# Is the US going to be like Japan? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 25, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181 "2015-07-25T20:26:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/21 "2015-07-26T18:47:46Z")
Who are you claiming owns a large part of the third world? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/22 "2015-07-26T19:59:25Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Don’t get your hopes up too much. As you can see in the Wikipedia entry that I linked to, the average number of children that each woman in the world has today is 2.5. It’s going to be awhile yet before the population of the world quits rising, let alone before it starts goes down. Incidentally, I can find a lot of articles that quote the “25% of all unmarried Japanese men in their thirties are virgins” statistics, but I can’t find the original survey itself. Does the survey actually exist? Consider the possibility that it was simply made up. I’d also be curious to know how “virginity” was defined. While there are laws against prostitution in Japan, they define prostitution more narrowly than the US. It’s against the law for a man to hire a prostitute for the purpose of having vaginal intercourse with her, but paying for most other sex acts (oral, anal, etc.) is legal and there are legitimate, easy-to-find establishments where such services can be procured. (The Wikipedia entry on [Prostitution in Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Japan#Prostitution_today) has more info.) Since even the most socially awkward and unattractive Japanese man can legally obtain a blow job if he’s got the money for it, I would guess that a fair number of the men there who’ve never had vaginal intercourse with a woman have engaged in some other sex act with a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/23 "2015-07-26T20:11:50Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > Where 25% of the population in the 30’s are virgins? I read a news articles this weak that 25% of population in 30’s are virgins!! Japan like Europe are lucky to have one kid!! The US is lucky to have one or two kids!! Uh… you are aware, I hope, that the act of having sexual intercourse and producing an actual kid are no longer as closely related as in the past? For some time now we’ve had something called “birth control” which allows two people to engage in sex with minimal to zero chance of conceiving. In other words, it’s possible to have a high sex drive and frequent sex and yet produce no children whatsoever. > [@](#): > > The plug in culture is other theory. Before people did not have TV,computer, books and materialistic things. When you done work you spent time with friends, family and your lover. Not a plug in materialistic things locked up in your room by your self. While computers are a recent innovation people have had “materialistic things” like BOOKS and other items/hobbies/interests for a very long time. Yet they still managed to have sex and reproduce. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/24 "2015-07-26T20:17:15Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Who are you claiming owns a large part of the third world? Chrissie Hynde, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/25 "2015-07-26T22:55:14Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The US is WAY more diverse than japan where basically everyones Japanese. So maybe in a few areas where geeky white males would rather look at internet porn than actually go out and date but in reality most american men get themselves out there quite nicely. Cant have all those ladies spending friday night alone. It could be people in the US and Europe are more sexual active than the Asian culture big on traditional ,strict and hierarchy. People in the US are more laid back. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/26 "2015-07-26T23:10:19Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The US is WAY more diverse than japan where basically everyones Japanese. So maybe in a few areas where geeky white males would rather look at internet porn than actually go out and date but in reality most american men get themselves out there quite nicely. Cant have all those ladies spending friday night alone. Yes some people who have high sex drive or have trouble finding dates may be turning to porn. And now you have lot of bedroom closed people. Take Bangkok red light district may be more wide spread in the US if porn was ban in the US. I remember in past there was lot more cities in the US had lot more red light districts and cops would raid it every month. Lot of cities in the US used to have lot of strip clubs, street prostitutes , escort service ,clubs , massage parlors so on. Lot of police where take bribes and kick backs. Than porn came and become wide spread and major drop in the red light district. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/27 "2015-07-26T23:21:41Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The US is WAY more diverse than japan where basically everyones Japanese. So maybe in a few areas where geeky white males would rather look at internet porn than actually go out and date but in reality most american men get themselves out there quite nicely. Cant have all those ladies spending friday night alone. Japan culture is very different than the US. In Japan like China is on dishonored system. I remember lot of Japanese and Chinese killing them self when they do not do well in school of feel of dishonored. Spending 12 to 16 hours a day at work is normal. Working 8 to 10 hours you are lazy. In Japan like China family, hierarchy and caring and respect for elders is valued than materialistic things and feelings. If you break the code you are dishonored. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/28 "2015-07-26T23:27:48Z")
The average number of hours worked per year is less in Japan than in the U.S.: > **[Average annual hours actually worked per worker](https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ANHRS)** > > OECD.Stat enables users to search for and extract data from across OECD’s many databases. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/29 "2015-07-27T00:08:53Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > Japan culture is very different than the US. Where did you learn about Japanese culture? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/30 "2015-07-27T03:19:17Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > It could be people in the US and Europe are more sexual active than the Asian culture big on traditional ,strict and hierarchy. > > People in the US are more laid back. About sex? No way - Americans are prudes compared to Europe. > [@sweat209](#): > > Take Bangkok red light district may be more wide spread in the US if porn was ban in the US. I remember in past there was lot more cities in the US had lot more red light districts and cops would raid it every month. > > Lot of cities in the US used to have lot of strip clubs, street prostitutes , escort service ,clubs , massage parlors so on. Lot of police where take bribes and kick backs. > > Than porn came and become wide spread and major drop in the red light district. Right - because prostitutes now advertise on Craig’s List instead of hanging out on sidewalks and street corners. Lots of cities STILL have strip clubs, but they’re legal now. Escort services still exist - again, advertising on-line. The red-light district moved half on-line, it didn’t go away. I really curious how old you are and where you live… ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/31 "2015-07-27T12:49:26Z")
I’m no expert on Japanese culture, but I’ve been married to a Japanese woman for about ten years, and I’ve read a couple of books about it. The impression I get is that Japanese people tend to be much more risk-averse than Americans, especially when it comes to cultural interactions. Rejection, whether in professional or personal matters, seems to be perceived as a hugely embarrassing personal disaster. Pursuing intimacy with another person entails a high risk of rejection, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all to find that risk aversion is a big reason behind Japan’s high rate of adult virginity. A couple of years ago I watched one of Anthony Bourdain’s shows in which he spent some time in Tokyo. His local companion explained that men enjoyed visiting [maid cafés](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maid_caf%C3%A9) (such as the one they were standing outside of), and women liked visiting a café down the street that was staffed by men who looked like they were in a boy band. The idea was that this was a way for people to receive attention from the opposite sex without risking rejection (but of course there’s no sex involved at all). Bourdain’s comment was something along the lines of “I think that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/32 "2015-07-28T00:14:58Z")
I know that, in college, I notice that the Japanese men would all hang out together all the time, and the Japanese women would hang out together. They never seemed to hang out together. And the rare times I saw them not with their group. it was only a Japanese woman who might have a non-Japanese guy with her. Unfortunately, the language barrier got in the way of me actually trying to befriend any of them. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/33 "2015-07-28T11:02:41Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > About sex? No way - Americans are prudes compared to Europe. > Right - because prostitutes now advertise on Craig’s List instead of hanging out on sidewalks and street corners. Lots of cities STILL have strip clubs, but they’re legal now. Escort services still exist - again, advertising on-line. > > The red-light district moved half on-line, it didn’t go away. > > I really curious how old you are and where you live… Yes some prostitutes have gone to web sites,ads and running out of motels. There still many street hookers here and there in Florida and Las Vegas. But my point in New York of 80’s and 90’s was lot more you know what than today. Police back than did lot more bribing and corruption than today. Back than some cops used to even traffic drugs and do kick backs with prostitutes. Read up on corruption with NYPD. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/34 "2015-07-28T11:41:27Z")
There are _still_ cops running drugs and doing kickbacks. And in my county we had a bunch of sheriff deputies go to jail for running guns. What makes you think any of that has gone away? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/35 "2015-07-28T14:31:13Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > About sex? No way - Americans are prudes compared to Europe. Only in appearances, I’d wager. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181/36 "2015-07-28T15:19:54Z")
Even prudes have a sex drive, but really, Americans do have a lot of BS hang ups about sex and nudity compared to most of the rest of the world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-going-to-be-like-japan/726181.md?page=1)