Of Shame Applied Where Outside Everyone Hides While Inside I Exist Not

According to Y. Sakamoto in his “Study of the Attitude of Japanese Families of Schizophrenics Toward their Ill Members,” a Japanese family’s communication is typified by great emphasis on group-interaction and less focus on individual assertiveness (Sakamoto 370).

For a Japanese to bring shame to his family is the ultimate failure, far greater than simply bringing shame to himself. As Sakamoto points out, this cultural custom was well demonstrated by Kamikaze fighters during World War II: “The Kamikaze fighter could kill himself, not for himself, but for the society and the family, which could not tolerate the shame if he failed” (Sakamoto 372). A mentally ill member of the familial structure is a cause for disgrace, disturbing balance of this inner group.

For this reason, the psychologically disturbed try to conceal or ignore their problems.

For Japanese men especially, who may suffer from alcoholism or family/occupational pressures, admitting “weakness” and seeking treatment is unimaginable. In other cases, it can be difficult to persuade parents of the need for mental treatment for their disturbed children (Grimes 4). Or, if patients actually receive counseling, they may withhold the fact from their families.

Thus, even with successful treatments, patients’ progress may be hindered by a return to an unsympathetic and uninformed community. They may not only face prejudice from members of the outside society (referred to as soto), but also from members within their family group (referred to as uchi), who cannot bear the dishonor and humiliation reflected upon them (Hendry 43). This double discrimination from both outsiders and insiders makes coping and management only more problematic for patients. A positive public attitude towards the mentally ill is a necessary condition for satisfactory care and treatment of these patients.


Sadly though, judging from my parents' behavior, evidence of a positive public attitude towards the mentally ill is not yet prevalent in Japanese-Canadian culture.

In fact, the ignorance and lack of compassion showed towards mentally ill people shows that tradition is partly to blame for their social isolation.

It's not just the mentally ill; it's the group mentality that insists on what smells should be covered.

IMHO that smell is the smell of fear coming from Japanese society itself.