Japan’s Economy, Business and Development

Japan is the world’s third largest economy, having ceded the second spot to China in 2010. Since the collapse of the property bubble, Japan has endured a long period of economic stagnation, deflation and relatively high unemployment, compared with the country’s historically low levels. Among other issues, Japan’s economy continues to be hampered by weak domestic demand and a rigid labor market.

Despite Japan’s challenging domestic economic environment, many Japanese companies have continued to perform well on the world stage. Toyota became the world’s largest car company in 2009, before losing a bit of ground to unprecedented product recalls. Nintendo’s innovative Wii marked a virtual revolution in the large, global market for gaming and family entertainment products.

Japanese companies have continued to push the technology envelope in fields such as robotics, medical devices, clean energy, satellite communications and spacecraft, water processing and other high-tech industries.

Japanese Society, Language and Culture

Japanese society is strikingly homogeneous. Ethnic Japanese account for 98.5 percent of the country’s sizable population. While different areas of Japan, particularly the central Kansai region encompassing Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, are known for having distinctive, colorful local dialects, the whole country essentially speaks the same language.

Traditional Japanese society and culture stress the values of harmony, consensus decision-making and social conformity. “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is a common Japanese saying and guideline of social behavior.

Japan’s Aging, Shrinking Population

Japan’s population has been aging and shrinking at an alarming rate due to the combination of a disproportionately large elderly population, one of the lowest fertility rates of any developed, OECD country and minimal net immigration. Japan’s fertility rate of roughly 1.2 children born for every Japanese woman is well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman that is needed to maintain the existing population level. By 2050, the population of Japan has been forecast to contract by more than 25 percent to about 95 million people.

International Relations and Foreign Policy

Japan has deliberately elected to take a largely passive stance toward involvement in international conflicts and disputes for most of its post-WWII history. Article 9 of The Constitution of Japan, adopted on November 3, 1946, renounces going to war or “the use of force as a means of settling international disputes.” In lieu of a conventional military, Japan established the Japan Self-Defense Forces (also known as the SDF, JSDF or Jietai) as an extension of the Japanese police force and a strictly defensive mechanism to provide for the country’s national security and assist with national emergencies.

Japan first deployed the SDF abroad in 1991 when it dispatched minesweepers to the Persian Gulf after fighting ceased in the 1991 Gulf War. Since Japan enacted the International Peace Cooperation Law in 1992, the Japanese government has deployed the SDF on certain overseas missions to support the U.N.’s international peacekeeping operations.

One of the most important things about taking a casual and friendly relationship with a Japanese woman to the next level is also possibly the largest stumbling block that, if not handled correctly, will destroy the chances of getting the girl and solidifying the romance.

As men, we prefer to progress quickly through as few stages as possible when we pursue a romantic interest. But for many Japanese women, there may be dozens if not hundreds of smaller stages before our coveted conclusion comes to pass. To win her over and gain her trust, you will need to successfully progress from stage to stage — jumping through the numerous hoops that she has placed in your path — before she will let down her defensive walls and begin to view you as a possible boyfriend.

By nature, Japanese women are cautions about starting a new emotionally romantic relationship. I use the word “emotionally” because some aggressive Japanese women will move into a physically intimate relationship right away. These brief flames of romance are never intended to go beyond the mere physical. They are just a way to relieve stress, briefly boost her ego, or both. They are “here today and gone tomorrow.” But when a Japanese woman is looking for a true relationship, she move will move much slowly and carefully. This is the kind of woman that you will most likely meet.

Japanese women who are attracted to you are looking for the signs that you are interested in more than just “physical” activities. They want to know who you really are before moving on to a deeper relationship. They will keep you at arms length, often throwing up barriers and challenges that you must respond to in what they believe is the correct way to react. And since this can differ from woman to woman, it can be a true challenge, indeed. The key is to continue to show your interest in her: send her text messages or call her from time to time to chat. Something important to remember, though: never drop in on her at her office or at her home. That kind of invasion of privacy will do more to damage the relationship than to strengthen it.

There are many ideas being tossed around as to why Japanese women play these hard-to-get games with men. Some believe that women just like to see how far they can push a man. It gives them a sense of power. Others believe that such games give women a boost in their self-esteem, self-confidence, and yes, even their ego. Whatever the reason may be, don’t become discouraged. If she isn’t coming around to your side then let her be. Wasting your time and your emotions on long, drawn out games that only aggravate you will only darken the relationship should it ever begin.