ALK wrote:Как можно заметить, разницы в уровне жизни между Японией и США более не существует, однако американцы от этого хуже (в абсолютных измерениях) жить не стали, а стали лучше.
В Японии уровень жизни ниже чем в США.
И есть мнение что он снизился по сравнению с 80-ми.
не смог дать линк, поэтому запостил:
JAPAN Life's not getting better for Japan's middle class
By Kwan Weng Kin JAPAN CORRESPONDENT TOKYO -
THE sale of lucky bags - called fukubukuro in Japanese - at department stores and boutiques in early January has long been a Japanese New Year tradition. Thousands of people descend on stores to snatch up fukubukuro stuffed with goodies worth several times the price of the bag. In the old days, shoppers got to find out a bag's contents only after they had bought it. Not any more. In recent years, stores display the contents of the bags, essentially taking much of the thrill out of lucky-bag hunting. This year,shoppers do not even have to dress up and go to the stores as lucky bags are available on the Internet. Selling lucky bags online may look like inevitable progress to some people. But I see the phenomenon as a response by retailers to the growing tightfistedness of many Japanese, who want to be sure that they have a good deal before they part with their money. A drop in disposable income seems to be responsible for this behavioural change. A recent survey by the Yomiuri Shimbun found that 34 per cent of the Japanese now believe that their lifestyle is below average, a 10-point rise over a decade ago. Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed said they were spending less than a year ago. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is that lifetime employment, together with seniority-based wage systems, have gone out of the window. The positions vacated by retired employees, if they are replaced at all, are filled by contract workers willing to slog for lower pay, without health and pension benefits, and who live in constant dread that their contracts may not be extended. Overall, such workers, including part-timers, now make up one-quarter of Japan's total work force, up from one-fifth in 2000. The figure is said to run as high as 70 per cent in the manufacturing sector. At the same time, an increasing proportion of fresh high school and university graduates are unable to find full-time work. Those fortunate enough to have full-time jobs are often asked to take on additional tasks to justify their pay. *Branded goods still popular* YET, most Japanese still basically think of themselves as middle-class, a perception that is apparently based primarily on their material consumption. Even if they do not belong to the managerial class, most Japanese make enough money to have a reasonably comfortable life, with extra to spare for the occasional concert, a trip to the hot springs, and even an overseas holiday (particularly as it is often cheaper to travel abroad than within Japan!). Young people, in particular, also find enough cash to splurge on foreign designer goods. In the past few years, Tokyo's classy Ginza district has gone even more upmarket with the sprouting of numerous, magnificent flagship stores of American and European designer labels, from Coach to Cartier. Shoppers are so eager to lay their hands on designer merchandise - especially limited edition items - that many stores find it necessary to limit entry so that their customers can browse and make their purchases in less stressful conditions. In 2003, 42 foreign brands, led by the Japanese favourite Louis Vuitton, reportedly paid the tax office 16.9 per cent more in corporate taxes than the year before. In any other society, the buying of branded items would undoubtedly be seen as a sign of affluence. But that is not necessarily so in Japan. It is not unknown for single women living in one-room apartments to skimp on meals and other daily necessities just so that they can indulge their obsession with designer products. Ironically, proof that many Japanese have not really made it in life just because they shop at the best stores in town lies in the Ginza itself.p> Last April, one of Japan's leading pawnbrokers opened a 600 sq m outlet on its fringe. The Nagoya-based Komehyo, which also sells new and used goods, has been doing a roaring business. For instance, many young Japanese women apparently buy Hermes Birkin bags - which may cost 1.2 million yen (S$18,825) at an official boutique - just for the pleasure of holding them once or twice before they pawn it off for much-needed cash. At Komehyo, these second-hand Birkins fly off the shelves. Despite the snazzily dressed people one sees on the streets of Tokyo, for most Japanese, life is definitely not better than before. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Japanese were carefree spenders. The more expensive the items, the better they seemed to sell, and department stores raked in the cash. But the bubble burst, and department store sales slid. Even Mitsukoshi, Japan's most prestigious store which celebrated its 100th anniversary on Dec 20, had to close several unprofitable outlets. Today, many people try on clothes at department stores but do not buy. Many have their shoes repaired more than once, rather than pay for new ones. Meanwhile, value-for-money retailers like the Uniqlo chain of casual-wear stores and heavy discounters that sell anything from stationery to foodstuff have popped up in the suburbs, where they are a boon to shoppers on tight budgets. The decline in living standards is mirrored in the Japanese media. Before, television reporters clad in tuxedos would roam the city to report on the finest French or Japanese restaurants. Now the same reporters are more likely to be waxing lyrical about low-priced, eat-all-you-can sushi buffets or the latest in ramen dining. One popular prime-time variety show features comedians who visit self-professed impoverished individuals and joke about their deprived lifestyles. Such programming no doubt makes Japanese viewers feel good about themselves. But even though they are better off, most Japanese, especially city dwellers, have to put up with cramped apartments that can hardly be described as gracious living. Yet, at the same time, expensive condominiums for the wealthy or newly rich are snapped up as quickly as they are built. The income gap in Japan is unquestionably widening. Economist Takuro Morinaga predicts that the rich will get richer but 90 per cent of Japan's middle class will see incomes fall further, as more employers turn to performance-based pay systems to keep a lid on wages. A best-selling writer, Mr Morinaga tells anxious Japanese that they can survive if they opt for a laid-back life in the countryside where houses are more spacious, cost far less than in the city and have enough land to grow one's own vegetables. But unfortunately, most Japanese, like people in other industrialised nations, depend on a job in the city to live. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright В© 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access.
Да и о чем ето говорит? 
