It’s a common sight on Japanese mass transit: children troop through train cars looking for seats. Kids as young as 6 or 7 are on their way to and from school, and there’s not a guardian in sight. That’s because parents in Japan regularly send their kids out into the world at a very young age. In fact, a popular television show called Hajimete no Otsukai (My First Errand) features children as young as 2 or 3 being sent out to do a task for their family. As they tentatively make their way to the grocery store or bakery, their progress is secretly filmed by a camera crew. The show has been on the air for more than 25 years. What accounts for this unusual degree of independence? According to Dwayne Dixon, a cultural anthropologist, it’s not self-sufficiency but “group reliance." Japanese youth learn early on that any member of the community can be called on to help others. This assumption is reinforced at school, where children take turns cleaning and serving lunch, instead of relying on staff to do it. Japan has a very low crime rate, which is surely a key reason parents feel confident about sending their kids out alone. By giving them this freedom, parents are placing significant trust not only in their kids, but in the whole community.
