What
happens when the law has limitations? In Japan the culture of shame
often picks up where the law leaves off in solving issues. If
something goes against societal norms in Japan, it is often seen as
an open door for the strong 'culture of shame' to employ public
shaming as a way to ensure compliance. In a group culture people tend
to fear what others think rather than being independent. A recent
case in point relates to the recent Covid19 pandemic. Fear arises
when people think other people are not following the standards of
social distancing, so they take it upon themselves to shame others
into compliance.
These
people have been called Jishuku
Keisatsu
( 自粛警察
) or self-appointed pandemic police. You can read more about
them here in a recent news article. As Japan has decided to slowly re-open
39 of the 47 prefectures (mostly areas without mega cities) people
have become cautious about those deciding to travel from infected
areas to non-infected areas. As the article points out, it is a
common practice in Japan for people to shame certain individuals who
they deem as not complying to whatever social norm is in question.
For this reason Japan also continually experiences bullying in
schools, workplaces, and elsewhere at increasingly startling levels.
Among other factors, these shaming practices are said to also
contribute to high stress and suicide rates throughout Japan.
In a society in which grace as well as
forgiveness are foreign concepts we can readily see the implications
of a strict system of law keeping followed by shame for
non-compliance. For this reason many people desirous of having a
relationship with Christ are afraid to go against cultural norms for
fear of being isolated from others and shunned from their families
for life with many families even holding funerals for their newly
converted relatives! In a shaming society that relies up the group in
almost every faucet of life, going against the norm to follow Christ
is seen as suicidal or highly hazardous to daily living. For this
reason Japanese strongly believe that anything that goes against the
cultural norms is not even to be considered even if it is true.
Japanese would in many cases rather hold on to their ancient
traditions (that they for the most part do not even believe are true)
rather than face an angry mob accusing them of abandoning that 'which
makes them Japanese'. For this reason those that become Christians in
Japan, although few, are often highly dedicated and courageous
people who desire to be both free inwardly and outwardly whatever the cost may be. It is also for this reason that some people can take many
years to decide whether to become a Christian or to even openly live as a Christian
outwardly in society. In the West even as times change we still often take for
granted that we can live freely both inwardly and outwardly as a
Christian in a grace-based society. Remember to pray for Japan!
