Lessons from Japan

Japan is a great story for all of us right from the era of world war II.All of us know what happened at pearl harbour and then at Hiroshima.Japan as a nation is third largest economy today after USA and Euro zone.Sony, Toyota,Honda are well known brands across the globe.Toyota is the largest carmaker of the world.Management practices of these Japanese companies are taught as case studies in management institutes across the world.

Then it happened again.We all saw how Japan was hit by severe earthquake and tsunami.Nuclear power plants exploded.Infrastructure like airports,shipping ports, roads and bridges were swept away.Many   Japanese lost lives and also got displaced.Operations of Japanese companies were halted .This affected the entire supply chain of global Japanese companies across the world.Domestic consumption is a small part of Japan GDP as Japanese economy is led by exportss .Already Japanese economy was in trouble.There was no growth.Business confidence levels were at all time low.Consumers were focused on savings rather than consumption.Entire nation was facing a catastrophe that could have swept away any weak nation.

Now we know how Japan as a nation faced crisis.Today Japan as a nation is back on her feet raring to go and face the global challenges.What can world learn from Japan from this entire episode?

Japanese were calm .There was not a single incidence shown on television network of Japanese beating their chests in grief.Japanese showed a great sense of dignity and discipline.There were disciplined ques for water and groceries.Not a single gesture of rough word.Most of the civil infrastructure was hit by earthquake and tsunami,but it didn’t collapse because of great architecture.People behaved with grace and bought only what was essential so that every could get something.People followed order.There wasn’t a single incidence of looting or disorder.There was a sense of sacrifice.Around 50 people stayed back at nuclear power plants to pump water back into reactors without any concern for their lives or how they will be paid back.There was a sense of tenderness as restaurants cut prices and ATM’s were left alone.Old people as well as children didn’t show any sense of panic.Everyone did exactly what they were supposed to do.Media showed great restraint.There were no silly reports.It only focused on helping people out.Hotels offered rooms at one fifth of the usual prices to the displaced.Local universities stepped in to provide statistics,information to reduce anxieties of people.Last but not the least Japanese showed conscience.When the power went off in store ,people put back things on the shelves and left quietly.

Resilience is in the DNA of Japanese people.Entire crisis has brought them in the attention of the world as a lesson in strength.Japan has emerged stronger from the crisis.Now unbelievable pictures of Japan before and after the earthquake are doing rounds as inspirational stories.

We could have seen exactly opposite if any other country had been struck by same kind of a crisis.

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