Three Keys for Sustainability that are Unique in Japan
8/14/2017
The word “sustainability” has been getting lots of attentions these days around the world, as well as in Japan. There are several different definitions for it, but I like to understand it as a balance of people, planet and profit, or social, environmental, and economic. It’s not about one or another, but all three of them must come in place to achieve it. In Japan, I see that the word sustainability is used more when it comes to protecting the environment, but it is important that we consider all those three aspects.
I have been studying in several different countries and had worked for Environmental NPO in Japan, and I cannot stop feeling that Japan is so behind in pursing “sustainability” in many aspects. In the discussion of sustainability, places like Germany, and companies like Unilever are featured, but not Japan, or Japanese companies. As a person grew up in Japan, it makes me sad that Japan, which used to be looked up by other countries for its innovative technology and fine products, is now losing those positions in the world and fall behind.
Yet, I believe that Japan still has lots of potentials. There are projects, and people working hard to make things sustainable.
Here, I’d like to share some keys I find interesting and unique in Japan for achieving sustainability.
2. Geographical aspects
Japan consists of lots of islands, surrounded by ocean, and 70 % covered by mountains. (http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/13/tech/renewable-energy-japan/index.html). Japan always coexist with those natures so that the ideas of protecting the environment is not new at all. You find them in Shinto, a Japanese religion which relates a lot with Japanese culture and how people think. Idea of Shinto is that any object has a soul. Whether it is to people or to the environment, Japanese treat others with exquisite politeness with a desire to maintain harmony and avoid conflict. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/shinto/ataglance/glance.shtml)
3. もったいないMottainai
It is “a Japanese term conveying a sense of regret concerning waste” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mottainai). Mottainai was used more back in old days when there wasn’t enough for everyone and people were always sharing. Whether that was foods, toys or clothes, people used them until they are truly no use. Today, we have been wasting so much food, and many other things. We throw away things because it is cheaper to buy a new one than to fix it. However, the spirit of Mottainai is still within Japanese society. I grew up being told not to leave a single grain of rice in the bowl at the dinner table.
The word “sustainability” might be new to Japan, but the idea is already within Japanese spirits. So then, why can’t Japan take a lead in sustainability?
Japan still needs to take some actions to make it sustainable, but those actions and ideas do not have to come from out of the box. Value what Japan already has, and play to its abilities.
In my opinion, to achieve sustainability, making used of those three keys, Japan needs more international outputs. First step might be making a website in English. A lot of web sites about cool projects I found are often only available in Japanese. If Japan can share what they do with the world more, not only other countries can recognize what Japan does, but also, they can possibly give us feedbacks. We might be able to collaborate and conduct a cool project together.
I hope to see Japan as a leader in true sustainability. I would like to help that happen from technical side as an engineer. Isn’t it cool to take a part of creating the future, and eventually living in a smart city in a smart county and say “Yeah, I am part of it” ?
8/14/2017
The word “sustainability” has been getting lots of attentions these days around the world, as well as in Japan. There are several different definitions for it, but I like to understand it as a balance of people, planet and profit, or social, environmental, and economic. It’s not about one or another, but all three of them must come in place to achieve it. In Japan, I see that the word sustainability is used more when it comes to protecting the environment, but it is important that we consider all those three aspects.
I have been studying in several different countries and had worked for Environmental NPO in Japan, and I cannot stop feeling that Japan is so behind in pursing “sustainability” in many aspects. In the discussion of sustainability, places like Germany, and companies like Unilever are featured, but not Japan, or Japanese companies. As a person grew up in Japan, it makes me sad that Japan, which used to be looked up by other countries for its innovative technology and fine products, is now losing those positions in the world and fall behind.
Yet, I believe that Japan still has lots of potentials. There are projects, and people working hard to make things sustainable.
Here, I’d like to share some keys I find interesting and unique in Japan for achieving sustainability.
- 三方よし Sanpo-yoshi (good in three directions)
2. Geographical aspects
Japan consists of lots of islands, surrounded by ocean, and 70 % covered by mountains. (http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/13/tech/renewable-energy-japan/index.html). Japan always coexist with those natures so that the ideas of protecting the environment is not new at all. You find them in Shinto, a Japanese religion which relates a lot with Japanese culture and how people think. Idea of Shinto is that any object has a soul. Whether it is to people or to the environment, Japanese treat others with exquisite politeness with a desire to maintain harmony and avoid conflict. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/shinto/ataglance/glance.shtml)
3. もったいないMottainai
It is “a Japanese term conveying a sense of regret concerning waste” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mottainai). Mottainai was used more back in old days when there wasn’t enough for everyone and people were always sharing. Whether that was foods, toys or clothes, people used them until they are truly no use. Today, we have been wasting so much food, and many other things. We throw away things because it is cheaper to buy a new one than to fix it. However, the spirit of Mottainai is still within Japanese society. I grew up being told not to leave a single grain of rice in the bowl at the dinner table.
The word “sustainability” might be new to Japan, but the idea is already within Japanese spirits. So then, why can’t Japan take a lead in sustainability?
Japan still needs to take some actions to make it sustainable, but those actions and ideas do not have to come from out of the box. Value what Japan already has, and play to its abilities.
In my opinion, to achieve sustainability, making used of those three keys, Japan needs more international outputs. First step might be making a website in English. A lot of web sites about cool projects I found are often only available in Japanese. If Japan can share what they do with the world more, not only other countries can recognize what Japan does, but also, they can possibly give us feedbacks. We might be able to collaborate and conduct a cool project together.
I hope to see Japan as a leader in true sustainability. I would like to help that happen from technical side as an engineer. Isn’t it cool to take a part of creating the future, and eventually living in a smart city in a smart county and say “Yeah, I am part of it” ?