LONDON -- Some people complain that Japanese society has deteriorated with the ending of the lifetime employment system and the replacement of seniority-based promotion systems with ones based on performance.
In the past, almost everyone considered themselves middle class. The discrepancy in monetary rewards between new entrants and board members was low and the emphasis was placed on achieving an egalitarian society where anyone could gain entry to leading universities if they had the necessary ability and could rise to the top.
Competition was limited by bureaucratic rules and nearly full employment achieved. Protection ensured that Japanese companies were not greatly affected in the home market by competition from abroad. As some have said, equal misery was enforced while Japan built up its economic strength.