

In a chain store, that order is unrealistic. If it's a privately run store, they may be able to accommodate you. However, chain stores are very popular.

[@missplainjane3905]

@@tman229 Get something else, simple as that.

[@emuPoco-F3]

The problem with how the japoneses work is that they are inefficient, they prefer spend 18 hours doing something that takes 8 just because in their culture they reward them for supposedly being such hardworkers.. But in reality most of their workers are hardly working instead of working hard 😂 well at least that's what I've learned from a spanish psychologist that live there

[@BsBsBock]

That’s real socialism work😂

[@鈴村京]

Im Japanese. I think it is worst that working hard is rewarded than producing result.

[@Demopans5990]

That means the effective hours worked is a fraction of everywhere else. IE the employees are "lazy"

[@user-qm7jw]

Good thing. In Western companies, if you don't produce results, you get fired. I'd rather work for a Japanese company comfortably.

[@SigFigNewton]

@@Demopans5990I don’t want to go near the word “lazy.” Maybe one way of speaking about it that seems consistent with what I’ve heard is that they’re hired to do only two thirds of a job and are incentivized to take 10 hours a day to get it done.

[@Rmzkm007]

If you saw the amount of “senior employees” that pretend to work at their jobs but in reality they are more concerned about gossiping about others lives..you would be terribly surprised!

[@missplainjane3905]

You work there

[@akmalhafiz8763]

Fun fact, some Japanese come to my country, Malaysia, work here and said that Malaysia much more better than Japan in work culture. To which i got to say, yeah.

[@SammyCee23]

Is Malayasian culture more relaxed and chill?

[@jacketofficial7089]

​@@SammyCee23 every southeast asia country is relaxed and chill working culture than you think maybe not chillest than average european, but still chill

[@Karg537]

Probably because we dont care too much about process. Just get the job done and everyone happy - dont be too anal.

[@bb.buchanan]

Even walking around in Singapore compared to Tokyo feels more relaxed; everyone seemed stressed AF in Tokyo with the bonus cultural factor that you're not allowed to express it or complain@@SammyCee23

[@lzh4950]

@@bb.buchanan "You say you are busy? You think you're the only one that's busy?"

[@jpscsa]

I saw in another video that Japan is living in the 2000's since 1970 untill today: advanced back then and outdated today.

[@missplainjane3905]

You visited

[@SinlowMusic]

I lived in Japan for 4 years until 2022! They are great at hospitality, production efficiency, etc. but they absolutely fail in areas such as innovation, profitability, work/life balance, and business management from what I have seen. I've seen it in big cities like Tokyo, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, etc. and in small cities like Iwakuni.

[@jryanp]

Were there any cities that were better?

[@edwardpi9852]

Picture of the movie "Last Samurai" people in Japan living sometimes in 1899 not in 2024.

[@turrustam]

Did you work for Rakuten?

[@missplainjane3905]

@@edwardpi9852 You visited sir

[@silverianjannvs5315]

​@@missplainjane3905adult toys

[@adamwade1808]

I've worked for a Japanese company, and a Taiwanese company too. They are much less productive that US companies. yes, the mo-foes work long hours, but that is mainly because the Boss/Company EXPECT you to be there regardless of what's going on. Much of the work is repetitive and of very low productivity. Basically, and American Company can typically do with 2-3 people in 8 hours what it takes Japan 8-10 people 10 hours

[@edwardpi9852]

Go corporate robot humans in Japan.

[@bangmo7]

Karoochi is not suicide. "Death by overwork/exhaustion' You can suddenly collapse and die from overwork and stress.

[@theglobaltruthseeker]

They work so hard for a livelihood that they forget to live life.

[@ironmantis25]

Old people dragging the entire country to a halt. This sounds very familiar.

[@TheGoldenFluzzleBuff]

I was at Pokémon Go Fest in Osaka in 2023. The most notable thing I noticed was Nintendos failure to merchandise at the event. There were non-affiliated food trucks at the event, a couple merchandise booths (selling limited stock) and a food hall, but that was it. If Nintendo had sold Pikachu shaped waffles, Pokémon Go branded Switches, t-shirts, stuffed toys, figurines, figurines, and other trinkets at the central station, they would’ve made a killing. But instead, you struggled to find a spot to even buy a water bottle. I am genuinely curious if this was a failure to merchandise on Nintendo’s/Niantic’s part, or if this was a larger, structural/cultural issue

[@MrKrtek00]

Japan is not competitive in old sectors either. You gave microchip resins as some great success, forgetting that microchips were Japan's thing, but decades ago lost to competition to Taiwan, Korea, USA...

[@victortoba-ogunleye4056]

Nope Microchip resins for silicon wafers are still dominated by Japan. Resins just don't get the same clout as the chip. This is why ASML who make the actual lithography machines barley gets recognized by the average person while everybody knows apple and nvidia and TSMC

[@MrKrtek00]

@@victortoba-ogunleye4056 they used to own the whole sector from product down to the details like resins. now they are nowhere. everybody knows Apple and NVidia because the real innovation is there, they drive the whole industry, not the resins and not SONY, Panasonic, NTT, ...

[@missplainjane3905]

@@MrKrtek00 Your source

[@bangmo7]

I am a South Korean. Anthropologists say that a mixture of Koreans(mostly male soldiers, not like whole family of Anglo-Saxon) and the aborigines(Jomons) (Jomons) formed Japanese people from 3rd century BC to 3rd century AD. The syntaxes of two languages are identical. But the depth is totally different. Korean and Japanese are the second largest and the largest isolates. Each has no related language. From the 7th century, when Japan became a full-grown state and more populous, the contact between our two countries stopped. Japanese people used to consider Koreans too rude, aggressive, and unorganized. Koreans used to consider them as too cruel and too conscious of other people's opinion and not frank. Nowadays, both people. .the younger generations. . Are becoming more and more similar. .

[@wafercrackerjack880]

Unrelated to the video but nonetheless interesting

[@supa3ek]

Japan ruled korea for a hundred years and banned its language and culture. Thats more the reason why the similarities to this day !!!

[@bangmo7]

@@supa3ek 36 years from 1910 to 1945.

[@bangmo7]

@supa3ek it never banned its language. .from about 1937(?) to 1945 it banned in school. .

[@missplainjane3905]

@@bangmo7 Both are still different

[@lynxlecher9547]

People who become managers despite not being smartest or most skilled because they've been in the company for longer does not only happen in Japan but all over the world. Experience means nothing, talent is all the rage, but they still hold on to the former... because what else are they gonna do?

[@Winteramen]

I'm so thrown off that the oldest of the list of companies is Nintendo lmao

[@natashadickson4819]

Toshiba is even older than Nintendo, but it wasn't on his list.

[@gavinlew8273]

The country is the company.

[@ZetaMoolah]

@@gavinlew8273Mishima Zaibatsu says *DORYA*

[@ABCsangatsure]

Japan's working environment has drastically changed in the past four or five years. Rather, I'm worried that one of Japan's virtues, diligence, is being lost.

[@Guanaalex]

As Terrence Mc Kenna once said: „Culture is NOT your friend“

[@jemiez9383]

All the stated reason in accurate but many seems to forgot when did Japan actually became like this. In truth they became like this after they was defeated in WW2 and their cities levelled with 2 atomic bombs.Before WW2 Japanese is more ambitious with something they actually wants and had in mind but after WW2 and Japan under US and her allies occupation that restrict and reduce the power of Imperial Family,controlled every aspect of Japanese life while under occupation and abolish the Japanese Zaibatsu companies, they lost all interest or dont have the spirit to change anything or try anything new because they know something can go wrong if they tried to changes their current way back to become ambitious. For them ambition brings about disaster. Its good if now they try changed back to how they was before WW2.

[@donaldmacdonald4901]

I worked before for a vendor for Toyota, 4 of the team on that project went off the rails. The guy I took over from, went MIA for 3 weeks before I arrived and came back and said he would resign if they put him on Toyota again. I remember the handover over 😂 he was literally shaking and saying don’t trust anyone. That was a nightmare project.

[@TouringTony]

A stat I remember from Japan is the high level of companies of less than 5 people that never grow

[@n5017858]

I don’t mind inefficient Japanese management techniques. They tend to include Total Quality Management. I recently sold my Toyota after 16 years, not because it started breaking down, because I got divorced. So I bought another Toyota. Japanese products have amazing quality no one else seems to equal

[@tman229]

When it comes to cars, Toyota is the only car company that has bulletproof engines. That doesn't spread towards other japanese car companies. And recently, there had been a big scandal with Toyota and Daihatsu (Toyota's subsidiary company).

[@n5017858]

@@tman229 I still have my Sony Walkman I got in 1982 and a remote control Tamya car I got in 1986. Japanese made stuff lasts

[@tman229]

@n5017858 Bro.... You're trying to make it an exclusive japanese thing when all of us from that era know full well that most devices and mechanics from those times were far more durable and long lasting compared to now. Use that trick on someone more younger.

[@joMan1060]

their quality is good, but that doesnt mean it a good corporate culture bro.

[@almond5560]

​@@tman229Exactly, my grandmother's fridge still works. American made, not that it matters, but made in a time when things were made to last.

[@dtam7457]

Their work culture may not be good, but their products are excellent, having driving both Japanese & Korean cars (Kia), Japanese cars are two rungs above Kia in build quality.

[@edwardpi9852]

But little innovation. They are too focused on the past not the future. If they continue Japanese companies ceases to exist.

[@missplainjane3905]

@@edwardpi9852 What sort

[@Gchang54]

​@@edwardpi9852innovation is not always a good thing

[@yutakago1736]

I remember reading a news article where the IT minister of Japan have never use a computer before. The culture is to do nothing and you will not do anything wrong. If you never do anything wrong and stay around long enough, you will eventually get promoted.

[@Alexafinarul]

They will succeed. They will reform their system. It would not be for the first time. Very late is better than never.

[@lucasaxavier]

The same culture is what made Japan rich, and fast… The really problem is lack of children, all this work doesn’t help in making new ones

[@laulaja-7186]

If I recall correctly, Japan did have a predecessor to Linux. Not a hobbyist project, but a generic embeddable OS, free for use in all industries and very stable and versatile.

[@braunhaus1644]

Yup, ITron RTOS is the one that equivalent to linux kernel ( this is also a foundation for IoT )

[@michaelmayhem350]

Bosses literally worked their employees & companies to death lol

[@edwardpi9852]

No wonder population decline.

[@darkmatter5424]

Ironic how they pioneered revolutionary business practices such as the 5S but remain to be "grossly inefficient".

[@BillHimmel]

I‘m not too optimistic for Japan! It seems to be a static society where little ever changes! I.e. elections in Japan rarely change anything! And that is not a good sign for adaptability!

[@edwardpi9852]

No wonder the recession announcement.

[@omeryehezkely3096]

It's not because of culture, Japan is an ageing and dying country. Japan's population is shrinking by a rate of 1 million people per year.

[@I-am-awayTOM]

The 'new' Japan is screaming to emerge from it's current location... underground. Funny, actually.

[@andyle1984]

South Korea have similar issues as Japan

[@MuhammadAhmad-db6sf]

FACT : Japanese makes Cartoons comic books Drams Films But They Have Not Time for This 🙂

[@abdullahdaniyal114]

😂

[@georgeschneider8778]

Japanese vehicles are close to perfection while American vehicles are pure garbage. How can you explain such things if Japanese companies don’t encourage quality work?

[@موسى_7]

​@@georgeschneider8778 Korean companies and Chinese companies also blow the Europeans and Americans out of the water. It's Asia in general.

[@雅君墨客-i9z]

​@@georgeschneider8778要不跟中国车比比尤其是新能源电动汽车😂

[@commiemeth]

​@@georgeschneider8778 The point is they aren't saying it's not encouraging quality, they are with high end manufacturing, the issue is the status quo method of doing things hurts everyone in terms of money production

[@bobeg749]

Historically, Japan has shown that it has the ability to adapt to new conditions with amazing speed (e.g, the period after WWII). It seems (from what’s said at the end) that things have begun to change. If so, they will probably change quickly and for the better. It is refreshing to hear about a society and government that consider high sustained employment to be a positive good. The higher the employment rate in a country, the more stable it is politically and economically. Cutthroat competition may be more productive but it destroys many human lives. And it’s not just Japan where people take their identity from their jobs--that used to be the case throughout the industrialized world.

[@i6power30]

They were only able to adapt after the old system was completely destroyed - Meiji restoration, and post ww2.

[@benjaminjo]

@i6oiwer30 is spot on. Only reason Japan "changed" and adapted is because they were FORCED to. There wans't a choice. It was literally as extreme as, "Adapt, or die". They chose adaption. In modern times, there isn't anything remotely pressing to make them "adapt" again, that is, UNTIL the aging crises REALLY starts to get out of control, then they'll make chanes, not because they want to, but because they must or they go near extinct. This happened for centuries before. Remember when the Europeans were trying their hardest to connect with Japan in trade, and after ay...oh...I dunno...3 - 4oo hears, Europeans said, "Fuck this" and MADE Japan open their borders for trade. They were content with being isolated from the whole world, forever, until Europe had suprior fire power and Japan adapted (and succeed) under threat of the gun. So, you have post WW2, where you adapt under threat of survival. Then the reneansaince of trade under threat of war. Japan won't go out of their way to "change" what's not broken, even if it eventually beocmes broke. They must be forced, in soe way, to do it, and the crazy part is, under this intense presure is where they've proven to thrive the most.

[@zaviusfirerave]

I don't see how dying from overwork just to look hard working is better

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

@@zaviusfireravehonor before reason…it’s strange.

[@johnlam3756]

The answer is because of The Plaza Accord. The Plaza Accord was initiated by the United States to contain Japan's economy in the 1980s pretty much caused Japan's downfall. At the time, Japan was an economic powerhouse. The United States was so threatened by Japan and its economy they sought to contain its rise. Japan fell into the trap and its economy has never recovered. With its economy being stagnant, its companies slowly declined as well.

[@vivliforia2262]

I think Japan didn't diversify their customers. They chose to sell most of their products to the US. That was dangerous for the US because it could cause job losses in the US. China is basically doing what Japan was doing: exporting too many products to the American and European market.

[@brianpearson8782]

The Japanese do see a massive problem, Abe did and started change. Bang someone didn't like his style. Japan will change of course. The even bigger problem is demographics.

[@minimarythm8085]

I have been working for several Japanese companies for more than a decade. What I noticed is that employers are focusing on cost reduction on labor, selling their product cheep trying to maintain competitiveness and making employees work hard and long hours without paying overtime. Working in Japan is like being slave for sure unless you are motivated for the job, but living in Japan is very nice, cheap and comfortable. So getting US salary(or other high wage countries) living in Japan is the best combination.

[@missplainjane3905]

You mean every job and company

[@mammajamma4397]

If employment works like this in Japan, I'd just show up and play on my phone everyday all day. Seems like there's no consequences for screwing around, so I'd take full advantage of that.

[@raylopez99]

I think you might be called out for that...better to just copy data from Excel to paper and back again. I actually met a person in south Europe who was doing almost that, copying data from paper to e-form.

[@RiccardoGabarriniKazeatari]

The point is being seen as a hardworker, if you're on your phone... you'll get scolded, not just yelled at, but scolded for a surprisingly long time, the less remorse you show the longer it will be

[@Demopans5990]

Walk in with a cart of hard drives, and do "backups"

[@guydreamr]

How did you get to the point of wanting to be so lazy and unproductive?

[@mammajamma4397]

@@guydreamr how did you acquire a taste for boot leather?

[@nanairomiso]

It should be noted that Japanese companies will also cut wages to keep their employees, which has contributed to the low wages over the last 30 years. Also, the work from home companies have kind of died out since the pandemic calmed down. And for companies with shorter work weeks, most still require a certain number of overtime hours so you end up working more hours on other day. I think we still have a long way to go…

[@robknook2059]

Good video about Japan, but i wonder, the highest manager from America ( the president), why do Americans elect an old man?

[@attilaboda9881]

IDGAF, their cars, motorcycles, cameras, running shoes and video games are still superior quality than their western competition.

[@lucadesanctis563]

Ye. The West has came out with shitty quality products in gaming industry, while things like Souls..

[@TurdBoi-tf5lf]

I personally like German cars more

[@JJ-rp2df]

Nikkei's up despite Japan's recession, slipping to world's #4 country and population decline. Interesting times

[@patpatlau2048]

Living in Japan, I would like to understand how everytime I would go to UK or even worse the US it feels like I am in a third world country. Japan must do some things right?! The question asked: how many Japanese companies you know that emerged in the last 30 or 40 years? I can give you a couple: Uniqlo, Muji, Hoshino Resorts, Mercali,Cyber Agent, Softbank, ... A lot of those are not or merely present abroad, it doesnt mean they dont exist. What you describe in the video is the stereotype 50 years ago, it's long gone. You might pick up a subject you know.

[@InterviewswithEd]

Good insights! I live in Japan 10 years and can tell you I never saw such a strict culture with no efficiency and lack of interest of living life instead of being a company slave.

[@missplainjane3905]

Which company

[@georgek7831]

But why is Japanese culture holding it back now but did not hold it back 40 years ago? Has Japanese culture changed?

[@nordwind1841]

You could say that it is the interpretation of the social norms that changed. 40-50 years ago, the world believed Japan was about to overtake the United States in economic power, everyone poured their investments there, because there was money to be made, labour was cheap compared to now, and it was the only place to get certain high quality goods for cheap, the influx of money in a way forced Japan to be innovative, make new stuff, and make profit from it too. In the 80-90s the money vanished, it became too expensive to be innovative, so the old culture took over, to be conservative, to do safe investments and bets, and so the economy started to stagnate, in a way this also forced Japan to become more services-focused for the domestic market (which exacerbated the problems with actual productivity, which is what you see in the video) and heavy industry-focused for the external market, but as I said before, the money vanished, and other countries started undercutting Japan on costs (South Korea and the China), so Japan is now in this weird limbo of not focusing too much on either and the government doesn't seem to want to do anything about it, so long as they stay in power (its Japan own brand of corruption in a way). Well that is my opinion, it will probably be wrong.

[@raylopez99]

Japan Inc was replaced by China Inc and soon by India Inc. Same old same old.

[@鈴村京]

Im Japanese but The number one reason is seniority.

[@PwningGerZ]

The culture didn’t change. They were literally forced to adopt the US style free market economy which favors shareholders. When Japan was rising every Japanese company that succeeded was controlled by the bureaucracy of the government. You know whose country that operate like that, China. A lot of people is clueless of this aspect about the Japanese economy. China “copied” the blueprint that made Japan successful yet they don’t question why it is then that Japan have a “American” free market style economy, you know the one that caused the Great Depression, 2008 financial crisis and many many more.

[@missplainjane3905]

@@PwningGerZ You were there

[@jacobsmithjr]

Lifetime employment is only about 25% of the population

[@pathos48]

I'm surprised that Japan's productivity is even worse than Italy's. However, I heard this thing that Japanese tend to "work" long hours just as a sign of respect to their boss, from a university mate who worked in a robot startup in Tokyo. The system of promotion being mostly based on seniority also happens in Italy, indeed both countries have been in economic stagnation since the '90s. With the added problem that Italy doesn't have as many big companies.

[@guanxinated]

Upside of them driving their economy into the ground is that you can live pretty comfortably in Japan if you have a nice portfolio of US stocks and Bitcoin. I do worry about rising inflation here in Japan for the first time in 35 years, though; it's rather annoying.

[@NotShowingOff]

This isn’t the worst way to function. In the USA, CEOs just bail on the company and sell for scrap. Companies that have well-functioning business model. You can see it in things like product. Toyota and Honda and Subaru have high quality over even the Europeans

[@georgeschneider8778]

Usually this channel is right on point but in this case, I have been scratching my head trying to figure out how the quality of work is measured. Let’s just look at cars. USA made cars are pure garbage while Japanese made cars are close to perfection. How can you explain it if Japanese workers are not that quality oriented?

[@takosdon7754]

The title of the video as well as the content of the video, already misses the point big time. First of all Japanese companies aren't dead at all. In the past few years, retained earnings of Japanese companies have continued to increase and their performance has been on a steady rise.

[@daltonwyant5154]

They don’t take risk and already established big companies take over emerging markets so no new companies that would specialize in that product or market can’t exist

[@vasilisconstantinides4476]

Often issues of culture are much worse that financial issues themselves. Financial issues can be changed with the right actions. Issues of culture are difficult because people don’t like change unless they are absolutely compelled.

[@andrewdunbar828]

I don't think you've actually gone to a restaurant in Japan and tried to order something nonstandard. it is not as you describe at all.

[@missplainjane3905]

Elaborate

[@Sep-jk3vi]

Worked as a contractor for a japanese company once. The most incompentent manager I have ever seen. For any issue they will immediately loose their shit and give moronic instructions. We eventualy completed the project by essentialy ignoring her. Everything was a complete mess but we made it work. I was so glad to get it over with.

[@missplainjane3905]

Incompetent as in

[@lucadesanctis563]

Better than the US where u're totally dehumanized and valued only as a GDP source

[@EngineerDJ_Julius]

Japan overall has the smallest profit margins, thats why

[@Fanaro]

Japan is lucky (or unlucky) its economy became so large before the era of extreme innovation.

[@silversurfergw]

Japan signed the last unconditional surrender known as the plaza accord.

[@KC-pm1fv]

And still Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is invested in Japan atm and increasing

[@WillieFungo]

The last time I analyzed a Japanese company's financial filings, they were paying out more in pensions than they made in profit. You couldn't pay me to invest in a Japanese stock.

[@qw-uz9ig]

Welp I guess you made the correct decision because nikkei has surpassed its all time high

[@victortoba-ogunleye4056]

Yet the Nikkei index is at an all time high!

[@TheLocoUnion]

Thanks!

[@abinodattil6422]

Cause Chinese ip theft, Japanese used to specialize in electronics

[@AugustGrasth]

Japan sure has a lot of problems, but is it really one of them, if managers are interested in the company still existing in 30 years? You could argue, that a lot of scams and problems in the West are only possible because of short-term thinking and -optimization. For example, managers optimizing for short-term-revenues might decrease quality and get better results that way. But if customers get disappointed by a company, they aren't loyal, which will cost a lot more in the long run.

[@victortoba-ogunleye4056]

Most financial crises are caused by short term thinking.

[@InterviewswithEd]

The company is like a physical body - you have a growth phase, stagnation, and dying What is the point of keeping dead 💀 company alive? It is impossible to fight against innovation and change.

[@ファンp]

As a Japanese, I am surprised that the Tokyo Stock Exchange still has the fourth largest market capitalization in the world even though Japanese companies are such inefficient companies. However, Japan has a serious labor shortage due to population decline, and Japanese companies are aware of their mistakes and are changing, so I hope they will turn into an efficient company. Until now, it was too inefficient compared to Europe and the United States, so I think it has potential😂

[@missplainjane3905]

What is inefficient and what sort of mistakes ?

[@Molloy1951]

Do you trust more an American car or a Japanese car? Do you trust more an American electronics brand or a Japanese brand?

[@lucadesanctis563]

Quality over quantity. Exactly

[@historygeopoliticsen]

Last summer I was there to teach as a professor at one of their most prestigious universities. They first thought I was an exchange student, and then I realized when I enetered the prfessors' room that there are no middle aged professors. But in the long term I think they are changing, slowly though.

[@sdngy]

rather common in Korea Japan there is a feudal hierarchy business. Companies would be assimilated as clan. Loyalty obedience values would be praised and worth every sacrifice for the sake of social expectations.

[@asdfghjjhgf]

> "noooooo~ it's over, Japanese companies are dead" > The Nikkei index just hit the highest right now

[@lucadesanctis563]

Market cap does not entirely represent a company's total value.

[@fionafidela]

Love the way you cover issues to the topic from the very beginning

[@DK-ev9dg]

Make something about China. China is also spending huge amounts on R &D.

[@lukeotics]

In the company I'm working in we are no longer allowed to overwork. Once it hit 17:00/5pm my manager will come to my office and turning off the lights himself so that everyone will start to move and leave for home, or otherwise they'll be locked in the office within 15 mins. However, there is not much improvement in the bureaucracy. And status still based on seniority, or whoever senpai you can suck up to

[@user-qm7jw]

>Why Are Japanese Companies Dead? Japan’s Nikkei has hit record high since the bubble era

[@randyt3558]

Why British companies are dead?

[@MabElystanGlodrydd]

Most sell to the industrial market so the brands are not well known.

[@ARUchannel1]

they have become qatar's playground

[@svart7716]

Japan’s problem is the lack of women participation in production. Japanese women get the best education but stay at home waiting for the overworked husband to come home.

[@natashadickson4819]

Their women are wise to stay away from overworking.

[@ALLKASDLLS-mg4lu]

Statistics show that about half of Japanese women want to become full-time housewives. Why are you trying to force Japanese women to work for the company? Leave them alone.

[@Leto2ndAtreides]

"Corporate survival" is an interesting sort of goal - and one that would still require innovation in the face of competition.

[@Mrgunsngear]

🍿

[@양지호-l6d]

It seems strange for Americans to be worried about Japan's economy. Didn't the United States want the Japanese economy to fail? So, the United States destroyed Japan's semiconductor industry and forced the Plaza Agreement. It forced unfair trade that was disadvantageous to Japan. Now that the Japanese economy has collapsed, are Americans dissatisfied? The collapse of Japan's economy was something Americans had only dreamed of.

[@minsapint8007]

That was an interesting graph on productivity. I was sure that the UK was somewhere down near the bottom but we are bang in the middle.

[@IanHobday]

Mercari: 2013. Japan isn't anywhere near as dead as people inexperienced with the county like to think. Also has by far the lowest cost of living of the G7, including extremely reasonable housing costs.

[@victortoba-ogunleye4056]

I always wonder, if living in japan is so bad why do people live for so long there?

[@IanHobday]

@@victortoba-ogunleye4056 I've lived here for over 30 years. Japan is not for everyone, but for many it is a wonderful place to live. Very low COL, very high standard of living. Very safe. Good social services like healthcare. Amazing infrastructure.

[@matthewmelange]

1:45 They highlighted the wrong country on their bar chart. - Poland is misaligned with its bar. There's more countries than bars on the graph. 40 countries & 39 bars

[@theismathiassen8656]

Furthermore Norway appears twice :)

[@ashapuhin72]

had the chance immerse with a Japanese company in early to mid 2000 , work starts at 7: 30 am if you go home at 7 pm the japnese manager will question why the workers went home early yesterday.. to make the story short we started work at 7:30 am and go home 9 to 10pm at night... our overtime pay come payday will more than double our pay.. good thing right ? NO. overtime is tax more than your regular wage.. so more than a third of those overtime pay was lost to taxes.. has to ask my boss to take me away from there or he will have to train my replacement because I felt that heaven was jsut months away...

[@brianpearson8782]

I live in Japan each year with n laws. I see it's problems on trains. Most passengers are asleep. It's sad to watch. Rush hour goes a long time as commuter trains are packed at 10.30pm, even longer

[@TheJblackmanwork]

A lot of the Jaoanese teachers come from school and go right into the education sector, which means very few business minded and experienced people can enter, and when they do the "kids" will have you out of their as they want their job and are afraid of competition, which just creates the next generation of "kids"

[@MrMcBrainiac]

Please read my comment on Karoshi, and other topics. I'm interested in your opinion thanks

[@guffmam6995]

Conservative culture seems to work for Nintendo and has allowed them to avoid the mess of western gaming companies. From my understanding while Nintendo has developers who have been there for decades Microsoft employs workers often foreigners on rolling 12 month contracts having to handover in the middle of a project

[@Dattebayo3089]

Nintendo games are also not available on PC. This exclusivity makes them unique. So to play their games u have to buy them.

[@avinashtyagi2]

@@Dattebayo3089 That's just smart business, why wouldn't you close off your games to your own ecosystem?

[@dottris]

Working culture in Japan is a nightmare. Putting profit above everything is another one. I don't think accepting loss of profit in the sake of value preservation is as heretic as shown here. Something between Japan and USA would be nice.

[@amazingmoy]

I think if this change to the Japanese Business and Employment culture succeed, young Japanese will learn to mingle with each other and may restore their fertility to a healthy level. Since more young Japanese can get higher position by merits and not by seniority, they will get higher salary and have higher savings and purchasing power. Some of them will think having a family of their own. Coupled with family-friendly policy of the Japanese government, Japan may address one of their demographic issues.

[@alexlee9276]

most young ceo are only interested in profit and not ethics or moral.

[@drifter4training]

heard about the recent toyota scandal ? its like the VW emissions there

[@MalcolmBentham]

Red Bull Honda engines are made in England, just like the rest of the car. Same site, different facility.

[@danielxu1989]

“Mitsubushi!!”

[@chandanchakraborty879]

This is the first video, that's on point! I've seen this day in day out.