Japan’s rude awakening: more ill-tempered Japanese lose their cool in a nation normally known for politeness

The problem has become so bad that some local governments and schools in Japan have drafted rules to deal with the ‘irritated and impatient’

A significant factor behind the spike in ill-mannered incidents is that Japanese people are under greater stress, according to one cultural expert

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Reports of rude behaviour are becoming increasingly commonplace in Japan – a society that has long prided itself on politeness and respect towards others. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 12:01pm, 6 May 2024Updated: 1:59pm, 6 May 2024

The plea from a doctor’s receptionist came from the heart. In her letter published in the “Troubleshooter” column of the Yomiuri newspaper on April 28, the unnamed woman said she was tired of being “a punching bag” for patients’ frustrations.

People “shout angrily” about having to wait to see a doctor, while others demand priority treatment or fly into a rage when she responds to their questions with a smile. The receptionist ended her letter by begging for advice on how to “prepare myself for such patients”.

Advice columnist Junko Umihara, a psychologist, sympathised with the woman’s plight and said she had noticed an increase in signs at reception desks asking people to be polite to staff – but offered little in the way of advice, other than to suggest that the head of her medical institution take steps to protect her.

Reports of rude behaviour are becoming increasingly commonplace in Japan: a society that has long prided itself on politeness and respect towards others. Such incidents have led to a number of institutions, including schools and local governments, drafting new rules to deal with a nation that is – according to one academic – becoming more “irritated and impatient” than ever.

“I can definitely see it around us more and more every day,” said Izumi Tsuji, a sociologist and professor of culture at Tokyo’s Chuo University.

While there appeared to be no empirical evidence available, he said more people in Japan could be resorting to rudeness and aggression when faced with polite resistance for several reasons.

Japan’s rude awakening: more ill-tempered Japanese lose their cool in a nation normally known for politeness

The problem has become so bad that some local governments and schools in Japan have drafted rules to deal with the ‘irritated and impatient’ A significant factor behind the spike in ill-mannered incidents is that Japanese people are under greater stress, according to one cultural expert

The problem has become so bad that some local governments and schools in Japan have drafted rules to deal with the ‘irritated and impatient’

A significant factor behind the spike in ill-mannered incidents is that Japanese people are under greater stress, according to one cultural expert