It has long been asserted that youngsters in Japan possess low levels of self-esteem. Self-esteem is a factor which for the most part is dependent on the approval of others, and so, when the development of favorable human bonds gets problematic, it is but natural for the self-esteem of the concerned individual to drop. There are of course various reasons for this, and some of them are probably complex. Yet, could it also be that the fact that Japan has been relatively resistant to Christianity, is one of them?
According to the Christian perception of life, everything has been created by God. Regardless of whether an entity be viewed as perfect or not, it has been created not just as something good, and also as something loved by God. Although this manner of understanding is not something Japanese people in general can relate to or grasp, yet, the following statement constitutes a firm Christian belief, namely, ‘We are merely dust, but dust that is cherished and loved.’
The Confusion between Humility and Self-deprecation
The over-all population of Japan is around 123.4 million (as of October 2024), and Catholics number 423,818 (as of December 2024). That is to say, Catholics comprise about 0.34% of the nation’s total population, and even if we were to include Protestant believers, the proportion of Christians would only be around 1% of the entire population.
Judging by the results of a survey conducted by the Cabinet Office, we find that the self-esteem of young people in Japan is indeed lower than those of other countries. The following is a summary of the results of a 2013 survey of young people between the ages of 13 to 29 in seven nations, including Japan. There were two questions utilized. The first was whether they were satisfied with themselves, and the results turned out to be thus: Japan (45.8%), South Korea (71.5%), USA (86.0%), UK (83.1%), Germany (80.9%), France (82.7%), and Sweden (74.4%). The second question was whether they had any strengths, and this yielded the following results: Japan (68.9%), South Korea (75.0%), USA (93.1%), UK (89.6%), Germany (92.2%), France (91.4%), and Sweden (73.5%).
On speaking to youngsters in Japan, a certain issue struck my mind, and that is the fact that quite a few of them tended to confuse genuine humility with self-deprecation. True humility is not just a negative view of one’s personal faults and failings, for on the contrary it also concerns honestly perceiving and accepting the good in oneself.
Pride
“You are merciful to all, O Lord, and despise nothing you have made. You overlook people’s sins to bring them to repentance, and you spare them for you are the Lord our God.” (Wis 11:24, 25, 27). These words are recited on Ash Wednesday, at the entrance antiphon of Holy Mass. God loves what he created, or we may even say, He created them because He loved them.
Yet, even this type of a God is said to have a class of people He dislikes, namely, those with pride or arrogance. Arrogance and injustice are despised by both the Lord and the people. (Sir 10:7). “Pride has its beginning when a person abandons the Lord, his maker. Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin, and whoever persists in it will be full of wickedness. That is why the Lord brought terrible punishments on some people and completely destroyed them.” (Sir 10:12-13).
A situation where human pride is most clearly revealed, is when we judge others. At such times, we become the standards of judgment and there is no sign of gentleness shown by us, such as our pardoning and accepting others. There are indeed times when we are forced to make judgments or take decisions, and in such cases, we hope that they will be as just and objective as possible. However, since human beings are imperfect, it would be risky for faulty people to become standards in judging or taking decisions. Jesus himself cautions us not to judge others (Mt 7:1-6).
The Virtue of Humility
The contrary of pride is humility. “The Lord accepts people of humility with joy” (Sir. 3:18). This virtue is associated with the following New Testament passages: “Whoever wishes to be great among you should be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you should be your slave” (Mt. 20:26-27). The evangelist Luke expresses this clearly in the parable of the pharisee and tax collector (18:9-14). “God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
For Christians, humility is the most significant of ethical virtues. In this context, Alice von Hildebrand made the following remark: “Saint Augustine tells us that he found some admirable virtues among pagans (let us think of Socrates), but that never, absolutely never, did he find a pagan who possessed the virtue of humility. The reason for that is this virtue is possible only on the supernatural plane, and it is therefore not accessible to those whose outlook is limited to natural ethics.”[1]
Yet, even proud persons can be transformed into persons acceptable to God, and what makes this possible is nothing other than conversion. “But if a wicked persons turns away from all sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, such persons will surely live; they will not die!…Cast away from yourselves all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel?” (Ez. 18:21, 32).
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[1] Magnificat, (March 2, 2025). Cited from the original Alice von Hildebrand, The Privilege of Being a Woman.