We have discussed several characteristics of the way the Japanese use the Internet compared with the Koreans and the Finns: strong negative socio-psychological attitude toward cyberspace, dominance of anonymity, limited online activities, lack of the dynamics between online and offline activities and networks, avoidance of synchronous communications and development of web diary and blogs as a “detour” communication channel. I believe that behind all these characteristics above are two significant socio-psychological factors: low general social trust and poor self-estimation of social skills among the Japanese. Japanese society has been well known for its strong social trust among people. Contrary to this image of Japanese society, the data of JFK survey I struck us with the low level of general social trust among Japanese students (Table 13). They tend to trust others themselves; however, they do not think people at large are basically good-natured and kind or people trust each other. Even, as to the extent to which
they tend to trust others, when the four-category scale is coded as 4 for “agree” through 1 for
“disagree,” the average score of the Japanese students is significantly lower than the others (Tukey HSD multiple-comparison test with a 0.05 significance level).
JFK survey II asked the same questions about general social trust as JFK survey I (Table 14). It appears that the Japanese are the most negative as to all of the three items. To test this, Tukey HSD multiple-comparison test with the five-category scale coded as 5 for “agree” through 1 for
“disagree” is applied. Certainly, the average score of the Japanese is the lowest for each item.
However, as to the first item, even though the average score of the Japanese is the lowest, the difference is not statistically significant even with a 0.1 significance level. That is, the Japanese think they usually trust others by themselves as much as the others. As to the evaluation of human nature (the second item), the Japanese are significantly more negative than the Finns with a 0.01 significance level and the Koreans with a 0.1 significance level. Then, the result of the third item (social trust as other people’s attitude toward others) shows that the Finns are significantly more positive than the Japanese and the Koreans. We cannot say any difference of statistical significance among the others because of the large variances. Thus, putting the findings of JFK survey I and JFK survey II together, the Japanese trust others by themselves as much as the Korean and the Finns; however, social expectation of trust of others is the lowest in Japan while it is the highest in Finland.
Table 13 Comparison of perception of general social trust between the Japanese, the Koreans and the Finns, JFK survey I
Agree
= 4
partly agree
= 3
partly disagree
= 2
Disagree
= 1 Average
I tend to trust other people.
Japan 19.9 42.8 28.8 8.5 1.74
Finland 29.0 46.6 22.5 1.9 2.03
Korea 24.8 44.1 27.7 3.4 1.90
Most people trust other people.
Japan 2.9 28.2 53.4 15.5 1.18
Finland 17.1 57.7 23.3 1.9 1.90
Korea 7.6 41.7 47.3 3.4 1.53
Most people are basically good-natured and kind
Japan 7.4 32.7 38.3 21.5 1.26
Finland 27.3 56.3 13.9 2.5 2.08
Korea 22.2 54.5 21.9 1.4 1.97
Table 14 Comparison of perception of general social trust between the Japanese, the Koreans and the Finns, JFK survey II
agree
In addition to the matter of general social trust, the analysis of JFK surveys suggests that low estimation of social skills among the Japanese might well have much to do with Japanese way of Internet use and (under)development of cyberspace. Table 15 is the data of some questions related to social skills in JFK survey I and Table 16 is that in JFK survey II. As these figures show, the Japanese are characterized comparatively by negative self-estimation of social skills and strong reluctance of self-disclosure, possibly leading to social isolation and retreat to oneself.
The result of Tukey HSD multiple-comparison test confirms that the Japanese are constantly the lowest in self-estimation of their social skills in various aspects, while the Finnish are the highest, which corresponds with the result of general social trust above.
Table 15 Comparison of the self-estimation of social skills between the Japanese, the Koreans and the Finns, JFK Survey I
Agree
Table 16 Comparison of the self-estimation of social skills between the Japanese, the Koreans and the Finns, JFK Survey II
agree
“Kan-media-sei” or “inter-media-ness”: Strong co-dependency between the mass media and the Internet
27Given the arguments of general social trust and social skills above, here, I contend that low level of general social trust and poor self-estimation of social skills are linked to the negative socio-psychological attitude toward cyberspace and dominance of anonymity and lacking of dynamics between online and offline activities through another important characteristic of Japanese way of (under)development of cyberspace. That is what Kaoru Endo calls “kan-media-sei,” strong co-dependency between the mass media and the Internet (Endo ed. 2004). Literally translated,
“kan-media-sei” is “inter-media-ness.” By the term, Endo points out a rather twisted relation be-tween the existing mass media and the emerging Internet as a new and counter media in Japan.
The existing mass media and the emerging Internet refer to and rely on each other, even though they do not like, or even hate, each other. The mass media feel threatened by the Internet’s taking over them; but, it has to rely on the Internet for seeking for fads incessantly. Those who