Answering the 30 Questions

 

Q16-30: @Ken 

Q16. What time is the loudest in your area/neighborhood?

In Tokyo, it all depends where you live. If you live near Shibuya or Kabukicho, in the sleepless quartiers, at night would be the peak time. In quieter areas, however, the 5pm chime can be a blessing in disguise. In fact, at dusk, loudspeakers present in cities play a tender chime, to let children know that it is almost time to go home, it is going to be dark. It is cute in a sense, but the essence gets deeper since the loudspeakers are an important infrastructure used for ‘Municipal Disaster Management Radio Communication Network’ (市町村防災行政無線) Because Japan is prone to natural disasters.  

Raralu4440 - 投稿者自身による著作物, CC 表示-継承 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=117176325による

Reference:

Gakuran, M. (2020, February 13). What’s that neighborhood music? The 5pm Chime. GaijinPot Blog. https://blog.gaijinpot.com/tokyo-5pm-song/

Q17. When do people feel stressed the most by noise?

Stress can be positive. But when exposed to unwanted noise, it can have silent yet detrimental effects on our health. Excessive noise has been linked to a loss of 1.6 million years of healthy life in Western Europe each year. Excessive noise is in fact associated with cardiovascular disease and psychiatric problems. Especially, nighttime noise can disrupt sleep and lead to additional stress on the body.

Reference: 

What causes stress? (2022, March). Mind. Retrieved July 4, 2024, from https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/causes-of-stress/ 

How Constant Noise Keeps Us Chronically Stressed. (2022, December 1). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/balanced/202212/how-constant-noise-keeps-us-chronically-stressed

Q18. How common is noise pollution around the world? 

It IS a global problem, but there are discrepancies in their magnitude. Loudest cities are mainly located in Asia, but surprisingly, some European cities such as Barcelona, Paris or Rome score relatively high. 

These are the cities with the least amount of hearing loss cases. As you can see, they are mostly European cities. 

On the opposite spectrum, these are cities prone to hearing loss cases. 

As illustrated above, it is evident that there is a direct correlation between noise pollution and hearing loss. 

References:

These are the cities with the worst noise pollution. (2020, February 6). World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/03/these-are-the-cities-with-the-worst-noise-pollution/

Q.19. How do you go to bed?

According to a massive longitudinal study of 88.000 people, it was deducted that going to bed between 10 and 11 p.m. is the best bet. Specifically, those who went to bed consistently between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. had by far the lowest incidence of heart trouble. 

Compared to those who went to bed during that hours:

• - People who went to bed after midnight each day had a 25 percent higher chance of developing heart issues.
• - Those who went to bed between 11 p.m. and midnight had a 12 percent higher risk.
• - Finally, those who went to bed before 10 p.m. also had a higher risk -- 24 percent higher than those who went to bed during the 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. hour.

source: A Massive New Study of 88,000 People Says This Is When You Should Go to Bed, According to ScienceIt turns out, there’s a magic hour. Here’s why it matters. (2021, November 13). Retrieved July 11, 2024, from https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/a-massive-new-study-of-88000-people-says-this-is-when-you-should-go-to-bed-according-to-science.html

Q.20. Why are Japanese advertisements so loud? 

I found a Quora answer very intriguing, very on point, so I will attach it as it is. 

Opinions might be biased, but I also believe that it has to do with the collectivistic mindset and the perseverance culture (我慢). Whether it is noise, or other inconveniences in life, people tend to obey the "air", so I believe that is why Japanese people let themselves be subject to excessively loud ads on television, trucks or in any other form. 

Q.21. Why do the Japanese tolerate unnecessarily loud recycling trucks or election cars?

Again, this is a very similar question, and the answer from Q.20. can be applied here as well. let us compare some Quora answer and reflect together. 

A MAJOR factor is that, as illustrated above, loud ads are not illegal, and it has been a common method culturally. It is opportune therefore to discuss the need of loud sounds to preserve Japanese culture. What is negative can be substituted, we should find a better solution. 

Q.22. 

Reference: 
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Loud noise dangers. https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/loud-noise-dangers/#:~:text=You%20can%20listen%20to%20sounds,can%20damage%20your%20hearing%20faster.

Q.23. To what degree is noise pollution a "silent killer"?

High levels of noise can cause tinnitus or deafness, especially in children and the elderly. Other health effects are:

Physical: respiratory agitation, racing pulse, high blood pressure, migraines, gastritis, colitis, and heart attacks from extremely loud, persistent noise.

Psychological: Noise can cause human and animal discomfort, tiredness, depression, anxiety, aggression and hysteria.

Insomnia: Noise exceeding 45 dB disrupts sleep. The WHO recommends 30 dB.

Concentration: Over time, noise can impair focus and performance. Memory loss makes studying difficult. Our ears need more than 16 hours to recover from two hours of noise at 100 dB.

Wildlife Affected:

Urban noise may hinder bird communication, predator detection, and breeding.Noise pollution also harms wildlife. Loud noises can make caterpillars’ dorsal vessels beat quicker, and bluebirds have fewer offspring. 

Reference:

Earth5R. (2024, March 21). Noise pollution in India- a silent killer. https://earth5r.org/noise-pollution-in-india-a-silent-killer/

Q.24. How are researchers linking noise stress with physical health impairments such as cardiovascular diseases? What is the literature regarding such findings....

These are some of the academic articles explaining the cardiovascular damage related to noise stress. Extending beyond physical health, mental health can be sabotaged through noise stress. 

- Hahad, O., Kröller-Schön, S., Daiber, A., & Münzel, T. (2019). The cardiovascular effects of noise. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2019.0245

- Munzel, T., Gori, T., Babisch, W., & Basner, M. (2014). Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise exposure. European Heart Journal, 35(13), 829–836. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehu030

- Liu, J., Zhu, B., Xia, Q., Ji, X., Pan, L., Bao, Y., Lin, Y., & Zhang, R. (2020). The effects of occupational noise exposure on the cardiovascular system: a review. Journal of Public Health and Emergency, 4, 12. https://doi.org/10.21037/jphe.2020.03.07

Q.25. Do you have any soundproof method in your household, apartment etc...?

I (Ken) personally do not have none. I live in an old Japanese flat with my father, it is of course made by wood, walls are thin, it is insanely hot in summer and cold in winter. Sound penetrates very easily, so I have no choice for the time being. 

Indow. (2023, May 25). 7 ways to Soundproof your apartment or condo. https://indowwindows.com/resources/blog/soundproof-apartment

Q. 26. Why are Japanese windows so thin? 

Q. 27. Is the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) implementing some policies to counter noise pollution in Japan?

Actually, the Ministry of Environment is in charge for it. Here below you can see trends in their efforts to regulate noise from 1971 to 2001.

In addition to the Environmental Noise Regulation Act, there are other laws and regulations related to noise in Japan. The Road Traffic Act regulates the noise levels of vehicles, and the Building Standards Act contains provisions for the sound insulation of buildings. These regulations have contributed to the decline in noise levels of cars and buildings, as seen in the bar graph below, which shows the vehicle traffic and noise levels in Japan from 1971 to 2001.

Reference: 

Lios Group. (2023, February 27). Noise regulations in Japan: one of the most urbanised countries in the world — Lios. Lios. https://www.lios-group.com/news/noise-regulations-in-japan-one-of-the-most-urbanised-countries-in-the-world

Q.28. Is noise pollution discussed enough in Japanese politics?

A political rally broadcasting via loudspeakers on a major road in Nagoya.  Image: James Rogers

Well, paradoxically, politicians are making a lot of noise to propagate what is deemed as taboo in Japan: Talking about politics is indeed a cultural taboo.

Many things are paradoxical in Japan.

Such noise regulations are being imposed by the Ministry of Environment, however we all notice that politicians do contradict the government's regulatory standards through their election cars. 

Even recycling trucks, advertisement trucks, right wing trucks with sound amplifiers are common in Japan. 

See also the reddit discussion forum on Japanese noise pollution as attached. 

References: 

 r/japanlife https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/wohk45/i_dont_understand_japanese_people_relationship/

Environmental quality standards for noise. (n.d.). Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan. https://www.env.go.jp/en/air/noise/noise.html

Noise Regulation Law :APPENDIX. (n.d.). Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan. https://www.env.go.jp/en/laws/air/noise/ap.html

Q.29. What about work life balance? What is the government doing regarding that?

Japan did implement work life balance related laws in the past. In fact, Japanese law mandates at least one day of rest per week and four days of rest over a four-week period. Companies can arrange for two days of rest in a week, but emplotees are still entitled to full compensation for any work performed on those days (according to daijob.com).

Here are some extractions from relevant articles. 

https://www.internationalemploymentlawyer.com/news/japanese-workers-face-poor-work-life-balance-despite-government-policies#:~:text=Workers%20in%20Japan%20use%20less,that%20is%20notorious%20for%20overworking.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/10/13/japan/science-health/karoshi-report/

Reference:

Japanese workers face poor work-life balance despite government policies. (n.d.). International Employment Lawyer. https://www.internationalemploymentlawyer.com/news/japanese-workers-face-poor-work-life-balance-despite-government-policies#:~:text=Workers%20in%20Japan%20use%20less,that%20is%20notorious%20for%20overworking.

Otake, T. (2023, October 13). Report on overwork highlights Japan’s work-life balance issues. The Japan Times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/10/13/japan/science-health/karoshi-report/

Daijob.com. (2024, May 29). Navigating work hours and breaks in Japan - DaiJob Navi English. Advice and Guidance for Working in Japan and How to Get a Job in Japan - Global Career Guide. https://www.daijob.com/en/guide/expat-essentials/navigating-work-hours-and-breaks-in-japan/#:~:text=Japanese%20law%20mandates%20at%20least,work%20performed%20on%20those%20days.

Q.30. Does Japan have a future with noise free environment?

If we are talking about noise in the communicative sense, I believe so (Ken). We can get rid of the psychological, cultural, and organizational noise to tackle physical noise (yes, it's a play of words). 

In other words, if we become open minded and more problem conscious and discard the unnecessary gaman culture,  we could construct a better society. But it is also a matter of culture. Several features are to be considered overall: 

- Japanese collectivism (dim individuality) 

- lack of interest in politics 

- gaman culture

- lack of knowledge about noise stress 

- unwillingness to protest

or, any other hurdles can be a challenge in tackling noise pollution effectively. 

At least, it is important to identify unnecessary noise, which only causes stress, and to ban them.