I was in Japan from September 25th to October 3rd to attend an international student conference sponsored by Japanese universities and corporations. Called “LEAF” (Linking East Asian Future), this conference seeks to promote mutual understanding and cooperation in the region. This year, almost 60 university students came from Korea, Japan, and China to share their ideas on the future of East Asia. As a public administration major (and having heard good things about Japanese organization system), I paid much attention to how the conference was organized.

Every organization has a hierarchy. I was anxious to see how much respect the conference staff members had toward their hierarchy. I also wanted to see how, in that regard, the conference would differ from a typical Korean organization.

Soon, however, I was exasperated. The staff, who were mostly Japanese university students, were so sluggish. They were rigidly observing their organizational hierarchy. Whenever I asked a staff member a question, I was never given an answer on the spot. Every staff member would not give an answer without consulting with his or her superior, no matter how trivial the situation might be. On one evening, with all of the day’s conference schedule finished, I asked a staff member whether I could go out of lodging premises for several minutes to buy some snack. A convenience store was located right around the corner. The staff member, instead of just letting me out, asked his superior; the superior then asked his superior, going further up in the chain of command.

Yes, they did everything by the book. Once they made a plan, they stuck to it. No exceptions. Even when a slight adjustment would have accommodated their guests and themselves, they would not bend. On another evening, despite heavy rain, we went out to dine at a Japanese restaurant. It was pouring. But we still had to go out. Why? Because it was part of the plan! I could appreciate that the organizers had thoughtfully planned an opportunity for us to taste authentic Japanese cuisine, but I was baffled all the same.

By this point, I came to wonder how in the world such rigid minds could have made Japan an advanced industrial society. They seemed unreasonable, inefficient and afraid of changes. The whole system seemed lifeless.

Then I thought again. By sacrificing flexibility, the organizers managed to uphold the governing principles of the system. Its members, while given little latitude, could feel confident about the system. By being faithful to the basic rules of organization, the system may have proved fair. To be sure, as Japanese economy keeps struggling, the conservative character of the Japanese system is increasingly called into question today. But it worked in the past, and Japan was hailed as “Number One” at one point. There may still be something about Japan that may be relevant to us.

Is fairness more important than efficiency? Or, are they mutually exclusive? I don’t know. In public sector, at least, I believe that fairness should definitely come ahead of efficiency. Having lived in Korea where intractable members of society violate the basic rules of organization all too often in favor of their own self-interests, I find the Japanese way of running orderly organizations to be thought-provoking.

Yoon Hee Seung (Senior Public Administration And Policy / jguni2004@hanmail.net)