What can Ireland learn from Japan’s public transport and efficient social structures? A lot, Pavel Barter learned on a recent trip to the land of the rising sun.
A trip to Japan feels like an expedition to another planet. The extra-sensory sights, smells and sounds are unlike anywhere else on earth. This is a country that shared its cultural delights with the world – from sushi to sake, kimonos to karaoke, anime to manga – but it’s only when you visit Japan that you realise the efficiency with which it delivers these eastern promises.
This efficiency was evident from the moment we stepped off the plane in Narita, Tokyo’s international airport, where a robot was scrubbing the floor of the terminal in preparation for our arrival. Our first step was to the Japan Wireless desk where we picked up a pocket Wi-Fi for a cheap €3.70 per day. This little device does what it says on the tin: 24/7 Wi-Fi while on the move in Japan, saving costs on expensive roaming charges from Ireland. Internet via the device was super fast, allowing us to download movies in seconds. The device came with a stamped-addressed envelope. At the end of our trip we were to pop it into a post box at the airport – any airport in Japan – a simple and convenient method of return.
We then purchased an IC card – imagine a multi-faceted Dublin Leap card – for 500 yen (under €3), which can be used to pay for trips on trains and buses and topped up at convenient stores. The IC card can also be used for purchases at vending machines and discounts in shops. Alongside the pocket Wi-Fi, this little card was our lifeline for our trip through Japan.
Armed and equipped with pocket Wi-Fi and travel card, we took a train into Tokyo. On paper, Tokyo sounds like a chaotic experience. It’s the largest metropolis in the world: a megacity of 37 million people. Imagine six times the population of Ireland crammed into a single settlement. Eleven of the world’s 20 busiest train stations are here and Shinjuku is the busiest of the lot. 3.5 million people pass through Shinjuku every day. There are 36 platforms, 200 exits, subway, commuter and long distance trains. It’s overwhelming and yet… it works.
Trains are frequent, efficient, convenient and cheap. The Shinkansen, aka the Bullet Train, can reach up to 200mph: they’re incredibly comfortable and criss-cross Japan, reducing the need for cars. The efficiency of the public transport system in Tokyo is replicated elsewhere in the country: most cities have train and bus stations within walking distance of social hubs. These stations have lockers where travellers can leave their bags – using their IC card to secure the locker and release the bag upon their return – for up to three days.
Japan’s cleanliness amazed us. Every station in Tokyo had its own restroom near each platform where toilets were sparkling. This may be the busiest city in the world but it is built to work. So what is Japan’s secret – and can we learn from it in Ireland?
Tokyo’s cleanliness is largely attributable to investment. Large teams of cleaners, human and automations, work around the clock to keep stations and streets clean. The Japanese government launches routine public awareness campaigns urging commuters to be tidy. Commuters are encouraged not to take calls on their phones or to be unnecessarily noisy on public transport – and people comply. Public transport holds itself to incredibly high standards – and commuters are collectively involved in making sure those standards work.
We saw the same levels of efficiency in the streets. Tokyo is frequently ranked as being amongst the safest cities in the world, particularly for female travellers, and cities across Japan are much the same. This is attributable to careful design. Rather than having “police on the beat”, busy areas have a “koban” – a single police booth where an officer resides should anyone require assistance. Wherever you go, a police officer is never far away.
Guns are not an issue in Japan, gun crime barely registers, drugs are not tolerated (although alcohol is a popular part of daily life) and innovation has overcome many of the social issues we see in Ireland. For example, Japan eliminated the temptation for drink driving through daikō (Replacement Driver Service): a taxi service that sends two drivers to your location. One driver to bring you home; the other to bring your car home. It’s a genius idea.
Japan, like Ireland, is a liberal democracy. So its efficiencies are not as a result of the government terrorising their citizens (as you might imagine in other parts of the world). Instead, Japan’s public transport, hospitality and tourism sectors work so well because of the country’s culture of collective responsibility. From the earliest days of childhood, at home and in education, citizens learn social responsibility and public order. People are taught to respect their surroundings, value social harmony and avoid conflict. That includes keeping the place clean and not making too much noise on public transport. Tradition and respect are crucial attributes in the honour-based Japanese society.
For example, nobody jaywalks in Tokyo. This might seem overly conservative, but the populace is conscious that in order for society to function properly, rules should be followed. This sense of national pride is evident the moment you step inside a restaurant: be it a neighbourhood ramen bar, an izakaya pub, or a high class diner serving kobe beef. Chefs and waiters will greet you with a warm-hearted welcome upon your arrival, attend to your every need, and happily sing-song “arigatou gozaimasu!” (thank-you) when you leave.
Service in Japan is exceptional and affordable (improved further in 2024 by a weak Yen, so travellers in Tokyo can dine out for the fraction of a meal in Dublin). Tipping is frowned upon here, which makes it cheaper still, although most restaurants charge a “seating charge” for a few hundred yen (about €3) which includes a starter dish. Japan is one of the world’s greatest culinary countries and its low levels of obesity (around 4.5% compared to 23% in Ireland, according to HSE stats) suggest it is also one of the healthiest.
Japan is no utopia. There are issues around rural depopulation, bullying in schools, high suicide rates and tough work ethics, but for a visitor the country is an eye-opener. Upon my return to Dublin, I was passing through Temple Bar where I encountered a junkie openly shooting up in the Merchants Arch. There was zero police presence, the city centre was filthy, and there was an air of menace particularly in the O’Connell Street area. Japan may be on the other side of the world and an entirely different country – but perhaps it would not hurt to take a few tips out of their book when it comes to civic pride and social efficiency.
