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These days, on trains, for example, we often see people who have little sense of public morality.

Thursday 05th June, 06:16 AM JST

Sokichi Sugimura, head of the Tokyo-based Public Art Research Institute. He feels elements of Japanese society have lost their moral compass to the point of being downright rude. (Japan Times)

8 Comments

  • Coligny at 08:36 AM JST - 5th June

    'Public Morality' ? It's the codeword for lecturing your neighbourg ? In europe we call them religious biggots... Like if we needed more obachans to lecture cuties putting makeup in the subway...

  • DoctorTofu at 09:11 AM JST - 5th June

    I find the idea of "public morality" fascinating (not sure if it's the idea of the original speaker, or the translator, but still). To me, it implies there are two kinds of morality - the real one, hidden from view, and another one - the one we show to the outside world. A bit like honne and tatemae - it doesn't matter if people are moral or not, the only important thing is they hide it from others and just show "public morality" instead...

    I might be overinterpreting here, but that's an image I got from these words.

  • Altria at 09:18 AM JST - 5th June

    Sokichi Sugimura, head of the Tokyo-based Public Art Research Institute.

    Yeah, and your 'Public Art' is known as graffiti to most regular people, Sugimura-san.

  • hoserfella at 09:26 AM JST - 5th June

    I think some above posters here are reading too much into the quote. Anyone who has lived in Japan for the past few years know he's talking about people being rude on trains i.e. not giving up seats to the elderly, the drunk and disorderly, chicks lathering on makeup, puking, farting,- you name it.

  • ppayne at 11:05 AM JST - 5th June

    If 25% of people act a little less moral, the "real morality number" of the society of which those members are a part is lowered. So shut up. The last thing Japan needs is to try so hard to be moral it becomes the least moral country around, like the U.S.

  • Ah_so at 05:24 PM JST - 5th June

    i.e. not giving up seats to the elderly, the drunk and disorderly

    You mean we should give up our seats for the drunk and disorderly in Japan? Well I never, just shows how different their culture is.

  • Sarge at 05:35 PM JST - 5th June

    We gotta take the good with the bad. Every day I try to set an example of good behavior, such as waiting until everyone gets off the train before getting on, etc. There are still way more good people than bad. Just the other day, the young lady who was standing in front of me ( yeah, I was sitting, but she's younger and most likely healthier than me ) picked up the umbrella I'd left under my seat when I got up to get off and handed it to me. Don't know if she missed getting my seat or not.

  • fingerless at 05:54 PM JST - 5th June

    On short trips it's not such a problem, but if you're on a train for 3 hours it can really ruin a trip if there are a bunch of salary men tanking up and talking loudly when you're trying to catch some Zs. I also get annoyed by the stench of bento boxes and farts whenever taking a train around lunch time. But I believe such considerations are more part of Western sensibility.

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