Are Japanese workers really that incompetent?

[Captain Japan]

Worked up
Asahi

After his institute issued a report on labor productivity in December, statistician Yasuhiro Kiuchi was inundated with inquiries: Are Japanese workers really that incompetent?

The research results showed Japan ranked last in labor productivity among the seven major industrialized economies.

However, the finding was nothing new. Japan has remained in the cellar for 11 straight years, according to the Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development.

"We have never received so many inquiries," said Kiuchi, a senior researcher at the center, who was in charge of the report.

The 2006 report was released on Dec. 13 as debate was raging over the productivity of a labor force that had once been the envy of the world.

The government set up a program to raise the nation's productivity growth, and plans were hatched to improve efficiency among white-collar workers....more...

[halfnip]

The study probably shows that will all of those smoke breaks they take, they really are only working about 1.5 hours out of the 12 hour days that they work!

[Jack]

[quote="halfnip"]The study probably shows that will all of those smoke breaks they take, they really are only working about 1.5 hours out of the 12 hour days that they work! ]

I agree. Not only that, they hold useless meetings for everything. Employees stay in the office until the boss leaves and the stupid boss never leaves so they hang around until 11 p.m. and collect vacation or overtime pay.

[FG Lurker]

[...] and collect vacation or overtime pay.

The breadth of your knowledge on Japan never ceases to amaze me.

[GomiGirl]

The breadth of your knowledge on Japan never ceases to amaze me.

*snerk*

[dimwit]

When I first came to Japan in the 1990's I was amazed by the masses of people working in banks clunking away on adding machines. While there has been some modernization (I think they all have 286's) they all seem to have about three times as many employees as the average Canadian bank.

I don't think Japanese are particularly incompetent but the conservatism of management styles hampers change.

[halfnip]

Now that we are on the topic of banks---I think Japanese banks are the most prehistoric banks in the WORLD. I mean, when I first tried to open up my account at Mizuho, I was amazed at how much of a pain in the arse it was. Since I was a gaijin, I was confused on why I needed to make a hanko just to open up an account. I was told, "We do not recognize signatures as a secure way of identifying someone". Uhh.... sure, a freaking stamp that anyone can go out and make, let alone if you ever lost yours and it ended up in the wrong hands, is a more secure way of confirming someone's identity?

Just the amount of paper and forms that you need to fill out in a Japanese bank is ridiculous. Not to mention the closing of banks and or ATM's after hours or during holidays. I mean you can't even use the freakin' ATM during Obon, etc (although now it's gotten a lot better).

To make a long story short, I just ended up going to Shinsei Bank--I had my ATM card in 10 minutes. My Mizuho one arrived almost 2 weeks later. LOL

[tetsujin gaijin]

I remember the first time I worked in Japan on a television shoot and how I was blown away to discovered that Japanese efficiency was all a myth. It would take ten of their guys to do what three of ours could do. I think the main difference was the work philosophy. In the US we tend to think work smarter not harder in Japan its just work harder. Japan's greatest resource is people so their approach to a problem seems to be throw an army at it. The end result is you have a bunch of people all working incredibly inefficiently, but because there is an army of them it gets done, sometimes even efficiently. So this then raise the question; with Japan's declining/ageing population are they loosing their "efficient army" of workers?

[xenomorph42]

Now that we are on the topic of banks---I think Japanese banks are the most prehistoric banks in the WORLD. I mean, when I first tried to open up my account at Mizuho, I was amazed at how much of a pain in the arse it was. Since I was a gaijin, I was confused on why I needed to make a hanko just to open up an account. I was told, "We do not recognize signatures as a secure way of identifying someone". Uhh.... sure, a freaking stamp that anyone can go out and make, let alone if you ever lost yours and it ended up in the wrong hands, is a more secure way of confirming someone's identity?

Just the amount of paper and forms that you need to fill out in a Japanese bank is ridiculous. Not to mention the closing of banks and or ATM's after hours or during holidays. I mean you can't even use the freakin' ATM during Obon, etc (although now it's gotten a lot better).

To make a long story short, I just ended up going to Shinsei Bank--I had my ATM card in 10 minutes. My Mizuho one arrived almost 2 weeks later. LOL

Could not agree with you more!

[james]

The end result is you have a bunch of people all working incredibly inefficiently, but because there is an army of them it gets done, sometimes even efficiently.

well, not to nitpick, but i would have to say "sometimes even quickly". this is anything but "efficient". the very definition of efficiency / productivity is to minimize resource use (in this case labour) while maximizing output.

and yeah, as for the banks, they are fucking pre-historic and the hours are useless - 9-3.. fine for people like me who work evenings but i can't imagine it's useful for anyone else. the paper-chase is unbelievable at times, and don't even think about making a mistake. no less than redoing the whole form from start will do. this aggravates me more than anything.

my bank here wanted to charge me 3,000 yen a month for internet banking. they were quite surprised at my reaction which was no less than unrestrained laughter.

[Doctor Stop]

The simple answer is that Japan isn't hungry any more.

[Iraira]

Now that we are on the topic of banks---I think Japanese banks are the most prehistoric banks in the WORLD. I mean, when I first tried to open up my account at Mizuho, I was amazed at how much of a pain in the arse it was. Since I was a gaijin, I was confused on why I needed to make a hanko just to open up an account. I was told, "We do not recognize signatures as a secure way of identifying someone". Uhh.... sure, a freaking stamp that anyone can go out and make, let alone if you ever lost yours and it ended up in the wrong hands, is a more secure way of confirming someone's identity?

Just the amount of paper and forms that you need to fill out in a Japanese bank is ridiculous. Not to mention the closing of banks and or ATM's after hours or during holidays. I mean you can't even use the freakin' ATM during Obon, etc (although now it's gotten a lot better).

To make a long story short, I just ended up going to Shinsei Bank--I had my ATM card in 10 minutes. My Mizuho one arrived almost 2 weeks later. LOL

That's kinda weird. I opened a Mizuho account in 1999 (back when it was Fuji Bank) and I signed my name as if I didn't know what the word "hanko" meant. I probably didn't at the time. Maybe it was "Let's Annoy the Gaijin Day" at your branch. Next time you're at the Mizuho ATM, check out the signs warning people to be wary of people trying to steal your money when you are withdrawing it. All the "thieves" in the cartoons look very European and South American.

[GuyJean]

That's kinda weird. I opened a Mizuho account in 1999 (back when it was Fuji Bank) and I signed my name as if I didn't know what the word "hanko" meant. I probably didn't at the time..

Fuji didn't require a hanko. Mizuho does. I found this out when I attemped to open a second account at Mizuho.. Promptly withdrew all my money and closed the old account.

GJ

[Samurai_Jerk]

Fuji didn't require a hanko. Mizuho does. I found this out when I attemped to open a second account at Mizuho.. Promptly withdrew all my money and closed the old account.

GJ

It also depends on the branch of a bank and sometimes who you talk to within the bank.

[Doctor Stop]

Promptly withdrew all my money and closed the old account.

They must have partied like there was no tomorrow when the wa was finally restored.