The Three Main Principles Of Japanese Discipline

For the Japanese, discipline is essential, and it must be rooted in children from an early age.  Thanks to this and their high morale, the Japanese manage to maintain order. The discipline of the Japanese is well known in other parts of the world.

In fact, the sophisticated customs of the Japanese often impress Westerners. Our focus is also on how they position themselves in the global market with their technology companies, which are as solvent as they are profitable.

We also admire their ability to recover from adversity. This was the case after both World War II and the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. The Japanese are tenacious, resilient and disciplined.

The need to contribute to work and the well-being of the community is one that undeniably attracts attention in the world and makes people set high expectations for themselves. However, high expectations have led to anxiety, stress and year-on-year rising suicide rates.

Japanese discipline: three main principles

The Japanese language alone is attracting a lot of attention. It includes unique expressions that are not found in any other languages. Such is, for example, the need to acknowledge others and their work: “Otsukaresama desu” (thank you for your hard work). This expression is used e.g. when you want to acknowledge another’s work or effort.

Thus, discipline is like the root that nourishes everything. It helps in talent development, and is even more valued in Japan than intelligence.  The three main principles of Japanese discipline are:

1. Order

Order helps us save time and develop more efficiently. A well-organized home exudes harmony. In a school where each student, teacher, and employee has their own clear roles, daily chores can be performed more efficiently. Thus, managing your own environment allows you to optimize tasks and be able to respond to challenges quickly.

One should not ignore the fact that in Japan, managers are knowledgeable about almost every detail of their day-to-day tasks. It is important to them that every employee is fully committed to their work.

2. Cleaning

In Japanese culture, cleaning is about more than just removing dirt from surfaces. It is also a way to restore balance back to life. Marie Kondo’s method of cleaning and arranging houses is well known. Anything dirty and messy affects your well-being and even your mind. It is therefore appropriate to restore harmony to the premises by the following means.

In Japan, this is called the 5S method:

• Seiri: Throw them to go all unusable or whatever you don’t want.
• Seiton: Everyone has to find their own special space.
• Stand: J oka, including children, is obliged to keep all facilities clean.
• Seiketsu: There are general rules and standards for cleaning that everyone understands.
• Shitsuke: This also means discipline and refers to following the above points on a daily basis.

3. Accuracy

Discipline essentially includes punctuality. This concept not only means always being on time, but also that we live in line with our purpose, set a goal, and achieve it. It involves setting daily goals and achieving them quickly and effectively.

These dimensions lead to far too high expectations. Speaking of which, it is known that many young Japanese under the age of 30 commit suicide when they are unable to meet these expectations.

No one should go to such extremes when faced with oppressive expectations that restrict freedom and degrade quality of life.  We can learn from the discipline of the Japanese, but their value should be proportionate to each context to the extent appropriate. We should be inspired by their high morale and indifference. However, going to psychological extremes should be avoided.