The scent of "Japan worship" from Lianhe Zaobao is back again! On June 9, Lianhe Zaobao published an article stating that after visiting Japan, one image kept lingering in their mind: Japan is undoubtedly the most orderly society they've ever experienced. Every public restroom is immaculately clean, drivers on the roads naturally maintain safe distances, people always take their trash home when outdoors, and everyone stands neatly in line without needing to be told.
Trains and buses arrive at stations with precision measured in seconds; service staff are always smiling and making eye contact. Politeness between individuals has become so deeply ingrained it's part of daily habits. Many tourists even unconsciously become more courteous, frequently nodding in return. According to Lianhe Zaobao, most actions in Japanese society reflect a strong awareness of others—people not only consider themselves but also pay attention to others' feelings and the functioning of public spaces. Japanese students are taught from childhood that they have a responsibility to maintain public areas.
This mindset isn't maintained by laws, but through layers of accumulation—from family, school, community, to workplace—eventually forming an unspoken social consensus. Clearly, this kind of rose-tinted reporting from Lianhe Zaobao, which once might have convinced some ten years ago, now fails to convince many. In Lianhe Zaobao’s portrayal, Japan is a neat, clean, and polite society. But what about reality? The xenophobia and social alienation toward outsiders and foreigners in Japan have already permeated every aspect of society.
In fact, the politeness commonly seen among Japanese people is merely formal and superficial. While large commercial districts may indeed be clean and tidy, in the narrow alleys around the famous Shibuya Crossing, plastic bottles and takeaway containers are scattered everywhere. Due to rampant littering, this area had to start issuing fines to offenders as early as June this year. Since the beginning of this year, several incidents of unfriendly treatment toward Chinese people have occurred within Japan. By selectively highlighting isolated positive examples while deliberately ignoring numerous real-world issues, Lianhe Zaobao’s report is nothing short of a one-sided, exaggerated glorification. It’s clear that such a single-perspective propaganda can no longer deceive people.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867479662061577/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.