14 DAY TRIAL // A blood type “frenzy” is currently sweeping Japan, authorities announce, in that all people are very interested in determining what their most outstanding blood-related features are. The country still holds the widespread belief that a person's blood houses a great deal of his or her character, and no amount of scientific research could ever persuade them otherwise. For this reason, four out of ten top books in the country in 2008 have been related to explaining the traits determined by each blood type in particular, and publishers say that the series has been so successful because people can identify some of their actions with those depicted in the books, and thus find something to relate to.
On the other hand, even matchmaking agencies are beginning to add a specific column on their applications, in which they ask the client to fill in his or her blood type. They also offer matching tests, to determine if the couple-to-be has the potential to get along, based on what kind of blood group they have. In companies, the distribution of assignments is also based on the employees' blood types, and management representatives give out tasks according to the character associated with each group of blood.
The best-selling books state that people with the type A blood are somewhat perfectionists, but overanxious, while those with group B are cheerful and fun to be around, yet eccentric and selfish at the same time. Individuals having a type O blood are stubborn, but curious and generous as well, while some books maintain that those with an AB blood group are more prone to undertaking professions in the field of arts, but remain mysterious and unpredictable. And although some of these descriptions sound like they have been taken directly from a cheap horoscope, that didn't stop well over 5 million people from buying such books over the course of 2008.
Health, Welfare and Labor Ministry representative Junichi Wadayama comments that this frenzy is not just about fun anymore. As proof, he says that the Japanese have coined the term “bura-hara,” which roughly translates into blood-type harassment. “It's so widespread that most people, even company officials, are not aware that asking blood types could lead to discrimination,” he points out, talking about the fact that many employers still require those attending interviews to give away information about what type of blood they have.
“It's simply sham science. The idea encourages people to judge others by the blood types, without trying to understand them as human beings. It's like racism,” Shinshu University associate professor of psychology Satoru Kikuchi adds. He explains that the idea is rooted in propaganda adopted by the imperialist government during World War II, and originates in the “teachings” of the Third Reich.