From Home to Abroad, the Japanese Cleanliness Mentality Wows the World
Japanese fans impress the world once again by staying back to clean up the stands at the Russia World Cup. Even after suffering a tough loss to Belgium and being knocked out of the tournament, the diehard Japanese fans made sure to leave the stadium cleaner than when they found it. The Samurai Blue have also garnered international media attention with photos of their spotless changing room going viral.
Japan’s defeat on the football pitch was a heart wrenching last minute comeback by Belgium. Despite riding that rollercoaster of emotion throughout the game and ending in despair, the Japanese fans were able to show the world their spirit and culture are never defeated.
Why are the Japanese So Clean?
Cleanliness is ingrained into the Japanese culture and is practiced in a number of ways throughout the country. In their education system Japanese children are taught the importance of cleaning up after themselves by spending 30 minutes a day cleaning their entire school. This is done to educate their children about taking pride in their classrooms and school environment through cleanliness.
The Japanese people bring this mentality everywhere they go. Within Japan, private homes and businesses are expected to keep their grounds and surroundings clean. Companies have their office workers take turns cleaning up their office spaces and especially outside around their company buildings. This extends from small shop owners all the way up to international corporations based within Japan. It is due to this sense of responsibility for cleaning up their surroundings that, despite being a sprawling metropolis with an extremely high population density, Tokyo remains one of the cleanest cities in the modern world.
“Waste disposal is a municipal responsibility, and as such each district and city has their own regulatory system for sorting their garbage.”
A hyper clean city like this would make you think there must be a garbage bin on every street corner. However, all it takes is a day strolling through the streets of Tokyo to realize there isn’t a rubbish bin in site! To make up for the lack of trash cans convenience stores provide their customers with a plastic bag to carry their trash with them.
Japan Takes Sorting Rubbish Seriously
As you travel around Tokyo rubbish bins may be a rare find, but when you do come across one they are always surrounded by other recycle bins. Waste disposal is a municipal responsibility, and as such each district and city has their own regulatory system for sorting their garbage. Pair that with the advanced recycling and garbage processing technology in Japan and you have one of the most cleanly centric nations in the world.
From their actions abroad to their standards at home, the Japanese people continue to impress the world through considerate actions and a sense of personal responsibility. Japan’s high standard for cleanliness is deeply rooted in the Japanese culture and extends to a high standard in every facet of their lives. It may just be picking up some trash in a stadium but the example set by these Japanese fans has echoed across the world.
Japan show their respectful culture – one in which we could all learn from.
