Indeed. The society seems polite, but also very hypocritical. The whole "salaryman" culture is just wild .. these men that literally die on their feet in order to "do right by the company." I think the concept of honor has been greatly perverted for the benefit of the societal leaders. Guilt is used to extract compliance.

Shinzo Abe should start a renaissance in samurai culture by committing seppuku, for his incredible failures, on live television. Maybe he could add a slightly modern spin to the ritual by throwing himself into the smoking, molten remains of Fukushima.