How rich is Japan?

[jankren]

So Japan is supposedly the second richest country in the world. However, according to my limited observation it seems that average Japanese dont seem to have that overly high standard of living. So how wealthy Japan really is actually?

[Thorn777]

Why do you think that. They have everything "the westerners" also have.

[Manoflooks]

there is a difference between the individual people having lots of money, and the country having lots of money.

[Eastern Roman]

there is a difference between the individual people having lots of money, and the country having lots of money.

They're all rich when they come to Australia on their whirlwind one week annual holidays, the entire time led by tour-guides who just take them to Japanese owned shops. Then they go back to work 16 hours a day 7 days a week for the next 51 weeks in a horrendously overcrowded country so they can do it all again the next year. So they've got a pumping economy....but hey, economy isn't everything. I'd rather be poor and live in a secluded paradise.

After reading a little about Japanese society apparently average Japanese are money savers. I guess thats why we dont see very many extravagant Japanese ala American celebrities or entrepreneurs.

A. Japan's population density is high, which means that getting a solid place to live is a lot harder. and driving large cars (or any cars) is highly inpractical, thus eliminates the two largest indicator of wealth.
B. Unlikey Americans.. who's not only rich but borrow other people's money to live on, Japan only live on their own money and save them....

Correct me if i'm wrong, i've heard that Japan does not import goods, if yes perhaps too few, and they only export.
Doesn't all these seem like a close society ?

Is Japan a communist country ?

Well not like USSR or China, but it seems they had some sort of communism inside their society.

[boofhead]

They're all rich when they come to Australia on their whirlwind one week annual holidays, the entire time led by tour-guides who just take them to Japanese owned shops. Then they go back to work 16 hours a day 7 days a week for the next 51 weeks in a horrendously overcrowded country so they can do it all again the next year. So they've got a pumping economy....but hey, economy isn't everything. I'd rather be poor and live in a secluded paradise.

[Strattios]

They're all rich when they come to Australia on their whirlwind one week annual holidays, the entire time led by tour-guides who just take them to Japanese owned shops. Then they go back to work 16 hours a day 7 days a week for the next 51 weeks in a horrendously overcrowded country so they can do it all again the next year. So they've got a pumping economy....but hey, economy isn't everything. I'd rather be poor and live in a secluded paradise.

Sorry but the US, heck even France, work more hours a week than they do.

As to the OP, I have heard a lot about this as well, however statistics don't back this up. It is very odd. The closest I can think of is that they have a high ratio of business people. Combine that with a habit of spending a lot of money on rather weird stuff (Square watermelons) and you have a recipe that makes many people assume they are wealthy.

[ajm317]

Sorry but the US, heck even France, work more hours a week than they do.

Not quite sure where you got this notion. The French certainly don't work more hours a week than the Japanese. You can clearly see this here.

[Exarch]

a lot of ppl are familiar with a lot of japanese companies and brands: honda, toyota, mitsubishi to name a few

[jankren]

After reading a little about Japanese society apparently average Japanese are money savers. I guess thats why we dont see very many extravagant Japanese ala American celebrities or entrepreneurs.

[Pious Agnost]

After reading a little about Japanese society apparently average Japanese are money savers. I guess thats why we dont see very many extravagant Japanese ala American celebrities or entrepreneurs.

That is what I believe the reason for it is, not to mention the U.S money injections of their (and South Koreas) economies

[Wiertz]

Japan is crazy! And i love them for it.


oh, right, economy.
Well, they have alot of businessmen and import/export alot, that makes them rich.

[RollingWave]

A. Japan's population density is high, which means that getting a solid place to live is a lot harder. and driving large cars (or any cars) is highly inpractical, thus eliminates the two largest indicator of wealth.

B. Unlikey Americans.. who's not only rich but borrow other people's money to live on, Japan only live on their own money and save them....

[jankren]

I just realized Japan has 128,000,000 population. WOW! Thats a lot for such a relatively little land. However, I heard Japan's birth rate is decreasing sharply worse than Europe. Very ironic for a country with the biggest porn industry in the world ... LOL

[Philos Sophos]

I just realized Japan has 128,000,000 population. WOW! Thats a lot for such a relatively little land. However, I heard Japan's birth rate is decreasing sharply worse than Europe. Very ironic for a country with the biggest porn industry in the world ... LOL

Well,that's what Porn will do to you...and your country...everyone needs to ban it.

[Ältester der Motten]

Well,that's what Porn will do to you...and your country...everyone needs to ban it.

I don't really see how that's bad, especially in this specific example of severe urban overcrowding.
Furthermore does this reasoning lack a healthy dose of casualisation.

[Desperado †]

Well,that's what Porn will do to you...and your country...everyone needs to ban it.

I don't see how that is bad with the overcrowding problem Japan has.

[shadyrome]

rich!!! This is from wiki.

''It is a developed country with high living standards (8th highest HDI) and a world leader in technology, machinery, and robotics.''

Us is only rank 12, and uk is 16.. What the hell.. Bias

[sephodwyrm]

Very ironic for a country with the biggest porn industry in the world ... LOL

If there wasn't a big porn industry it would have been even lower...T___T

[fieldmarshal]

I watched a documentary on sex, which said Japanese men are incredibly poor at wooing women...they need the porn man.

[shadyrome]

I watched a documentary on sex, which said Japanese men are incredibly poor at wooing women...they need the porn man.

Do the documentary Includes them wooing each other? Very weird documentary...