David Chiang comments

Last month, for example, I had a big meeting with the board of directors at [name omitted] in New York. Before flying over, I got my nails done — lime-green on one hand, glitter-gold on the other. I know I made a big impression on everyone at the company because they were all smiling at me right the way through my presentation.

Yes. They were laughing AT you... not smiling.

@yuriotani I do agree that Japan's population is too big for the land and natural resources they possess, but you do realize that Japan's entire infrastructure is supported by the current population size? We are not only talking about having "robots" working, but in the next 15-20 years a large portion of the Japanese population will be of retiring age and that Japan will not have enough money to pay for retirement pension. Also, speaking to my relatives and friends in Japan, most people do not have savings, investments or 401k plans. How will people survive without receiving pensions? Will they have to work longer? Into their 60s? 70s? 80s?

If that is the case then they will need jobs. But since the population will be decreasing more and more companies will fold. If companies are folding where will they get jobs?

You see this is the problem. Japan has known about these issues for years, but instead of planning ahead and cushioning the blow they swept under the rug and now its biting them in the ass.

It is about time that Japan wakes up and understands how much trouble their country is really in. I am Japanese-American and often go back to Japan for months at a time and am constantly in shock at how much trouble the Japanese economy is in. The fact that they will not be able sustain their workforce and are an extremely xenophobic country will hurt business. On top of that other Asian countries (i.e. Korea) are producing electronic products that are on the same level, if not better than, the Japanese. On top of the fact that Japanese people cannot speak English, which has become the international language for business, at even a mediocre level will continually hurt the Japanese.

The fact that America's economy is beginning to pick up again and the emergence of China, Korea and India over the past decade has provided Japan with business rivals that they did not have in the past. Now that they have finally realized that they are losing ground they have decided to start taking measures, but they are a couple of steps behind the other forward thinking countries. Within the next 15 years Japan will fall from the top 5 --maybe even the top 10 -- GDPs in the world.

Yubaru, you are totally correct. Japanese businessmen have always relied on butt kissing to advanced their careers and now that some foreigners are playing ball now too they are afraid. Its always been like that and thats why you only get "yes men" in executive positions.

I am half-Japanese and half-Chinese. I grew up in a multi-cultural home (Japanese, Chinese and American) and whenever there were debates about these things I used to always support Japan. I used to say it was 70+ years ago, they have already recognized there involvement, etc. However, the longer I live in Japan the less I want to apologize for this country.

I am in my mid-twenties and most of my Japanese friends have no clue about their own history. When I ask them to read articles about Nanking, Imperial Japan or postwar Japan they are shocked. They have no idea that these things transpired because they never learned it. Germany does not hide from the fact that the Holocaust happened. In fact, they are overly cautious of it. I learned about every American war and we learned about the casualties, the reasons for and against the war, and whether the war was justified. George Santayana once said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I hope for Japans sake that they will finally accept the past and learn from their mistakes.

This is just another reason why most Asian countries hate Japan. The fact they have the audacity to not teach true history for decades and then have their country's politicians deny that it ever happen. They are blatantly worsening their relations with an international superpower. Japan no longer has the economic leverage to "look down" on other Asian countries. The Japanese economy is in a down trend, Japanese companies are doing poor internationally and yet they choose to worsen their international relations.

I hope that this is the first step in changing Japanese business practice and ethics.

“Sometimes, when I see foreigners in Japanese dramas and animation, most of them seem stupid. It makes me uncomfortable if Japanese people think that foreign people are like that.” (American man)<

This guy is an American man and he has a problem with Japanese media?? How about American movies and TV? How many stereotypes are created or strengthened by American media? Most of Japan's views on how Americans act are based on watching TV Shows and movies... A couple of years ago I brought a hispanic and a black friend to Japan and we visited some of my parents friends and they were scared out of their minds. She acted normally, but later when we were about to leave she asked me if they were in gangs. Now both of my friends are college educated and dressed nicely, but these images are the only interaction that many Japanese people will have with people of different races.

Its funny. I am Japanese-American and when I am in America people treat me as a foreigner. They say things like, "Oh, you speak very well." Even though I was born and raised in America... This is one of the things that minorities and foreign looking people have to put up with. It may not make you happy, but suck it up. Japan being such a homogeneous country anybody that stands out is going to be spoken to differently.

I think it will be interesting to see what will happen in 10-15 years after American troops are moved off Okinawa and into a place like Guam. Eventually, I think that they will live to regret the decision. The American military bases provide high paying jobs and a big economic boost to the region.