Behavior In Japan Research Articles

Internet society, internet addiction, and pathological social withdrawal: the chicken and egg dilemma for internet addiction and hikikomori.

Internet society has made our daily life more convenient, while its negative consequences especially internet, smartphone, and gaming addiction are emerging. At the same time, the phenomenon of pathological social withdrawal called 'hikikomori' has been increasingly highlighted as a problematic behavior in Japan. Now hikikomori is becoming a global mental health issue. The interaction between internet society, internet addiction, and hikikomori has not been well clarified. A case vignette survey among psychiatrists suggested that hikikomori cases could be comorbid with internet addiction. In reality, hikikomori cases with internet addiction have been reported internationally. A recent survey among college/university students in Japan has indicated positive interactions between internet addiction, smartphone addiction, gaming internet disorder, and hikikomori-tendencies. The cause of hikikomori has not been well understood, and the emergence of internet may be one of the important contributing factors for the occurrence of hikikomori. Whether pathological social withdrawal creates internet addiction, or internet overuse creates hikikomori remains unclear. Both possibilities exist, and we herein propose the conceptual model of these hypothetical interactions. Clarifying the mechanisms of both conditions will help to solve these crucial issues for contemporary urban societies.

A STUDY ON FOREIGN TOURISTS’ PURCHASING BEHAVIOR

The purpose of this paper is to understand the current situation of foreign tourists’ purchasing behavior in Japan and shows the further directions of the fashion industry in Japan. In order to achieve this goal, a questionnaire survey is conducted in a department store in Tokyo. Cross tabulations are used as the analysis methodology to investigate the relationship between countries and regions, traveling companions, number of visits and purchase expenditure, duty-free items purchased. As a result, the current situation and overall tendency of the purchasing behavior of foreigners visiting Japan are illustrated. In addition, this paper proves the hypothesis that Chinese tourists to Japan are more willing to buy fashion items.

Visiting Religious Places for Prayer in Japan: How Does Religious Identity Affect Religious Behavior?

This paper examines how religious identity is associated with religious behavior in Japan. Prior research suggests that ritual practices rather than doctrines and theology are more important for Japanese religiousness. While many studies discuss various ritual behaviors in Japan, few researchers adopted statistical analysis to explore the Japanese practice of visiting religious places for prayer. Moreover, although prior United States-based research has demonstrated that religious identity is associated with religious behavior, little is known about whether such an association exists in Japan. In this study, I analyze a nationally representative sample of Japanese adults and examine whether the subjective importance of religious identity is associated with the frequency of visiting places such as temples, shrines, or churches for prayer. The results show that there is a bivariate relationship between religious identity importance and the frequency of visiting for prayer. Multivariate analyses reveal that religious identity importance is positively associated with visiting even when controlling for religious affiliation and other demographic attributes. Moreover, the results indicate that religious affiliations (Buddhism, other religions) are positively associated with visiting. However, the effect of other religions is much stronger than that of Buddhism. Given the existing scholarship on Japanese religiousness, the findings suggest that the behavioral implication of religious identity could differ by religious affiliation. Overall, this study extends prior research by empirically demonstrating the substantial role of religious identity for religious ritual behavior in Japan and further advances our theoretical understanding of Japanese religiousness.

Empirical analysis on long-distance peer-to-peer ridesharing service in Japan

In accordance with the spread of ridesharing services, users’ data, how, when, where and for what purpose they use the service, are gradually collected in the world. However, there are few studies that deal with empirical situations in Japan. In addition, ridesharing services in Japan are not yet popular compared with that in Western countries thus far. Therefore, in this study, we aim to show the present situation of ridesharing behavior in Japan. We conduct the empirical analysis by using actual long-distance peer-to-peer ridesharing data in Japan. Firstly, we classify ridesharing drives into three classes by OD pairs. Next, we formulate the binomial probit model that explains matching success for each drive class. Estimated model shows that departure time and day, days to departure from registration date, page views and driver’s past experiences are important factors for successful match make.

Does the Selfish Life-Cycle Model Apply in the Case of Japan?

In this paper, we first provide a brief exposition of the simplest version of the selfish life cycle model or hypothesis, which is undoubtedly the most widely used theoretical model of household behavior in economics, and then survey the literature on household saving behavior in Japan (with emphasis on the author’s own past research) to shed light on whether or not the selfish life-cycle model applies in the case of Japan. In particular, we survey the literature on the impact of the age structure of the population on the saving rate, the saving behavior of retired households, saving motives, the prevalence of bequests, bequest motives, tests of altruism, and the importance of borrowing (liquidity) constraints and show that almost all of the available evidence suggests that the selfish life-cycle model applies to a greater extent in Japan than it does in other countries. Finally, we discuss the policy implications of our findings.

Is the Selfish Life-Cycle Model More Applicable in Japan and, If so, Why? A Literature Survey

The selfish life-cycle model or hypothesis is, together with the dynasty or altruism model, the most widely used theoretical model of household behavior in economics, but does this model apply in the case of a country like Japan, which is said to have closer family ties than other countries? In this paper, we first provide a brief exposition of the simplest version of the selfish life-cycle model and then survey the literature on household saving and bequest behavior in Japan in order to answer this question. The paper finds that almost all of the available evidence suggests that the selfish life-cycle model applies to at least some extent in all countries but that there is more consistent support for this model in Japan than in the United States and other countries. It then explores possible explanations for why the life-cycle model is more consistently supported in Japan than in other countries, attributing this finding to government policies, institutional factors, economic factors, demographic factors, and cultural factors. Finally, it shows that the findings of the paper have many important implications for economic modeling and for government tax and expenditure policies.

The Impact of Bequest Motives on Retirement Behavior in Japan: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis

In this paper, we conduct a theoretical and empirical analysis of the impact of bequest motives on the work and retirement behavior of households in Japan using micro data from the Preference Parameters Study of Osaka University. Our empirical findings are consistent with our theoretical model and show that respondents with an altruistic or strategic/exchange bequest motive work more at the intensive margin than those without any bequest motive but that respondents with a strategic or exchange bequest motive work less at the extensive margin (i.e., retire earlier) than those without any bequest motive. Our findings for the strategic or exchange motive suggest that respondents with such a motive tend to work harder than others before they retire so that they can earn more, leave a larger bequest to their children, and elicit more care from them but that they tend to retire earlier than others so that they can start receiving care for themselves and their spouses from their children sooner. A policy implication of our findings is that the exchange of bequests for the care of parents by children may be very sensitive to the inheritance tax framework.

Prevalence of 17 feline behavioral problems and relevant factors of each behavior in Japan.

Undesirable behaviors exhibited by cats are regarded as feline behavioral problems. Like canine behavioral problems, feline behavioral problems are commonly reported by owners. Thus, in order to advise cat owners appropriately, veterinarians, particularly general veterinary practitioners, are encouraged to have sufficient knowledge of these problems. However, in ordinary Japanese homes, only a small number of feline behavioral problems have been investigated in terms of prevalence and relevant factors. Comprehensive survey data may improve understanding of feline behavioral problems. In the present study, we distributed an online survey including general information and questions about 17 feline behaviors which can be problematic for owners, to investigate: (1) the prevalence of feline behavioral problems, (2) the most common behavioral problems, and (3) relevant factors for each behavior. We collected 1,376 valid responses. Among all cats, 75.7% exhibited at least one behavioral problem. “Pica” and “Showing fear while on the examination table” were the most frequently reported behavioral problems. To identify factors related to the expression of each behavior, we conducted multiple logistic regression analyses, with the presence of behaviors as objective variables and cats’ general information as explanatory variables. Age, sex, breed, number of cats in the household, and type of residence were each associated with more than one behavior. The present study revealed the prevalence of 17 feline behavioral problems in Japanese homes and relevant factors of each behavior. These findings will help veterinarians understand and address feline behavioral problems.

Spanish Influenza and Life Insurance Buying Behavior in Japan:The Implications of Rising Mortality Rates

Spanish Influenza and Life Insurance Buying Behavior in Japan:The Implications of Rising Mortality Rates

Information sources and changes in health behaviour in Japan: a cross-sectional online survey

Information sources and changes in health behaviour in Japan: a cross-sectional online survey

Is the Selfish Life-Cycle Model More Applicable in Japan and, If So, Why? A Literature Survey

The selfish life-cycle model or hypothesis is, together with the dynasty or altruism model, the most widely used theoretical model of household behavior in economics, but does this model apply in the case of a country like Japan, which is said to have closer family ties than other countries? In this paper, we first provide a brief exposition of the simplest version of the selfish life-cycle model and then survey the literature on household saving and bequest behavior in Japan in order to answer this question. The paper finds that almost all of the available evidence suggests that the selfish life-cycle model applies to at least some extent in all countries but that there is more consistent support for this model in Japan than in the United States and other countries. It then explores possible explanations for why the life-cycle model is more consistently supported in Japan than in other countries, attributing this finding to government policies, institutional factors, economic factors, demographic factors, and cultural factors. Finally, it shows that the findings of the paper have many important implications for economic modeling and for government tax and expenditure policies.

A Systematic Review of Pica and Geophagy in Japan and Korea

Pica, the craved and purposive consumption of non-food substances, is a globally widespread behavior that has critical connections to public health. Although there is a rich literature describing these behaviors from nearly every culture around the world, there is a dearth of English language literature reporting these behaviors in Japan and Korea. Here, we systematically reviewed the medical evidence of pica in Korean and Japanese language journals to confirm their presence in these cultures and to characterize culturally-specific factors associated with these behaviors. We used Ichusi-Web and KoreaMed with a broad variety of recombined search terms including “pica,” “geophagy,” “amylophagy,” and “trichobezoar” in Korean and Japanese characters. Our results confirm that pica is present in both of these cultures, with particularly frequent reports of trichobezoar (the consumption of human hair).

Dog-walking in dense compact areas: The role of neighbourhood built environment.

There is a dearth of evidence about how high-density living may influence dog-walking behaviour. We examined associations between neighbourhood built environment attributes and dog-ownership and dog-walking behaviour in Japan. Data from 1058 participants were used. The dog-ownership was 18.8%. All neighbourhood built attributes (excluding availability of parks) were negatively associated with dog-ownership. Among dog-owners, these same attributes were positively associated with any dog-walking in a usual week and with achieving 150-min per week of physical activity through dog-walking alone. These findings provided evidence on the importance of neighbourhood built environment attributes on dog-ownership and dog-walking behaviour in dense and compact areas. The urban design and public health implication of these findings is that the built environment attributes in high-density living areas may have different impacts on dog-ownership and dog-walking: while living in a walkable neighbourhood may not be conducive to dog-ownership, it may support dog-walking in such areas. Programs targeting dog-owners in high-density areas might be needed to encourage them to walk their dogs more. If successful, these programs could contribute to higher physical activity levels among dog-owners.

The effects of workplace norms on women’s work behaviour in Japan

The effects of workplace norms on women’s work behaviour in Japan

日本におけるユニバーサルツーリズムをめぐる取り組みと高齢者の旅行阻害要因に関する研究

日本におけるユニバーサルツーリズムをめぐる取り組みと高齢者の旅行阻害要因に関する研究

Modern interregional migration: evidence from Japan and Poland

Abstract This paper provides data-based analyses of recent interregional migration considering the examples of Japan and Poland. The analyses are conducted against the background of the general demographic and economic situations of both countries, in particular, regional disparities and economic growth. They aim at describing migrants’ behavior in Japan and Poland through a model consistent with the New Economic Geography (NEG) theory. Inspired by the model originally proposed by, the study constructs a migration model coherent with the NEG framework and tests the behavioral hypothesis. Interestingly, in both Japan and Poland, migrant behavior is responsive to stimuli stemming from the two following mechanisms: the relationship between the level of income inequalities and net migration toward capital regions; and similarly, the relationship between income inequalities movement and gross domestic product growth rate.

Fair trade information eliminates the positive brand effect: product choice behavior in Japan

We examine whether Fair Trade information affects the Japanese consumer’s willingness to pay. We provide information on agroforestry and poverty resolution for chocolate products to test consumer behavior. We use an online survey and the Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) method for hypothesis verification. The results show that brand has a positive effect on consumer willingness to pay, a negative effect in combination with agroforestry information, and no effect in combination with poverty resolution. In light of our results and discussions, to alleviate the above mentioned negative effect, we concluded that Japanese companies and universities should develop their corporate brand image along with their engagement in activities concerning Fair Trade and Japanese government should support to create their image to be engaged in activities concerning Fair Trade.

Oseltamivir phosphate-Lifting the restriction on its use to treat teenagers with influenza in Japan.

In 2007, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) warned to refrain from prescribing oseltamivir for teenagers when two Japanese teenagers with influenza fell from a high-rise building after taking oseltamivir. Revisions of the warning texts of anti-influenza drugs were discussed by the Subcommittee of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Sanitation Council, MHLW, based on the studies and trends of anti-influenza medication over the last 10 years. The research group led by Dr Nobuhiko Okabe conducted nationwide survey since the 2007/2008 influenza season. The results of Japanese and foreign epidemiological and non-clinical studies of abnormal behaviors in influenza patients since 2009 were reviewed. Severe abnormal behaviors have been reported in influenza patients taking all types of anti-influenza drugs, as well as in untreated patients. There are some risks to patients whether treated with any anti-influenza drug, or non-treated though it is still not possible to rule out a potential causal relationship between abnormal behaviors and anti-influenza drugs. 70% of abnormal behaviors occurred within two days after the onset of fever. No difference was found between anti-influenza drugs treated and non-treated patients. In patients receiving oseltamivir and other anti-influenza drugs, the frequency of abnormal behaviors is not clearly different between teenagers and patients under 10 years old. The specific "boxed warning" and the restriction only for oseltamivir that should not be used for teenagers was lifted. Therefore, the labeling of all anti-influenza drugs carry a consistent warning about the potential for abnormal behaviors in Japan.

The Effect of the Recent Inheritance Tax Reform on Bequest Behaviour in Japan

AbstractThis paper examines the behavioural response of households to wealth transfer taxation using household survey data from Japan, with particular attention being paid to the implications of different bequest motives that households may have. The data reveal that relatively few households plan to reallocate the newly taxable amount of wealth to their own consumption or inter vivos transfers in response to the recent lowering of the basic deduction of the inheritance tax. Our analysis shows that this partly reflects the fact that a relatively large share of households have no or a weak bequest motive in Japan. However, our estimation results also suggest that parents with an altruistic bequest motive are more likely to avoid an increase in their children's tax bill by reallocating the newly taxable amount of wealth to inter vivos transfers than those with no or a weak bequest motive. By contrast, parents with an exchange bequest motive are more likely to respond to the tax reform by reallocating the newly taxable amount of wealth to their own consumption, though they seem to exhibit a similar response to those with an altruistic bequest motive in some cases.

Prevalence of 25 canine behavioral problems and relevant factors of each behavior in Japan.

Undesirable behaviors exhibited by dogs are called canine behavioral problems. Behavioral problems are common among dogs kept in ordinary homes; hence, veterinarians need to have sufficient knowledge of these problems, so as to advise owners. Among dogs kept in ordinary Japanese homes, only a few behaviors have been investigated regarding prevalence and relevant factors. To improve understanding of behavioral problems, a comprehensive survey is crucial. In this study, we distributed an online survey including general information and questions about 25 canine behaviors that can become problematic to owners, to investigate (1) the prevalence of behavioral problem, (2) the most common behavioral problems, and (3) the relevant factors of each behavior. We collected 2,050 valid responses. Among all dogs, 86.0% exhibited at least one behavioral problem. “Barking at noises inside the house”, “Barking at unfamiliar visitors”, and “Pica” were the most frequent behavioral problems. To reveal those factors related to the expression of each behavior, we performed multiple logistic regression analyses, with the presence of behaviors as objective variables and dogs’ general information as explanatory variables. Breed, age, the presence of other dogs in the household, sex, neutering status, source of acquisition, and type of residence were associated with 19, 16, 5, 4, 4, 4, and 1 behaviors, respectively. This study revealed the prevalence of 25 canine behavioral problems in Japan and relevant factors of each behavior. Our findings will be useful for veterinarians in advising owners about preventing behavioral problems.