No Sex Please, We're Japanese

No Sex Please, We're Japanese

2013, Society  -   74 Comments
7.38
12345678910
Ratings: 7.38/10 from 246 users.

Located in northern Japan, Yubari used to be a bustling coal-mining city with over 100,000 residents. Today, its schools are shuttered, its amusement park abandoned, and its population reduced by 90 percent. Surprisingly, this troubling transformation is the result of modern Japanese views on sex and procreation. This is not an isolated occurrence; in fact, it's emblematic of what's taking place throughout the remainder of the country. The documentary investigates the root causes behind Japan's historically low birth rates, and how this distressing trend places the country's future in peril.

During the course of their investigation, the filmmakers make a stop in Tokyo, and discover that even Japan's most populous epicenter hasn't been immune to the crisis. Although the city welcomes close to a quarter of a million new births each year, that figure has undergone a steady decline as the average age of new mothers continues to rise.

The film does an exceptional job of detailing the ramifications of this multi-faceted dilemma. Diminished birth rates spell disaster for the longevity of any country. Workforce and economies dwindle, industries crumble, and entire populations eventually die off. This may sound like a far-fetched post-apocalyptic scenario, but it's an entirely probable fate for Japan.

This potential large-scale catastrophe has its origins in the most intimate of circumstances. A new generation of Japanese men no longer possess the level of ambition to date, marry and reproduce as they once did. Either they're too committed to maintaining a tireless work ethic, or they prefer the risk-adverse comforts of dating virtual girlfriends from role playing video games. Women, meanwhile, are making amazing strides in the work field. They are fearful of lacking a balance between the responsibilities of motherhood and the growing demands of their careers. Even those who wish for families of their own have difficulties finding a suitor with similar interests.

No Sex Please, We're Japanese could have been a fluff piece containing a titillating series of observations on modern sexual attitudes and cultures. To its credit, however, it's a thoughtful sociological study that carries far more profound implications for all of us.

Directed by: John Holdsworth

More great documentaries

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

74 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Bill Farley
Bill Farley
3 years ago

I believe the narrator has missed the point. There's a huge difference between "sex" and not wanting to have children. Surely sex is not on the decline only birthrates.

SAMI
SAMI
3 years ago

Cool

Droidin
Droidin
4 years ago

Just add that comment of that woman saying that she wants a husband with a nice revenue, to the male economic anxiety problem, there you go, zero babies for life.

There are many many nice people in this country, but a lot of them are victims of their own self perception (as other people are in their respective countries) they have economic liberty (mostly) but with a high price (for some), there is no proper notion of freedom (besides economic freedom) and no philosophical plurality, it is sad if you understand and live among a diverse culture. But it works (mostly), and yes, it feels fake when they try to reproduce western culture without weed.

Al ikram
Al ikram
6 years ago

when they said "meet may may n wrinko"
me -face palm face palm

ANon
ANon
6 years ago

"What is wrong with Japanese guys?" Well, why doesn't she also ask about Japanese women? Men can't make babies on their own, afterall. There are two sides to the equation.

ANon
ANon
6 years ago

For a documentary narrator, she could have done a littler better in hiding her disapproval of the two Otaku men. She claims that they are part of generation "that never had to grow up" but I think that's overreaching. They have jobs, they have families, one of them is married, so clearly they are capable adults. She says they're part of the problem... for not having children? So what does she expect them to do? Go out and procreate? Again, Japan's problem is not as simple as this documentary makes it out to be. There are many other aspects that it totally ignores.

ANon
ANon
6 years ago

The documentary also ignores the fact that the shortage of laborers is due to 40% of Japanese women being housewives. Out of the 60% of women who work, over half work part-time.
The government and companies could start to unwind this problem by supporting women who want to join the workforce. This is done by offering more childcare services and resolving the excessive work culture that keeps mothers away from the workforce. The issue is more complex than just low birth rates.

ANon
ANon
6 years ago

I can't stand the narrator's commentary. She's so tactless and dramatic in the way she describes the situation. "Could there be anything sadder than rusty unused swings?" "This is so weird," "this is like a post-apocalyptic wasteland," "what a dark place," and so on. One would think that all of Japan is a rusty dump by the way she's describing it. She should realize that she's looking at the most extreme examples of population decline in Japan. There are similar towns in the US and other countries. In fact, one town in West Virginia is identical in that it was a coal mining town that essentially became a ghost town. Migration from low-opportunity areas to the cities is not a problem unique to Japan.

Also, I think this documentary assumes that because children aren't being born at higher rates, it must mean people aren't having sex. I beg to differ, the love hotel and sex industry in Japan are thriving. People are definitely getting it on, they're just not having kids, due to many economic and social factors.

paco
paco
7 years ago

One things sprang up very clearly in this video, japanese are extremely westernised, but because they had to, It looks to me after this video japan is a defeated country, they are still living under the dawn of the second world war, they feel like the losers of the conflict, though heavely influenced by the west, but in a forced way. And I feel like the real reason they are not letting in many immigrants is because from deep inside they still truely hate the westerners, mostly, the americans, because of dropping the atom bomb. But they are cant express there anger or sadness because they feel like, and have been told that it was their own fault because they started it. The real problem is this I thinkt, just like in the movie ''the last samurai'' Japan has neglected its own unique ''real'' culture and adapted, while being forced, the western one, so it doesnt really suite them. They are role playing as europeans but they just arent, and therefore are not playing it right. They miss the proportions, they excagerate it. They try to duplicate something(unconsiousely unwilling) but are just not able. What will save japan is to get there own culture back and their proud, not living in the shadows of the united states

paco
paco
7 years ago

I have a comment to make on the lady explaining why immigration is difficult in japan.
She sais it will be hard because japan has a very unique culture and language. What I want to add to that is this: I am a hundred and fourty percent convincent that a marokan immigrand coming to england, or for that case whole europe would think the same thing at thirst glans, there is a unique language and culture. But over time is whill be overwonn, and this is a fact, because it happened everywhere, almost at least,

masaharu
masaharu
7 years ago

she did not talk about the labor system. is very important

Im a Happy Single
Im a Happy Single
7 years ago

20:40 Since when resignation from the things you like is a part of growing up? That second guy is married, has a job, takes care of his house, first guy seems like a person, which favorized, living as a single in his youth. I know a lot of mature women, which likes to play that stupid online farming games or Sims. Ohhh sorry i forgot, when it consideres males its immature and for woman its ok, ohh yeah, sorry, my bad. SINGLES RULE!!!!

Randall
Randall
7 years ago

The less people there are the more resources there are to go around.

doc
doc
8 years ago

critter and jordan are right 100%

stop greed. 1 child worldwide policy.1st step

wanna know whats next?

Assaf Koss
Assaf Koss
9 years ago

I find that the presenter, Anita, looked increasingly attractive, when compared to the Japanese women. I bet that they would be reproducing much more enthusiastically, if the women looked more like Manga characters. :=P But, that might just be my bias

Chris
Chris
10 years ago

I find it interesting that the presenters only solution is immigration. Immigration in the UK has created vast problems. Currently, 70% of people polled put immigration as their second most important subject, after the economy. The present immigration levels in the UK have supressed wages, caused a generation of young to be unable to find a job, created a housing shortage, stretched the national health service to breaking point, increased crime rates, caused every green space in the southeast to be concreted, caused endless traffic jams and created a lot of inter ethnic tensions.
With the worlds resources dwindling, increasing a popullation further is just kicking the can of popullation control further down the road. What should be happening is globally we should be reducing popullation levels to save the planet. We should be working on new technology to care for the old and we should should reform our financial systems to remove the need for endless growth. Will it ever happen? No, because the rich need growth to get richer.

Hypathia22
Hypathia22
10 years ago

Could someone help me out here with remembering a film title? Over 20 years ago, I saw a Japanese film (at an art-theater) set in rural, mountainous Japan in the late 1800s. Life was hard and harsh, including the custom of throwing off a cliff the old people who no longer had teeth (meant they were now in decline and "helpless") Spoiler here: The main character's mother ends up smashing her teeth on a huge stone, so that her son will be compelled to "throw her off the cliff" thus lessening his burdens in this difficult life. Is anyone out there familiar with this powerful film? The TITLE please?

Terry Chambers
Terry Chambers
10 years ago

I won't live in a world with one culture.

jaberwokky
jaberwokky
10 years ago

The doc is a good overview of an interesting phenomenon that currently seems specific to Japanese society. It contemplates the current state, and spells out some of the future consequences, for a culture whose insular nature and steadfast adherence to old social norms have taken it to a precipice.It doesn't quite get deep enough into the causes of the phenomenon but there's a really meaty Guardian UK piece on the Google called "Why have young people in Japan stopped having sex?" for those that are interested. Trust me, it's got nothing to do with small penises.

Of note in the comments here: People who think dwindling population sizes are a good thing, regardless of the method. Personally I find this very saddening.

junior347
junior347
10 years ago

I guess when there are no young ruffians on the street, old people tend to pick up the slack. Somebody has to go out there and raise some hell, eh?

shafawn
shafawn
10 years ago

The same can be said of Caucasians in America. Fewer white babies are born than any other race. Researchers quoted on NBC report claim census: white majority in U.S. gone by 2043.
By the way the laws are being changed right now I expect it to be sooner.

GreenTea
GreenTea
10 years ago

The problem is half of the population will be over 65 in the near future. Who will feed them and change their nappies? They have finally "started" a discussion about legalizing euthanasia, but they are so slow in deciding on anything. I'm a Japanese woman permanently living abroad with two children, and I'm quite pessimistic and sad. Their mentality on social issues hasn't changed much since the WWII. Japan still ranks around/below 100th in any international gender equality surveys. I found this poor woman who has two children with two different fathers out of wedlock (not due to adultery, but still "legally" discriminated as illegitimate) was bombarded by abusive comments in a moderated message board. I defended her as an expat abroad and I was also bombarded by "This is Japan." and "Her children should immigrate to a country with no prejudice/discrimination such as France." Japanese people may be kind to you, but they are so rigid (nasty at times) among themselves, and what they call "Japanese values" are actually destroying the country. If they like to drive BMWs and drink Jack Daniels, why do they resist adopting possible/feasible solutions from the West?

windship
windship
10 years ago

It's bizarre in a way that population decline is considered such a 'crisis" in a country that is grossly overpopulated, if you look at Japan's overall ecological and energy footprint which stretches well beyond the archipelago. Yes, the transition to a more sustainable state may be difficult, but surely things will be better for future generations if there isn't so many people. We can only hope this population "problem" reaches the whole world before every other edible species on the planet is eaten, every other natural resource is mined into oblivion..

bionara
bionara
10 years ago

The adult nappies outsell the baby nappies in Japan...or in that shop that's geared towards the old folk? This Doc' is littered with conjecture! It's a good doc, but I feel that if it wasn't set in the far off and exotic lands of Japan it wouldn't have a gram of interest in it.

Travis Sichel
Travis Sichel
10 years ago

I think the guys are just under stress & give up, they feel insecure about their financial situation & cant live up to the standards they expect of themselves & think woman expect of them too, So they just avoid woman.

Comparing your success to the baby boomers is silly. People born in that generation were not only born in a baby boom but an economic one too.

The generation of now lives in a very competitive economy and in a culture where a stable boring job is simply not good enough.
In order to gain your peers respect you have to get that cool car, be fashionable have the latest phone & I believe it is getting worse. Though that might not be true, we just tend to think it is so feel insecure and pressured, perhaps social media, TV & movies etc is to blame.

Lisa
Lisa
10 years ago

As being Japanese, I agree and it's true, but they should have mentioned that Yubari is the most famous city which experienced the financial collapse as city because of the fail in their business. It doesn't represent the rural side in Japan. Maybe it was just a nice exaggerated example though. It's wired to me that Yubari seemed to represent Japan.
And no matter how big population of Otaku, of course they are still not a reason for the low birth rate. Besides, Akihabara is only small part in Tokyo. Young people's work and life style and attitude should be changed because the decreasing population is truely coming.

Sun Zoo
Sun Zoo
10 years ago

Japan is a great place to send hipsters that are crowding new york city.

englishjakes
englishjakes
10 years ago

awesome but crazy. To think that guys would rather have a virtual girl friend is crazy but on the other hand a population decrease is awesome. poor japanese girls though they must be really pent up.

Bob Dole
Bob Dole
10 years ago

This brings me hope, not sadness. Industrial decline, less energy consumption, fewer mouths to feed, sounds like a garden of Eden to me...

ghpacific
ghpacific
10 years ago

Wow, just wow! Great job, very enlightening.

Jordan
Jordan
10 years ago

I agree....Decreasing the amount of people on the planet might save the earth after all

mscritter
mscritter
10 years ago

I think women in all countries should follow Japan's example. Then maybe we could save the planet.

oQ
oQ
10 years ago

Everyone would agree that Japanese babies are the cutest in the world?
I disagree.

Diego_Garrido
Diego_Garrido
10 years ago

Behold the future, western folks. Anyway, what's so catastrophic about negative growth? Stark reminder about this dysfunctional infinite-growth-based economy. Juts throwing thoughts out there