How much "writing" is involved in Japan now?

[Putrefaction]

I mean physical writing, as opposed to typing in computers and whatnot. In America, at least, things are still being handwritten (quick things, jotting notes) but the overwhelming ability--standard, actually--is being able to type. Is this also the case in Japan?

 

[epigene]

I'd say a lot more here.

First, students don't get to carry around laptops, etc., until they go to university. Junior high and high school students still write their homework by hand, unless it is specifically related to PC class.

Also, there are still a lot of paperwork (esp., forms to be submitted at the city hall, banks, etc.) that must be written on the spot.

There are still many older people who don't like to type on the keyboard and still write private letters, etc., by hand.

On top of all these, handwritten messages and letters are regarded best and warmest. A lot of people write New Year cards to friends and family by hand. Nice handwriting is still regarded a reflection of cultural refinement.

It is mostly in the adult world of business, research, etc. that most things are typed.

Added: I forgot to add that people in general are starting to write by hand less and less, especially because of cellphone use. But it still doesn't make you free of handwriting. Admittedly, I write less and less by hand and am starting to forget the correct stroke orders but am required to be able to read handwritings and write by hand as an adult Japanese.

 

[MeAndroo]

A bit of a different perspective as a foreigner living in Japan with just dreadful kanji ability:

I definitely write far more here by hand than I did in America. The most common thing I would write in LA was my signature and the tip on a credit card receipt, as banking, work, correspondence, record keeping, etc etc all moved onto computers. You occasionally take notes at work, but just as often, there are folks with their laptops in meetings, or an official recorder who distributes minutes to the whole group.

While I didn't take part in the new years cards, nor do I write for work (except for the occasional phrase or sentence), I'm definitely writing and reading handwriting far more often here.

 

[Putrefaction]

I see. Crap. I'm constantly forgetting Kanji and the stroke order, and for my line of work, writing is no doubt now very important, though computer are fast taking over, I guess people would prefer handwritten. I guess I'll have to work harder on remembering every thing.

 

[Emoni]

Check into "Remembering the Kanji" by Heisig. Surprisingly good...

 

[Glenski]

I'd say a lot more here.
First, students don't get to carry around laptops, etc., until they go to university.

What university are you talking about? I'm in one, and students are woefully inadequate in their typing skills and general use of any computer. Why? Easy answer: cell phones dominate their lives.

Also, there are still a lot of paperwork (esp., forms to be submitted at the city hall, banks, etc.) that must be written on the spot.

Far too much, IMO. Used to work for a language school that bought a computer to record and track customers/students, but they still kept a handwritten filing card system with more info on it than the computer!

 

[Putrefaction]

Check into "Remembering the Kanji" by Heisig. Surprisingly good...

I honestly tried using it for a few, I didn't like it. It's not for me. As much as I like learning things twice, 2000 Kanji is not one of them. I'm still confused as to why someone would learn 2000 Kanji, then double back to get their readings and irregular compounds and such.

And Glenski, I think I asked you (was it you that said pharmacies deal with a LOT of writing?) and I think you're right, perhaps I am comparing wrong, but even in America there's a crapload of writing in the pharmacy, counceling patients over 50 usually ends in manually writing out recommends/instructions and whatnot. I was hoping that with more computerized, I could type it up, make huge font and give it to the person.

 

[epigene]

What university are you talking about? I'm in one, and students are woefully inadequate in their typing skills and general use of any computer. Why? Easy answer: cell phones dominate their lives.

Yes, that's right. Young people are inclined to rely more on cellphones than PCs these days. It's just that I bought my kids laptops for university, and my son used to carry it around during his one year of university here in Japan. In the courses he took, he was required to send his assignments by email. Maybe that was an exception to the rule...

@Putrefaction
2000 kanji is a "goal" for learners. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of foreign Japanese language speakers who speak and write well without complete mastery of them all.
It's just that it's considered a "requirement" for the educated Japanese native speaker--PLUS mastery of these kanji takes place over 6 to 9 years of schooling and once we hit the level, we start forgetting them over time as we make make less use of kanji characters that aren't commonly used.

 

[Putrefaction]

Well that makes sense, it's just like American schools. I get what you mean about the complete mastery, perhaps I was overgeneralizing, so even for a thousand characters, learning the character outside of the readings and then doubling back seems a little wasteful for me. Just my opinion, however.

 

[epigene]

learning the character outside of the readings and then doubling back

I don't get what you mean. Can you clarify?

 

[aardwolf]

He's talking about the book "Remembering the Kanji"
Where you learn 2000 kanji with only keywords related to the definition attached to it.
Then in a separate volume or by yourself, you learn the readings and definitions.

 

[epigene]

He's talking about the book "Remembering the Kanji"
Where you learn 2000 kanji with only keywords related to the definition attached to it.
Then in a separate volume or by yourself, you learn the readings and definitions.

Ahh, I see. I've never seen any of these textbooks myself.

But, mastery of kanji requires repeated reinforcement with exposure to variations in context and usages through reading news articles, stories, etc. Although I don't know the textbooks and how they are organized, the idea of having a separate volume is probably aimed at that.

 

[aardwolf]

I totally agree.

 

[GaijinPunch]

In the workplace: almost none. I've been assured by Japanese counterparts that their ability to write kanji has taken a massive hit as well, thanks to the computer. Other than post-it-notes and signatures, there's virtually none.

 

[A7mouse]

My first day of 'information science' class--a required course--at my university found me teaching people on both sides of me how to turn on their computers. The following weeks were spent constantly repeating my explanation of how to open Microsoft Word.

I have never seen anyone carrying around a laptop at my university. Everyone writes 2-3 pages of notes each lecture by hand. Pretty much all assignments aside from those done in a computer class are required to be written on 原稿用紙 (paper with the squares for each character) by hand.

Comparatively, in the states, all my papers were required to be type since junior high.

Outside of university, there also seems to be far more paperwork to be filled in in Japan than where I'm from in the states.

Hope this helps some,
-a7mouse

 

[Putrefaction]

That is actually almost my experience, I've been typing essays and homeworks (outside of diagrams and such) since bout 5th to 6th grade. My university gives out laptops as the enterance requirements, I use mine constantly every day for all types of notes. I wonder how I'm going to study Kanji, as my previous methods had me writing and re-writing constantly until it was engraved in my head! I guess I can always draw on my phone or something, or a tablet assuming I get one.

 

[Vicky2]

During the Second World War, the puppet government of Vichy France cooperated with Imperial Japanese forces. Vietnam was under de facto Japanese control, although the French continued to serve as the day-to-day administrators. The Siamese Provinces were also returned to Thailand.