Customer Reviews

Straitjacket Society: An Insider's Irreverent View of Bureaucratic Japan

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The term insider might seem sensationalistic, but those who understand Japan know that uchi (in the group) and soto (outside the group) are major forces in the Japanese mind. Airing the uchi's deficiencies to the outside simply isn't done. For this reason, most foreigners in Japan are relegated to reading between the lines, overheard conversations, and puzzle-assembling to figure out what makes the Japanese tick. It really is that tight, which makes Miyamoto's book such a goldmine.

During Japan's bubble years, we all heard the stories of carbon copy executives, death from overwork, and fathers who don't know their families. This is Miyamoto's main concern: that Japan, despite its modern veneer and seemingly international flavor, is far behind other industrial nations in terms of lifestyle. He uses his insight as a psychiatrist to show that avoidance of provoking envy, preservation of the status quo, and demonstrations of masochism are the linch pins that hold this seemingly impossible system together.

Readers in Japan will no doubt hear the ring of truth in Miyamoto's words. Since I've been in Japan for nine years, I can no longer identify with how those without experience with Japanese culture will read this book. To the latter group, I can only suggest that you read this book as a true, modern-day account of how a society can be pressed into psychological subjugation. That's just one of the angles from which Straitjacket Society is a fascinating read.

Everyone who is interested in Japanese society must read this book: it's not only on the government but also on Japanese mind and way of think (that can be found today in some companies too). For me, Japan was a peaceful paradise, but inside the building's walls a lot of "customs" is happening... This is the only book of this kind (written by a Japanese).

To correct the previous person who reviewed this book, the author didn't commit suicide but died of cancer at a hospital near Paris in July 1999 (source: Kyodo News).

A funny book. Beauraucrats getting caught in a tight net of unwritten rules of their own making. But in Japan's case, the mandarins want things exactly this way. Read this book and find out why. Without knowing so the author exposes a serious shortcoming of modern medicine: This psychoanalysist enjoys his job but is disgusted with his patients.

As a westerner who has lived in Japan for 9 years, and who worked for a long period in a civil service environment, I can attest that this book is right on the money. It's a little out of date now, but not much has changed.

Masao Miyamoto's fascinating expose, Straightjacket Society, was listed as a source in Michael Zielenziger's equally fascinating analysis of contemporary Japanese society, Shutting Out The Sun. Unfortunately this book, published in English by Kodansha, in 1994, is out of print. However, I think a lot of what he describes about Japanese bureaucracy is still true today. Miyamoto was a very atypical bureaucrat-he is an American trained psychoanalyst who lived and worked in America for 10 years. He returned to Japan as Deputy Director of the Mental Health Division of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It is no surprise given his background that he had a hard time fitting in the government bureaucracy and decides that he will try to set precedents and makes a crusade for more progressive ways of serving the public. He eventually begins to write a series of exposes on the problems of the bureaucracy and is demoted and eventually fired for his outspokenness. I respect him for taking on a thankless and, in my opinion, impossible task.

One of the more interesting aspects of this book is about how Japanese government and laws are made. There is no true separation of powers like in the US and despite the fact that it is written into their constitution. His description of the process, the inefficiency, deal making, and waste of budgets is disquieting. I think there are traces of this kind of inefficiency and being in bed with producers everywhere in the world but the Japanese system is wholly geared for the producers rather than the consumers and has no sign of changing at any time in the near future. In fact, earlier this year there was another expose of government follies by Aki Wakaybashi called The Bizarre World of the Public Servant, which describes many similar wastes, abuses, and inefficiencies. I think many of these inefficiencies can be seen in the educational institutions and city government that I experienced on my two years on the JET Program and that are mirrored in the private universities I have mainly worked in since

Miyamoto may come across as a jaded foreigner, but he really does understand his culture and find aspects of it lacking in contrast of other societies. But his understanding and analysis of Japanese culture and society is spot on. I like how he becomes the devil's advocate when recounts a conversation he has with an American working for a Japanese company. In this section he defends and explains the complaints and criticisms of the American. However, he does agree with the American about some of his conclusions. It seems that Miyamoto's biggest criticism is that Japan is a collectivist society and as a very individualistic person this bother him greatly since he doesn't buy into the collectivist mentality.

Miyamoto describes a company trip to a hot spring and it struck me how uniform those trips are. It was almost the exact same experience I had going on a teacher's trip when I was working at a junior high school in Koshigaya circa 1998. Everything from the passing out beers at 9 a.m. on the train -to the planned night activities (different groups singing karaoke, mahjong, etc...) resembled the trip Miyamoto regarded as work. In fact, after that trip he started demanding compensation time off if was expected to take part on these company trips.

This book is a fascinating view into the heart of Japan and its culture.

Miyamoto has a distinct advantage over past authors who have attempted to chronicle Japanese culture. He has lived in the US and then gone to Japan, where he is an insider. Thus, he is able to go where foreign authors. Japanese culture is famously insular, and a book of this sort is truly a treasure. It is a valuable reference to anyone wanting to live or do business in Japan, because it gives the reader a true look at why the Japanese act as they do.

I was surprised by the envy and jealousy underlying all the harmony in Japan. In reading Miyamoto's account, government bureaucrats (and likely a lot of other businesses) require its members to become automatons. They must give their whole lives to the agency or firm. After reading this book, I can understand why Japan's fortunes took such a downturn in the 1990's. A culture built on repression and continuous sacrifice, as well as rewarding duty over competency cannot compete in the world marketplace.

This is essential reading for all interested in Japan.

I think he got it right: I live in Tokyo, have for 3 years, and have close friends in the Tokyo government, and this type of bullying, self-serving logic, self-serving vagueness, apathy and fear are exactly what my government friends complain about in Japanese culture! It's probably true of beauracracy everywhere, too, so it's not just a Japanese problem but a human problem of fear of change, fear of loss of status, jealousy and closed thinking.

I did feel that Miyamoto-san's book got a bit whiny on occasion, but I also think he was genuinely in pain and bewildered. I actually didn't know until yesterday that he committed suicide, and I'm very sorry to hear it. I wish we could have met.

Several of Miyamoto's (R.I.P.) points are relevant, but some of his broad generalizations border on the sensational. His obsession with the notion of Japan being one huge big brother unit is quite amusing. His blind assertion of Western cultural superiority is idealistic and mislead. Not to say that his arguments don't deserve any merit at all, but this is the type of thinking that will kill Japan in the long run (in fact alot of the recent proposals for "reform" run along these lines). That said, his sob stories about bullying sound more like paranoid delusions. The whole office trip bit was pure fluff, and lacks the objectivity and professionalism one would expect from a doctor. Should be taken with a grain of salt.