It's going to be difficult for me to boycott everything Japanese...

[firecat]

...but if this report is true, I feel like I should.

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/04/diversity-outlawed-in-japan.html
Excerpt:

To stem Japan’s “soaring obesity,” the health ministry has mandated that all waistlines among its 56 million workers over age 40 be below “regulation size” of 33.5 inches (for men). Any company failing to bring its employees’ weight under control — as well as the weights of their family members — will be fined up to 10% of its earnings by the government.

Comments

[firecat]

My understanding of Japanese culture is that it's vitally important to the identity especially of older people (who are being targeted) to maintain a connection with a company, and losing that connection is very humiliating. So by making it the company that "suffers" if a person doesn't make their weight conform, they are putting incredible social pressure on the person. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people did end up conforming even if they wind up with eating disorders. Also with the requirement that dependents also be thin, I think child abuse will result.

On the other hand it might be the final death throes of the company culture.