Wither Japan?

Akio Toyoda was at the Capitol answering the "quality conscious" US congress. He apologized for the quality issues that are plaguing Toyota cars past few months. Beyond all the recalls and money involved, this does not seem to end....

The very next week I was flying to Tokyo. At Narita station, waiting for Narita Express there was this delay announcement. N'EX is 10 minutes delayed as the incoming train is delayed. Apology. Taihan omatase itashimashita....

One evening I went to a cafe close to Shinjuku Sta. No Japanese faces in the crew. All foreigner staff. One of them drops a plate with a loud noise. Others just smile....

The next day my colleague makes it giri giri for a customer meeting. Yamanote sen sotomawari was stopped due to technical issues. Yamanote line and Chuo line delays are no longer a news now. 

Is the focus on quality and customer withering away in Japanese society? While the DPJ government has promised to question every legacy bureaucracy in Japan, is someone questioning the too-much-customer-concern too? Is the Japan of yester years being a thing of past?


The JAL lounge had no signs of wear and tear. And no way does it expose the bankruptcy JAL is in today. When I got back into American Airlines and was wondering about the losing grip of okyakusan in Japan, quality gets a revisit. The flight will be delayed by 30 min. There is a long line for the runway and we are the eleventh. No apologies though. Granted.


I still thanked the JAL lounge and the great food it served as AA skipped the normal juice-snacks and went directly for dinner with a sweet query - "Do you want anything for dinner tonight ?"

.....