September 14, 2022

"Explanations for the lack of interest in sex include the poor quality of sex education and the decline of traditional matchmakers..."

"... who used to arrange unions between young people of marriageable age. Others attribute it to the habit among young Japanese of socialising in groups, making it harder for men and women to break off as couples, and the rise of hikikomori, or social recluses, who live at home and never go out. Some research suggests that much of the problem comes down to money. While salaries among male workers have declined since the 'Bubble Economy' of the 1980s, research shows that women’s expectations of income in a potential mate remain unrealistically high."

22 comments:

mccullough said...

Their best men were killed during World War 2.

80 years later, the effects show.

Rollo said...

I doubt the quality or availability of sex education is the problem.

We already live in the virtual multiverse and intimate physical contact is rarer and less desirable than it once was.

Joe Smith said...

Good points all.

The Japanese do like to do things in groups.

There is a lack of individual agency...a cultural desire to do what is best for the whole, not the individual.

In work and socially, they are always seeking consensus.

Even in things like "Where do you want to eat lunch?"

In the US, everyone would chime in; "McDonalds!" "Pizza!," etc.

In Japan, a member of a group might say, "I hear McDonalds make good hamburgers," and let things evolve from there.

Totally different mindset in a homogeneous society...

Enigma said...

Both the Japanese and their genetic cousins next door in Korea have demonstrated an extreme interest and attachment to media / technology. This ranges from film, video games, comic books, social media, etc. I suspect that humans are simply not evolved to handle new media and new tech -- there will be a shake out and die off of those who cannot adapt. Young men become isolated nerds who thrive on porn, while young women become fantasy princesses waiting for billionaires who never arrive.

Similar things are happening to a lot of young females in the US, as they get their bits cut off and take testosterone in their teenage years. The young males off their bits would generally have been gay in past years, so there's not much of a functional change.

Darwin awards for all will be handed out on December 31.

Lurker21 said...

Their best men were killed during World War 2.

People say that about Germany, too. If it's meant in a biological sense it's certainly not true. It's also questionable if it isn't.

PM said...

Perfectly
Obvious
Reason
No?

Ann Althouse said...

"In Japan, a member of a group might say, "I hear McDonalds make good hamburgers," and let things evolve from there."

David Sedaris has written about learning Japanese and living in Japan and has remarked on the tendency, in Japanese, to say things indirectly.

Jim Gust said...

has anyone checked testosterone levels in the population?

Readering said...

So is Japan a trailblazer or idiosyncratic oddity? Any significance to the fact that none of the major religions took hold there?

The Vault Dweller said...

Kind of odd that they think a reason for the lack of coupling is a lack of sex education whereas here we start with a presumption of coupling as a predicate for sex education. My snarky take is that feminism has made men and women less attractive to one another, but my thoughtful take is that social media has separated humanity more than its joined it. Someone can be as charming as all hell online but until you actually meet the person it is still just pie in the sky dreaming.

Joe Smith said...

'David Sedaris has written about learning Japanese and living in Japan and has remarked on the tendency, in Japanese, to say things indirectly.'

We once stayed at a very high-end ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel).

We arrived and walked ten minutes from the train station.

The ryokan had a beautiful Rolls Royce in the driveway for VIPs.

When we checked in I made small-talk with the manager, and made a remark about how beautiful the car was.

When we checked out a few days later and were ready to walk back to the station, about ten staff members and a driver were lined up next to the car.

They were seeing us off in the Rolls for a 3 minute drive to the station.

The manager had interpreted my remark about the car to mean 'I'd like to get a ride' as a Japanese guest might do.

It was a nice gesture and a very short drive in luxury.

We still think it was a very funny experience.

Lawrence Person said...

"Women’s expectations of income in a potential mate remain unrealistically high."

Good thing we don't have any of that here!

Obviously, the key to raising fertility rates is women with bigger breasts.

tim maguire said...

There seems to be some confusion between lack of interest in sex and lack of having sex. Lack of having can be explained by any number of social realities, but lack of interest--that's an inside job.

Jim Gust said...has anyone checked testosterone levels in the population?

Exactly. Human nature hasn't changed. Evolutionary pressures haven't changed. If they actually aren't as interested in sex as they used to be (as opposed to merely having less sex than they used to), there is a medical explanation.

Tom T. said...

Japanese women are highly educated, but their society remains so bound by tradition that there is a strong expectation that a woman must give up her career after getting married and stay home. In a tiny little apartment with a husband who's always at work and children who are always cramming for school.

Basically, Japan shows its women everything they're capable of, then pushes them into a lonely and stunted life after they get married. And then commentators act baffled that Japanese women don't want to get married.

Howard said...

You people obsessed with testosterone are the most likely needing help. No doubt that Trump exploits these deficiencies to Garner ratings and votes from the Obesity Army of the Deplorable States of America.

Men with obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes have low total and free testosterone and low sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG). Conversely, the presence of low testosterone and/or SHBG predicts the development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Visceral adiposity present in men with low testosterone, the metabolic syndrome, and/or type 2 diabetes acts through proinflammatory factors. These inflammatory markers contribute to vascular endothelial dysfunction with adverse sequelae such as increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and erectile dysfunction.

Temujin said...

Don't look now, but it's happening here as well.

All is fine until you cannot hire people to steam the oat milk for your lattes.

gilbar said...

Lawrence Person said...
Obviously, the key to raising fertility rates is women with bigger breasts.

Rush Limbaugh: Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream..

The world was, is, and will be designed to work For attractive women (Especially attractive Redheads)

n.n said...

Explanations for the lack of interest in sex include dysfunctional education and the progress of social liberalism...

William50 said...

Jim Gust said...has anyone checked testosterone levels in the population?

Good question. I blame GMO's because, why not?

Kai Akker said...

I don't believe this latest item in the anti-sex crusade for one minute. Those Japanese girls in the pornhub movies love it. Where is this anti-sex crusade originating? Hillary House?

Jeff said...

Howard, are young Japanese men notably obese? I've not read anything to that effect, but I'm certainly no expert on the matter.

Jose_K said...

Others attribute it to the habit among young Japanese of socialising in groups..young people around the world do the same