Japan, the Nation of Rash Actions.

Consider this a memorandum, a collection of the "misconceptions" that have taken root in our society, painting a portrait of Japan as a nation prone to rash impulses.
When Donald Trump served his first term as President of the United States starting in 2016, he famously pledged to work for a salary of one dollar, a practice he continues into his current second term. Many, predominantly Japanese individuals, exclaim, "That's President Trump for you!" in effusive praise. In America, there's a well-known term, "Dollar-a-year man," referring to individuals working in government who accept only one dollar from their stipulated salary, donating the remainder. Foregoing the entire salary would classify them as volunteers, which is, ironically, prohibited. This practice signifies a commitment to a socially honorable position without seeking monetary compensation, yet it's typically an option for wealthy individuals with established livelihoods and is often perceived as having a strong element of public relations. Incidentally, while President Trump only receives one dollar as his salary, he has certainly accumulated significant wealth, with his net worth reaching 1.1 trillion yen, effectively monetizing the "power of the U.S. presidency".

A prevailing narrative suggests that crematoriums in Tokyo have been acquired by Chinese-affiliated companies, leading to a surge in usage fees. Even more alarmingly, some individuals believe gruesome rumors of organs being harvested from the deceased for transplantation. In 2024, the national death toll has increased compared to the previous year, and in Tokyo, the number of deaths is rising annually due to the aging population. The latest statistics released by TOKYO Metropolitan Health and Medical bureau also show a steady increase in the annual number of deaths. In short, crematoriums are overcrowded. The shortage of crematoriums is severe, and while renovation of existing facilities and construction of new ones are underway, new construction faces significant hurdles. Publicly funded new crematoriums by municipalities are hampered by the need for local resident consent and land acquisition. It's more likely that these price increases capitalize on the existing shortage rather than Chinese-affiliated companies simply profiteering excessively. Of course, price increases should not be tolerated without limits, but even for public facilities, maintaining the same prices indefinitely becomes difficult when considering the welfare of those who work there. Furthermore, organ extraction for transplantation is only possible while the donor is "alive". Organs from a body deceased for several days are unsuitable for transplantation. Yet, when the word "China" becomes involved, imaginations seem to expand boundlessly.
During the military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression held in China on September 3rd, a relayed audio snippet captured Russian President Putin, one of the guests, remarking that "advances in biotechnology could even make immortality possible through transplantation and rejuvenation." Chinese President Xi Jinping then reportedly responded that "there are predictions that humans could live up to 150 years within this century," a conversation that further fuels delusions. It is, of course, an undeniable truth that the reason why an "infinite" number of transplantable organs are found in China remains "shrouded in darkness".
The incident involving a fentanyl smuggling base in Nagoya, Japan, destined for the U.S., has also raised concerns about a potential abuse epidemic in Japan, particularly due to rumors of fundamental involvement by the Chinese Communist Party. In the United States, the abuse of opioid-based painkillers, legally prescribed since the 1990s, had become a significant social problem. When regulations were tightened in the 2010s, access to medical opioids became difficult, leading to a rapid expansion in the illicit distribution of potent fentanyl as an alternative. The fundamental reasons for this lie in America's social and economic background. Because the U.S. lacks universal health insurance and medical costs are high, an increasing number of chronic pain patients and those with difficult access to legitimate medical care due to the COVID-19 pandemic turned to fentanyl in the black market. As a powerful drug, fentanyl is highly addictive, leading to a surge in overdoses and poisoning deaths; by 2024, drug overdose deaths surpassed 90,000, becoming the leading cause of death.
Consequently, concerns about fentanyl abuse in Japan have also arisen. However, this is largely inconceivable, as the underlying societal conditions are entirely different. Take for instance, "Seeds of Satiety," a short story by author Takeshi Kaiko, titled after an idiom from Graham Greene's "Indochina Diary," recounting opium experiences in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Opium, the dried latex collected from poppy pods, has been known since ancient times for its analgesic and sedative properties and was used as medicine. However, it also possesses characteristics of a narcotic, including habit-forming properties and health damage from abuse. It has left a significant mark on modern literature and art by inducing unique dreams and visions. Yet, opium is a luxury item whose effects are strongly influenced by its surroundings, as Kaiko described: "Besides a full stomach, alcohol, milk, sour smells, and noise, even just a cup of strong tea can make opium turn its back on you". A delusion from which one can return is, perhaps, a happy dream in itself. Modern Japan, however, is now overwhelmed by mechanisms that create persistent delusions within the brain. The delusions created by the brain through the focusing effect of SNS are diverse and "potent".
While some posts declare that "dark forces are attempting to control the world," others introduce purported prominent doctors in the alternative medicine sphere by listing non-existent doctoral degrees or awards they supposedly received as researchers. Unknowingly, these assertions use authority as a shield to imply trustworthiness. It's akin to the deceptive taglines in health food advertisements claiming "recommended by a Nobel laureate". It's fascinating, so I can't help but watch it late at night. Thanks to the echo chamber algorithms of social media, even more outrageous claims are presented to me. I find myself reading stories about fascinating figures such as a "former advisor to the Japanese Imperial Family, whose life was later threatened by the Imperial Family," "a subordinate of President Trump eradicating dark forces," "a messenger of the cosmic supreme will," or "the Earth's supreme commander".
With substantial mortgage debts, persistent back and shoulder pain, and a life that doesn't go as planned, many ask: Why is life so difficult? I've worked so hard. Why are honest, hardworking citizens like me, living ordinary lives, so unrewarded? Surely, there must be some mastermind behind all this. That one person must be monopolizing all the profits. Who's responsible? Where's the hero to defeat them? It must be that person. My intuition tells me so. And when I search the internet, secrets of the world that only I've discovered keep appearing, confirming that I am a special being.
Surely, aren't they indulging in such dreams? They seem to see reality, yet they don't. They continue to chase illusions. Within the echo chamber, where voices of self-affirmation reverberate like an apocalyptic sound, this brain-generated metaverse is a quagmire, a mental swamp. At this point, what they most desire might not be an improvement in reality itself. They might instead wish to remain within the illusion they pursue, never returning from their brain's metaverse. Is this how Japan is transforming into a nation of rash and impulsive actions?