The results of the OECD Better Life Index have
revealed that Australia is the “happiest” industrialized country in the world –
even trumping the likes of Norway and Sweden – while Japan ranks 16th.
But is
Japan really that bad a place to live, or are Japanese people just complaining
too much?
The
OECD Better Life Index bases its results on the housing, personal income, jobs,
community, education, environment, civic engagement, health, life satisfaction,
safety and work-life balance of people within ３６ of the world’s most
developed countries.
The
Wall Street Journal reports that thanks to continued trade with
countries like China and the country’s resource boom, Australia has managed to
ride out the economic storm in Europe, placing the it at the top of the Better
Life Index, overall.
While Australia performed
exceedingly well, ranking within the top five for civic engagement, health,
safety and community, the work-life balance of many Aussies leaves something to
be desired. Australians are among the most overworked people in the world,
ranked 30th above Israel, Korea, Japan, Turkey and Mexico.
But
what of Japan?
According
to the Better Life Index, the citizens of the world’s third largest economy are
not very happy.
While
findings that place Japan as the safest in the world and with one of the best
education systems are of little surprise, things are not looking good for
Japan, overall.
Although
Japan boasts the highest life expectancy in the world at 83 years, on average,
only 30 per cent of respondents reported they were in good health – much lower
than the OECD average of 70 per cent.
While
these results could partially be to do with the aging population, Japanese
people spend less of on their health than the average developed nation.
And
while a almost a third of the country reported that they worked “very long
hours – the second highest behind Turkey at 43 per cent), it doesn’t seem to be
paying off. The average Japanese person earns $US23458 a year – only $1000 more
than the OECD average.
In
terms of housing, Japan scored slightly lower than the OECD average. 93 per
cent of Japanese people live in dwellings with private access to indoor
flushing toilets. The OECD average is 97. per cent.
Similarly
Just over three quarters of Japanese people say they are satisfied with their
home, compared to the OECD average of 90 per cent.
It’s
interesting that areas in which Japan performed worst such as health and
housing are rated on a subjective basis. While there is no disputing factors
like the average education attainment (the highest amongst those countries
surveyed), how much time someone spends with their friends, or how “satisfied”
someone is with their house, cannot be accurately measured.
15 per
cent of Japanese people said they ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ spend time with friends
or family – the highest figure in OECD countries. But don’t we all feel
overworked sometimes? How often are exaggerations thrown around because we’re
in a particular mood?
With a
shaky economy and signs of a hot summer teamed with power outages thanks to the
temporary shutdown of the country’s nuclear reactors, it is easy for Japanese
people to become depressed by their surroundings, especially when their
neighbour, South Korea, is growing from strength to strength.
Whatever
the case may be – whether Japanese people truly are less happy that many other
countries, or whether they just think they’re worse off – perhaps what is
important for Japanese society is to look beyond what is, and aim for what
could-be.
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