Kevin gave me the Chinese version of Ohmae Kenichi's "The M shaped distribution society". I wasn't really shocked by the problematic Japanese government inefficiency or how budget was determined by the amount spent in previous year. Those crazy stuff were described in "Dogs and Demons". But the way Ohmae analysed wealth distribution demographically draws my attention.
He explains, 65% of the wealth in Japan was controlled by people aged more 65. The old people like the accompany of their young, which breeds the parasite generation. There is nothing really worth fighting for suppose the young can always be supported by their parents. The divoiced daughter with her kids are welcomed home. Wow! I never thought about this living structure, however, it does explains a lot of things. I believe similar changes is happening in Taiwan. The young generations is fighting so hard to earn a meanger wage, barely able to pay for the rent, while 50% of the graduates cannot find entry level job.
At the same time, you have got the multi-million dollar (USD) homes being sold out so quickly in Taipei. There are lots of people vacationing aboard or within Taiwan, what is going on? Is Taiwan going to become another Philippine (Southern Korea approved the importation of Taiwanese labors)? Where has all the wealth gone? What is the young people have to do to regain the control of wealth?
A couple of very interesting points Ohmae raises are regarding Japanese consumer's obsession and prejudice about goods and services. Take mad cow disease for example, there were lower percentage of cows being infected in US compared to Japan. However, US beef was ban completely for a period while consumers were not told of the danger of consuming Japanese beef.
Taiwan made furniture almost took over the whole world market but are not sold to Japan. Because Japan would refuse the whole collection of goods if small inperfection is found. To furniture makers, selling to Japan is too risky. However, US might still buy it off and negotiates a discount. That's why Japanese consumers would not be able to buy anything cheap.
Everything made in Japan is so strongly sought after, that the clam growers have to purchase the clams from North Korea and scattered them into the seaside in Japan. They were harvest after a week, and was shipped to all over Japan labeled as produced in Japan.
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