J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>The 'JIN' Japan Inc Newsletter<br>A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends<br>in Japan.<br>Issue No. 462 Wednesday April 23, 2008, Tokyo<br><br>Uniforms and Uniformity<br>
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More about PBXL: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2">http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Deciding what to wear to work can be tough - particularly on <br>
the first day. However, in Japan the potential for making a <br>clothing decision that one lives to regret is greatly reduced <br>by the social convention for new employees' attire, or the <br>company's provision of a uniform/dress code. For jobseekers or <br>
new employees, it is expected that they wear simple black suits <br>with a white shirt; the men must wear dark, unremarkable ties <br>while the sleeves of the women's jackets fall to a standard <br>length cut a few centimeters below the wrist, sneaking over the <br>
base of the hand. Later on in their careers they will have the <br>option to vary color and style somewhat, but compared to many <br>other countries, the continued prevalence of the suit is <br>notable. This is partly because of the importance of age and <br>
rank - it is socially easier to be able to indicate position <br>through appearance rather than having to go through the <br>embarrassing process of asking (although the obligatory business<br>card exchange acts as a buffer). For those working in the <br>
emergency services, construction, all manner of retail outfits, <br>from banks to convenience stores, and even some conventional <br>companies, a uniform is required. <br><br>Uniforms in Japanese society have long been an important aspect <br>
of fashion, often reinforcing social structures and having <br>historical significance. Most obvious is the school uniform, <br>worn by the majority of students from junior high, although <br>elementary schools, and even kindergartens, often require the <br>
wearing of standard hats, bags and other accessories. The junior<br>high and high school boys' uniforms are normally dark in color <br>and based on the nineteenth century Prussian military uniform, <br>with a standing collar jacket. For girls there is the sailor <br>
outfit, first introduced by the missionary principal of Fukuoka <br>Jo Gaukuin University, Elizabeth Lee. Many students see their <br>uniforms as cool and can be found wearing them long after school<br>hours and even at weekends (though this is sometimes a <br>
requirement)whilst pure fashion uniforms, particularly for <br>girls, are popular on the mainstream as well as the fetish <br>scene. Rituals and myths have grown up around the school uniform<br>such as the significance attached to the second button of a <br>
boy's jacket. Closest to the heart, it is said to contain his <br>emotions and is thus often given away to a sweetheart on <br>graduation.<br><br>Uniforms in schools, and arguably in any institution are <br>designed to maintain a particular public image, instill <br>
discipline, create outward harmony and also promote equality. <br>Yuichi Tamura, writing in the journal 'Youth & Society,' argues <br>that school dress codes contradict efforts encouraging students <br>to express individuality and have become an anachronism. Tamura <br>
observes, school dress codes were an integral part of a <br>society strategy toward industrialization and modern <br>development. However, once a society achieved industrial and <br>modern development, educational benefits associated with dress <br>
codes no longer corresponded to the economic and cultural <br>realities of youth. On the other hand, Tamura perhaps neglects <br>the uniform-related counter-culture. The meanings of uniforms <br>have evolved and school children have for a long time been <br>
expert at manipulating the imposed uniform to express <br>individuality, quick to find spaces for freedom such as altering<br>skirt size, changing hair styles and even varying styles for <br>socks. Meanwhile, uniforms feature prominently on the adult <br>
entertainment scene from maid cafes to nurse bars, and more <br>recently even school boy cafes (<a href="http://tinyurl.com/5g38r5">http://tinyurl.com/5g38r5</a>).<br><br>The dynamic between uniforms as imposing uniformity and uniforms<br>
as a source of counter-culture, as seen in the case of the <br>school uniform, is interesting to explore. In some ways uniforms<br>nowadays actually turn their original concept on its head in <br>the sense they are often being worn as an expression of <br>
individuality and identity, albeit associated with a group. <br>For example in Okinawa, traditional shirts, known as <br>'kariyushi wear' similar to Hawaiian shirts, are tolerated as <br>formal dress, and important leaders of institutions wear them <br>
to work - they are even worn by the staff in banks. In this way,<br>uniforms simultaneously allow expression of identity at the <br>same time as being an aesthetic imposition. Furthermore, the <br>punks and goths at Yoyogi park, and even the yakuza, all wear <br>
their unconventional clothes, make-up, tattoos and hair styles <br>with a degree of uniformity that seems to be more pronounced in <br>Japan than in other cultures. This favors a more relative <br>definition of individuality. The question of personal identity <br>
relates more to which group one identifies with, and which group<br>one has rejected, rather than being 'groupless.'<br><br>Among the most striking features of the uniform in Japan is the <br>common practice for all kinds of drivers and guides to wear <br>
white gloves, the green overalls worn by construction workers, <br>the branded overalls worn by gas station attendants, the blue <br>jumpsuits worn by right-wingers, the mini-skirts and hot pants <br>worn by girls giving out promotional materials and, of course, <br>
the office ladies' uniform. Taken together, the unique uniforms <br>of Japan make an interesting snapshot of the nation.<br><br>Peter Harris<br>Editor-in-Chief<br><br>++FEEDBACK<br>Want to comment? It is now even easier to voice your opinion<br>
than ever before! Simply post a comment below the article<br>online at <a href="http://www.japaninc.com/jin462">www.japaninc.com/jin462</a><br><br><br>++EVENTS<br><br>-----Metropolis and eigoTown.com International Parties-----<br>
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<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Start a Company in Japan<br><br>Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar 31st of May, 2008<br><br>If you have been considering setting up your own company,<br>
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and to ask specific questions that are not normally answered<br>in business books.<br>All materials are in English and are Japan-focused.<br><br>For more details:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar">http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar</a><br>
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This event provides Japanese firms the 'how-to' of investing in <br>their employees to sustain their businesses. Supported by JSHRM<br> <br>3rd Annual LNG World, 15th – 16th July 2008, Tokyo<br><a href="http://www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=13569">www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=13569</a><br>
This event focuses on key operational aspects of LNG business <br>and current market dynamics to succeed in this competitive<br>market.<br><br>Leveraged Finance Japan, 29th – 30th July 2008, Tokyo <br><a href="http://www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=14126">http://www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=14126</a><br>
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Contact: +603 2723 6736 Email: <a href="mailto:estherw@marcusevanskl.com">estherw@marcusevanskl.com</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>++END<br>