Why losing face is so unbearable for the Japanese?

The concept of shame is deeply tied to the samurai moral code and ritual suicide or hara-kiri is a way to restore honor

The recent suicide of Makoto Yamada, the former president of Daimaru Besso, an inn in Fukuoka, has drawn attention once again to the psychological impact of the “loss of face” on powerful men in Japan. Yamada was under fire for only replacing the inn’s bathwater twice a year, and providing a falsified management book to local public health officials.

After an unannounced inspection of the water in November uncovered amounts of Legionella bacteria that were up to 3,700 times the standard level, Yamada admitted responsibility and apologized at a news conference.

He then resigned as president on March 2, and the prefectural government filed a criminal complaint with police against Yamada and the inn on suspicion of violating the law on public bathhouses by submitting a false report.

However, just days after police searched his home following the criminal complaint, Yamada’s body was found on a mountain road in Chikushino, and police believe he took his own life.

“Saving face” (mentsu wo tamotsu) is one of the key ideas in comprehending this and other similar tragedies.

If in the West the idea of equality assumes that people of different social status are essentially the same and ought to be treated similarly, this is somewhat different in Japan. If in the West, it is acceptable to disagree with someone of a higher social status it is not always the case in Asia.

“Shame and stigma associated with public failure can be overwhelming, leading some to take their own lives”

For example, to dispute with someone in public and make them feel embarrassed is equivalent to “losing face” (mentsu wo ushinau), and as we have seen can even lead to self-destructing consequences.

The Japanese concept of “face” refers to a person’s social standing, reputation and dignity.

For powerful men like Yamada, losing face on national television has the same effect as a thousand knives stabbing into his heart. Here the shame and stigma associated with public failure can be overwhelming, leading some to take their own lives rather than face the humiliation of one’s own actions.

A friend of mine, Takimoto Sumio, a wise self-made man who runs the Kyoto Tagasegawa Villa, a similar business to Makoto Yamada’s, has told me many times much to my disbelief that Japanese adult men cannot conceive life and shame at the same time. You can have one but not the other and vice versa. And shame for the Japanese, in his own words, can definitely be worse than dying.

For Catholics who believe suicide is a straightforward sin because it violates the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life, this is an unusual concept, to say the least.

In Catholic theology, all human life is considered sacred and a gift from God. Taking one’s own life is seen as an act of despair and a rejection of God’s plan for that person’s life.

So this “losing face” concept can be hardly understood by a Western mindset.

As a matter of fact, this phenomenon is not limited to Japan, as the pressure to maintain a public image and avoid disgrace is common among powerful men in many cultures in Asia.

“In Asia is that these cultures have a strong emphasis on collectivism rather than individualism”

I remember, for instance, when I lived in Seoul at the time of the tragic sinking of the MV Sewol ferry which killed 306 people, mostly young students. The owner of the ferry was found dead in a field, weeks later. He too committed suicide.

We saw this being repeated after the recent stampede tragedy in Itaewon. In that case, it was the police officer in charge of security in the area who took his own life.

One reason why this sense of shame is so strong in Asia is that these cultures have a strong emphasis on collectivism rather than individualism.

This means that people are expected to conform to societal norms and values and put the needs of the group before their own, something that seems almost inconceivable to a Western mind. It can lead to a greater sense of responsibility and obligation to maintain a good reputation and avoid bringing shame to oneself or one’s family.

In Japan, the concept of shame is deeply tied to the samurai moral code of Bushido, which emphasized loyalty, honor, and self-discipline. A samurai who failed to live up to these ideals often chose to commit ritual suicide, known as seppuku or hara-kiri, as a way to atone for their shame and restore their honor.

Even today you can come across the blood shed by hundreds of samurai dried up on the ceilings of different temples in the prefecture of Kyoto. Blood that freezes, like an x-ray, the moments immediately following the completion of a practice that was to be carried out in order to avoid the most absolute dishonor: shame.

*The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.

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