Happiness grows in Japan
World Values Surveys has released the latest edition of its international ranking of the world’s most happy countries, and Japan was one of many countries displaying an increase in happiness:
Among the 52 countries and territories for which long-term comparative data were available, India, Ireland, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South Korea showed steep upticks in happiness last year, while the happiness quotient in 14 other countries, including nine in Europe, also rose, but less sharply.
Those 14 countries are Argentina, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain and Sweden.
Japan’s overall rank was 43rd – less happy that the Philippines (38th), but happier than neighbors China (54th), South Korea (62nd), and Taiwan (48th).
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I’m confused…how do they know?
I’m also confused as to why Columbia is 2nd in happiness in the world? With everything going on with FARC, other right-wing paramilitaries, and the government fighting, doesn’t seem very safe or happy of a place to me.
strung up on columbian grade coke perhaps?
Actually, I would phrase it as “HAPPY” supply of cocaine in Columbia…
C’mon Julian say something!Don’t let them over run the dgnity of your nation!
FARC is not Right Wing they are Marxist Guerrillas unless I misinterpet what you wrote. FARC is bunch of Che Guevara losers..
I would answer your question with another question. Why if Japan is a peacefull and secure country inside, had 32,000 suicides only the past year? That’s much more than people killed in ColOmbia by guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, and drug cartels together.
I think it can’t be blamed all to the stress of their jobs and the competitiviness here. I work with Japanese twelve hours a day , and it seems to me that many of them live in fear, bullying and critizicing each other for ridiculous reasons, and they project that also in their relationship with neighbour countries and foreigners, plus the victim attitude. As I’ve just read in one of the comments here “you can’t be happy when you spend all of your energy hating others”. And fearing others I would add.
On the other hand, in many south american countries you can still knock at the door of your neighbour to ask some favour, have a chat, or to say “hey, it’s my birthday, come to my home”. The same with friends and relatives, even if they are not close relatives there’s always a sense of family between them. And most are christian-minded religious people, when something really bad happens they still have hope in God’s help and justice, which psicologically can be a big support. All this counts a lot in your perception of hapiness.
sorry 3rd place
They ask 2 questions with the same weight in wording in each country and gauge the responses.
One important point is that you can’t be happy when you spend all of your energy hating others. I’m looking at you China and Korea. Let it go and let the happiness grow. I’m going to make that into a sign-board and walk around Korea like the “free hugs” guy.
Who would not want to live in Japan.
People who like rivers to be uncemented? ^_^
Weee
Denmark is the happiest place on earth!
… wish it just felt like it, japan seems more happy…
that ’s very intersting!