Why the Japanese Live Longer
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- čas přidán 15. 04. 2021
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Mr. Beat examines why people tend to live longer in Japan than in any other country.
Produced by Matt Beat. Music by Electric Needle Room (Mr. Beat's band). All images and video owned by Matt Beat, used under fair use guidelines, or found in the public domain. A special thanks to the AP Archive for use of some of their footage.
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Jordy Meow
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
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www.nature.com/articles/s4143...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
apps.who.int/gho/data/node.ma...
www.aetnainternational.com/en...
www.guinnessworldrecords.com/...
www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/gui...
www.bbc.com/travel/story/20191...
www.agewatch.net/secrets-of-l...
www.theguardian.com/world/201...
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Here are the main reasons why the life expectancy is so high in Japan.
#1 They Never Really Retire
Older folks in Japan tend to live with more purpose after they retire. They tend to be more involved in the local community, spend more time around younger family members, and work by choice, rather than economic necessity. They also tend to stay active.
#2 They Prioritize Public Health
Overall, Japan has invested heavily in public health for hundreds of years. From childhood vaccination programs, to universal healthcare, to public service campaigns calling for citizens to regularly check their blood pressure and reduce salt consumption. In Japan, regular check-ups are very common.
#3 It’s All About The Social Cohesion, Baby
Communitarianism is big in Japan. There is a strong group orientation there, which some experts argue gives them a deeper sense of belongingness to society.
#4 There Is Less of a Hierarchy In Japan
A big reason why there is more social cohesion in Japan is because some research shows that there is more equality in Japan compared to most other countries. Sure, there are still social hierarchies, but it’s more common in Japan for folks at different parts of the hierarchy to regularly interact and be friends with each other. In addition, folks there at different parts of the hierarchy tend to share the same values.
#5 Um, Yeah, They Eat Well
But yeah, a big reason why Japanese residents live longer is because they tend to eat better. At least one study found that there are lower rates of heart disease and cancer there because of a lower intake of red meat. Specifically, Japanese residents tend to eat less saturated fatty acids, but more of the good fatty acids found in fish, plant foods, and green tea. That same study also found lower rates of brain-related diseases due to moderate increases in animal and dairy consumption combined with decreases in salt consumption.
#japan #geography #culture
Would you want to live to 1,000 if you could?
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Only if I’m rich and with my friends and family for 1,000 years. I don’t want to live alone.
@Hubert Humphrey meh, 83 imo
Mhmm im so hungry
@@PremierCCGuyMMXVI Dang with these profound, well thought out answers.
@@jona7357 Go to the fridge and get yourself some foods with antioxidants.
Never retired at 103, wow
If you're doing what you love, then why bother retiring?
@@iammrbeat Facts
@@iammrbeat In 2016 the US became unpopular with formerly friendly countries and tourism got hit bad, also a number of businesses, like the one I worked for, went under. As a teacher at an ESL school, I loved my work, enjoyed meeting the international clientele, and hadn't even considered retirement until the business crunch terminated the school. I actually looked for another teaching job, but at 70 that was a non-starter. Then came the pandemic! You are so right that if you really enjoy your work, and if it is contributing to society, "why bother retiring."
Having taught overseas in ESL, I was able to indulge my previous major, history, as a hobby. I've been carrying on that hobby since retirement by reading and watching videos [some videos are total crap while others are biased so critical thinking is necessary]. There is nothing like being in Ramses' tomb or the temple at Karnak, looking up at Darius' Behistun monument, visiting the Temple of Buddha's Tooth in Kandy, or touring sites in Korea and Japan. BUT, there are videos that are almost as good, and some can even get you closer to what you want to see and without the crowds and time constraints!!!!
You and Cypher produce excellent American content, too! With the exception of sites around Boston, Philadelphia and one visit to Cahokia, Your videos have let me see more of my own country's historic sites than I had before. Atun-Shei taught me more about my own area than I had known as well! Keep up the good work, and stay safe.
Lol and fotballers retire at 42🤣
@@uzilewillams8216 that is old, most in their 30s
When I was in Japan I was surprised at the number of what we would call "active seniors," in terms of quite old-looking people out power-walking and exercising in the park and playing with the grandkids at the playground and so on. And working, of course. Particularly in restaurants, I feel like "the old man cook" is a kind of stock character of Japanese life in a way you just never really see here. The Japanese have a very conformist culture, and people try hard to do what is socially expected, so if the culture constantly says "this is how an old person should behave" a lot of Japanese people will be eager to obey.
That said, I've also heard that a lot of Japanese birth records were lost in the war, meaning some of these more spectacular claims of old age should be taken with a grain of salt.
damn..
I read this in your voice
To your second point, I heard that, too. To your point about older folks working being the norm, for some reason I automatically thought about the Abe Vigoda character in Good Burger and how most people in the restaurant were just used to a guy in his 70s working there. :D
@@watchassassins5735 I thought it in my voice too!
@@JJMcCullough When I lived in Singapore I saw exactly what you described with old people always being active, and when I recently moved back to Texas I was shocked at just how fat and 'unactive' everyone is. And I'm in Austin, which is like the 'most fit' part of Texas, in the rural areas it's way worse
If practicing math problems makes you live longer then I’m in some trouble
Good thing I’m a high school freshman 😅
Me too. 😳
same here
@@PremierCCGuyMMXVI yeah, and i'm taking algebra 1 (a high school class) in middle school. i cannot count the amount of headaches that class has given me.
@@thejumboshrimp probably cause quarantine. I can’t believe the last quarter of my 8th grade and all of my 9th grade has been spent at home. So many fun things never happened. March 2020 to April 2021 (Now) has been the worse time of my life tbh
Plus my weight increased by 25% the past year because I haven’t left my house :(
The key to longevity is more Mr. Beat videos
What a nice complement. 😊
@@iammrbeat
Sorry for being a grammar Nazi but Compliment*
"She credited sleep for her long life"
Me watching this at 1am: *Welp, I guess I'll die*
Or you can reevaluate your life decisions and habits and choose to better yourself. Like a normal human being...
@@LorianandLothric ok
@@LorianandLothric nah its more cool, hip and trendy to joke about depression and hating life.
@@yourfavouritenarcissist Yeah and it’s stupid
Bruh I’m doing this rn😭
A bit disappointed that you didn't mention the high rates of public transport use and cycling. Walking and biking as part of your daily routine does add up!
It definitely does. I went from living rural and driving a lot to walking everyday in the city. I lost weight and started breathing better.
My grandma is in her 70's and my grandpa is in his 80's. They're white and southern, not the stereotype for old age and being healthy. They RARELY eat out or order fast food, it isn't something they do often. Almost always homecooked meals. My grandmother doesn't drink any soda aside from the occasional treat of some coca cola, and my grandpa only ever drinks a non-water beverage a few times a year. Well, *cough*, aside from their champagne which they love. Both of them have healthy, natural eating habits. They don't eat too much either. They both keep themselves active, with my grandma going on walks, cooking, house chores, gardening, land maintenance, etc. My grandpa is a craftsman, with him having built everything in and out of the house, including the house. He also helps gardens, maintain their land, house chores, working in his garage making things for enjoyment or for my grandma or for a friend or buyer. They eat plenty of veggies, as their garden produces a lot.
Congratulations to your grandparents
That's pretty much how my Grandfather acted, 1917-2004. He had a heart attack in 1957, And was a self-consciously healthy eater after that. He had a somewhat hazardous working life, being a lineman in and out of WWII. He was a non-choleric person, not prone to anger.
wholesome post
My kind of retirement😍
I swear, Japanese food is some of the best you can ever eat. It rivals Italy, and I’m Italian myself lol
5:13 btw best part of the video
The ASMR part lol
Japanese food is also Turtle Approved
Every video I watch, you're in the comments, Let's talk elections, and now here?!
@@whisperperper578 mhm
Tho he does post late so I wouldn’t say every video lol
Italian people also live long, a lot of the world's oldest people in history were Italian
I’m at a point now where I’m refreshing my feed for your new vids every Friday. Thanks for everything you do, Mr. Beat!
That's amazing. Thanks for the lovely comment.
Finally, someone talking about Gerontology on CZcams, Fantastic!
heh, yeah it doesn't get brought up much on here, does it
Gerontology? That topic is getting old!
@@arifshahabuddin8888 oh boy...
To your point about interaction between hierarchies, public school uniform policy in Japan is often supported with the argument that it reduces a showcasing of wealth disparities through clothes and accessories, etc. Of course it also reduces expressions of individuality in the classroom, which has pros and cons for student preparation.
I love the Japanese. They're so hospitable and welcoming❤🇯🇵
This is just a suggestion but a video about the education of every president
could be really interesting
Great idea! I have the religion of every President coming in a couple weeks!
@@iammrbeat I'm sure no one will be offended :D
@@iammrbeat Because Evangelicals believe the lies of people like David 頭脳のためのたわごと Barton, the pseudo-historian, that the founders were all Evangelical-type Christians, I gave my Evangelical brother a copy of the Jefferson Bible. He threw it in the trash, of course.
I really respect you Mr. Beat for responding to most people's comments and making entertaining videos about an assortment of topics.
Thank you Chris!
Mr. Beat eating greens was the perfect way to end this video, along with a sponsor that gives you food from Japan. What a great video!!
It makes sense, eating less = less energy to expend = less cells that need to be replaced = slowed down effects of aging.
You didn't mention militarism or lack of it. Japanese life expectancy was 49 in 1940, dropped to 42 in 1945 and then went steadily upwards once they no longer had to spend a fortune on armed forces and wars. That money was available to improve health and happiness. BTW math doesn't make you live any longer but it will feel like it. One period of math at high school always seemed to last a lot longer than more interesting subjects.
I really like your channel and the change in the lifestyle that you propose!
Username checks out and thank you! :D
I think the reason that the Japanese never really retire is due to Japan's declining labor pool.
Now that's something to ponder.
Is this tendency for people to work after retirement something new in Japan? Otherwise that would be a hint that your statement can't be the only reason.
@@jeanmarco40 it would contradict the traditional economic narrative about Japan if its part of the culture before their demographic decline began since we routinely hear about declining overall productivity
@Jokke, I think it's just more prevalent now since Japan really doesn't like immigration.
To that point, retirement as we know it today wasn't really a thing in the us either until near the end of the industrial revolution in the 1930s with the creation of SSI, pensions and other new deal programs.
I came to this video as a fan of yours and as someone who has been studying Japan and Japanese for about 7 years, not to gain new information, but to sort of critique this video as a way to compare it to your other videos, where I don't know much on the subject. And I have to say it was a very pleasant experience, a great video, very accurate, great length, and informative. Liked.
gotcha, gotta start eating lettuce now and do math problems to live to 100.
Lettuce + Math = 100.
Yeah i have to agree with you on salt products ,sugar products and heavy meats
My parents didn't really teach me about sugar and soda acids and their bad habits became mine rn I'm been quiting soda but my teeth have taken heavy damage over my childhood
Great video Mr. Beat. All this video did is make me want to eat Sushi today. lol
I do love me some sushi. I wish Mrs. Beat liked it!
Great video Teach, I love old people unlike most young people my age (20 lol) so I find this very old Japanese woman fascinating. Also part of the reason she lived so long is because her country (Japan) has universal healthcare like all first world nations. Reminder that America is the only country without universal healthcare which is which I will fight for Medicare for all in the future. Hopefully we get it one day.
Love your skits
I'm glad _someone_ does. lol
Great info
Great video
Thank you!
Have lived here for 28 years. Your critique is spot on save for number 4. I have found it the case that elements of traditional feudal hierarchy exist everywhere especially in the societal priority of work.
I feel like the rest of the world can learn so much from the Japanese.
So true!
My weekend is fulfilled every time with these videos
Japanese people go to get a health check up every year annually cuz they have soucalised health care system in their country. They also have a better life style unlike in the US where obesity is everywhere.
Obesity is everywhere in the USA? Not in California ya uneducated misery.
Japanese are taught to clean up in the school, they don't hire janitors everyone cleans up their own school. Not to mention they wear two shoes one for outside and one for inside in schools, homes and many places having lockers for dirty shoes, similar to that in gyms in western societies. This is why the country is so clean and maybe the cleanliness embedded in their culture and society stills a discipline and reduces stress that affect their life expectancy. Yeah you mentioned the cleanliness as one of the reasons.
I live in Macau. Been here 32 years. We guys have lengthy longevity too. Some sources (not yours) often place either Macau or Andorra at the top, with Japan down the list a bit. Macau is also often touted as having the world’s highest population density, something that you wouldn’t think would sit too well with greatest longevity, but there you go.
great video Mr.Beat! My great great grandmother was born in 1911 in jackson tennessee and died in 2006 (day before her 95 birthday) NEXT DOOR to where she was born. Her parents built her a home next to theirs and thats where she stayed until death.
I'm curious can u do comparison videos for these cities/regions please???:
Dhaka vs. Karachi (it would be interesting for me to see since I am a first generation Bangladeshi-American and my roots r based mainly in Dhaka and since when it comes to overall living conditions and aesthetics and other stuff both Dhaka and Karachi r very similar cities, plus there is a lot of interesting and underrated history that occurred between Bangladesh and Pakistan that u can cover honestly)
Washington DC vs. Beijing (federal capitals of two world powers)
Auckland vs. San Francisco (both scenic places of different and versatile climates with expensive housing markets)
Finland vs. Norway (Nordic countries)
Pyongyang vs. Damascus (cities under different forms of social unrest)
Rome vs. Madrid (exotic European cities)
Calgary vs. Edmonton (the two big cities of Alberta aka Texas of the Great White North)
Minneapolis vs. Winnipeg (both similar cities with Scandinavian culture, hockey culture, and tons of lakes nearby in their state/province)
Singapore vs. Taipei (both economic powerhouses in Southeast Asia that separated from their respective countries (Malaysia and China))
Wow, what a great list of suggestions! Thank you.
@@iammrbeat no problem man!!! Really hope u touch on all them especially Dhaka vs. Karachi since there is a lot of uncanny similarities in both cities and there is a lot of under the radar history packed with lots of events tbh especially Bangladesh's independence in 1971
Awesome video
Nice video mr.beat
Thanks Devin!
interesting to learn they've cut down on salt, since high salt intake was the one problem i found with their diet when living in hawaii and eating japanese food there.
You're the best teacher I never had
Aww well it's an honor being your online teacher. :D
Fun fact, there was a recent study carried out which showed that being lower in the hierarchy of the British civil service and the lack of autonomy that comes as a result, means they have a higher mortality rate. It’s called the Whitehall study, you can look it up on wiki.
Excellent
I’m currently living here and the number of exercising señiors is astounding. Usually in the morning and at night, you can see tons of them out jogging. There’s also a lot of day time tv with shows focusing on exercise routines with señiors. I don’t want to live that long, so I don’t care about following their example, but it’s very impressive. It reminds me of my own great grandparents who lived similar lifestyles (though their labor was more for necessity than recreation and their leafy/bean heavy/ non red meat diet was more out of poverty than choice) and I had three of them live over 100 (and another died at age 83 from a high fall accident. Who knows how long he would’ve lived naturally) . The current western lifestyle is killing off its own with the poor choices it encourages amongst us.
Mr beat’s Chanel is like my favorite vacation pancake house, drab and unassuming from the outside, but once you get in there I have the best pancakes in the world. Mr BEAT you have the best pancak err...... content in the world.
Another factor I would argue is that the Japanese are better educated than other countries. The Japanese education system makes sure that the people know what would happen if they eat well and take care of themselves good versus doing the opposite.
Good point. There is certainly a correlation there as well.
Mr. Beat, could you do a comparison between Northern, and Southern California?
Great suggestion!
They might not exercise much more but I wonder if relying more on public transportation has anything to do with it (more walking).
Probably the free health care, small portion sizes, low levels of pollution, and lots of excercize. I don't think climate matters much because Nagano and Okinawa have the longest life expectancy, while Okinawa is warm and Nagano is cold. Meanwhile Aomori has the shortesr life expectancy, probably due to high smoking rates.
Ah yes, the key to longevity:
A giant wad of spinach.
A giant wad of spinach a day keeps the doctor away.
Don't forget Japan also invented "Synthetic MSG, Umami", in my country this Japan invention also impact of health and life expetency "we called Otak Micin/MSG brain".
But in Japan they are not using it, they prefer use natural Umami like dried seaweed.
Loved the video, I've always been interested in learning more about Asian cultures. Unfortunately Eastern cultures were barely covered in our public school history classes...what a shame.
Awesome
It would make my day if Mr. Beat respondes
I shall respond.
Preston Hatfield is enjoying his day.
Now I want a Mr. Beat mukbang lol!
I think it’s time to move to Japan, I gotta start early!
Well, the best of luck
Just live like the Japanese and call for everyone else in your country to as well. It's that easy. :D
I don’t think the US likes being told what to do but I’ll try
I'm from Japan currently living in the Pacific Northwest. I think one of the factors of Japanese longevity is because of the advance in transportation. That way, there are less stress on the road.
I have a question: Does the Pacific Northwest seem to be one of the more Japanese and Asian parts of the USA, or is that not the case?
Nice video my Man!
Thank you!
Mouthwatering sushi B-roll footage man
See what happens when you eat your vegetables kids? You live longer.
“Now Charley, EAT YOUR BROCCOLI OR YOUR GROUNDED FOR THE WEEKEND!!!!!!”
~Every Mother
Yup
Mom is always right.
I mean... When I was young, I really loved broccoli and wanted it every week or day
Lol
You spelt my name wrong. I like broccoli 🥦 Please don’t ground me, mum 😔
Mr Beat, can you do a series where you go over every president and what they accomplished as president? Also, you are my inspiration, you teach us not only about history, but you teach us that anyone can get into history. I am currently 11 years old, and plan on running for president. Many of my friends don’t think I can be president, but the only reason I stay motivated is because of you. So I thank you for that. I don’t think you realize how much of an impact you have on our lives. Also, do I have your vote for president? May God Bless you.
Two points are contrary to my observation, and I'm Chinese. (i) Is Japanese food really healthy? They eat a lot of starch and fried food; for example, eating Tempura with fried dumplings is way beyond imagination in most places of east Asia. Sushi is better, but still, mostly consist of rice. In my perception, the Japanese don't eat much leafy vegetables (too northern) or fruits (too expensive). But compared to the U.S? Hmm... fine. (ii) Social hierarchy is pretty strict and serious in day-to-day life. One has to tiptoe around people from higher position, the honorific to construct every sentence, the angle to bow, and the constant pressure to consider what he/she (but mostly he) wants so as to act beforehand ... cross-hierarchy friendship without a clear utilitarian goal is kinda an European or even American thing I think. Totally agree with the other points, though.
When will you do Massachusetts and Connecticut compared
Wow interesting
This video popped up on my page while I’m eating Sushi.
ha I love it
You Should Compare Massachusetts And Connecticut
ベート先生ありがとうございます
0:03 Hi Mr Beats.
Hey Mr beat! Are you gonna have any new seminars?
Yeah, I plan on some over the summer. I'm going to do a presidential series!
@@iammrbeat awesome, I will definitely go to them, I quite enjoyed the first one. And it was fun being the youngest one In the group lol
I was laughing my ass off watching him munch on for what seemed to be whole minute. Excellent crunchy sounds lol.
Super Video!
Do you can compare Germany and France?
Thanks for the suggestion!
@@iammrbeat 👍 I am from 🇩🇪 and I like your channel
Nice
WOOT
my great grandmother lived to be 94/95 and she was literally the last person that would have lasted that long. she smoked cigarettes and drank old fashioneds her while life, was always bitter, and literally had dementia for the last 10ish years of her life. it’s now a joke in my family that my grandma (her daughter) will grow to be just as old and rude and she’s 73 now so here we go lmao
She just passed on April 19th 😢
Hi, this is high but do you know what else is high, the amazing Mr Beat
I’m not from Japan but I had I grandma that lived there and lived to a 100 years old and she had a sister that lived to 104 years old there also
That's pretty awesome. My grandma just turned 90 and is still going strong! :D
5:22 😂😂😂
Good hypothesis.
Mr beat when will you do a second presidents tier list or a vice presidents tier list.
Probably later this year or early next year. I need more time to reflect and be less biased.
@@iammrbeat and are you a fan of be n Shapiro
There was a brazilian that was born at 1 december 1900(still alive)
Can they prove when they were born?
@@iammrbeat
His birth certificate looks more realistic
(He lives on the amazon)
The reasons are healthy eating. Exercise. Access to good health care. And social activities.
You doing muc bangs now at the end of your videos
can you please do west virginia and virginia compared
Heck yeah I can
Maybe they live long because they have Super Anime powers!
Another possibility indeed. :)
And I thought I was old
You’re nearly 300 years old now
Lol
@@daydreamnation1532 You nailed it. GW is way older than Kane.
You are never old in my heart, GW.
@@iammrbeat thank you very much
Tis well
Mr beat was blazed af filming this
lol no I was not. You would know if I was blazed.
@@iammrbeat That’s exactly what a blazed mr beat would say, I’m onto you
Please make a video about which states were swing states for every election from 1788-2020
Holy crap, that's actually an amazing idea! Thank you.
@@iammrbeat another video idea. Every presidential running mate.
Is longevity that long necessarily that good generationally though?
Man when they are 50 they look like they are 20 that is just amazing
That's often a quick way to tell if a society has longevity or not.
@@iammrbeat true
2:09 that isn't gunna start a flame war at all
What do you mean by hierarchy. Like wealth wise
So when are you making the legacy of prince Phillips?
I have no idea.
Dr. Ken Berry says eating red meat and salt is perfectly fine on a ketogenic diet, while sugar is a major component in awful health like heart disease. I think it's apples and oranges but with newfound studies mostly proving this, what say you, Mr. Beat?
What about the anime?
I’ll see you for the next life expectancy video buuuuuuday
It is the “DA” for me 🤣🤣🤣
What are you going to compare Iowa to?
Probably Missouri. What do you think?
@@iammrbeat you should do Maine and Nebraska
tl;dr Mr. Beat isn't wrong, and if you haven't lived in Japan you probably don't actually know how Japanese society works.
As someone who has been living in Japan for a few years and is a fellow social studies teacher (in the US, and English teacher in Japan) I wanted to clarify a few things regarding the "social conformity" Mr. Beat mentioned.
First is that many studies that look into factors like these are run or funded by the government, which has been incredibly conservative the last few years (Abe Shinzo can be thought of as the Japanese version of Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnel), and as such the government has been funding various campaigns to bring Japan back to what they see as a traditional, family values-oriented social structure. Because of this many studies are schewed toward saying things that align with the government's position on certain issues, with Japanese people's feelings on the social structure being positive one of them (for reference Japan also has one of the highest suicide rates among developed nations and is in the upper percentile of unhappy developed nations as well).
While it is likely true that the majority of Japanese people credit a sense of social belonging as relieving stress, what isn't touched on is that this creates a filtering effect where those who don't or can't conform with society are left behind without a means to catch up. This has led to patterns of behavior such as hikkikomori (shut-ins) rising in recent decades (which the government has also tried to pin on the popularity of otaku culture, and Japanese pop culture in general). The suicide rate, while slowly declining pre-COVID, also remained quite steady due to factors like these. Social conformity of the magnitude Japan has may benefit those already ahead in society, but it leads to those new or behind in society to suffer more (a bit like the cycle of poverty many other countries grapple with).
On the topic of hierarchies Japan does have a very deep and subtle (albeit strict) social hierarchy in schools and businesses. This is lost on many foreigners, however it deals many with the concepts of "senpai (a term that despite its popularity among Japanese anime enthusiasts carries a very different meaning in everyday life)" and the aforementioned constant social pressure to conform (mainly through what is known as "chuunibyou," or "2nd grade sickness"). These factors create a rigid but quiet hierarchy in Japan that is instilled in Japanese people from elementary school. The idea is that juniors should show respect to their seniors, and are ostracized if they do not. Showing respect has a wide variety of practical meanings ranging from listening carefully to taking over work your senior doesn't want to do (essentially they can always pull seniority, and it is seen as a privilege to do so). This hierarchy continues into adulthood as many businesses reward employees with these kinds of statuses, or promotions into positions where they can exercise theses powers (which is again seen as a natural part of society).
Mr. Beat isn't wrong, but Japan (like all places) has a very nuanced society, the iconography, norms and traditions of which has exploded in popularity across the world in the last 25 years. Therefore it is important we understand the benefits and problems of this society so that we don't build a new stereotype in our heads.
Thank you for adding such a wonderful comment to add nuance to the topic.
@@iammrbeat No problem, I love your content and am very glad you did a video on this. Thank you for giving me the chance to espouse on this topic.
Yo by grandpa was born in 1928 and I though he was old being in his 90s but turns out that woman was already in her 20s by the time by grandpa was born
compare louisiana and arkansas maybe?
How does ignoring social hierchary increases life expectancy? My guess is its rooted in the idea that everyone is on board with public health. Also, its natural for people to assemble themselves into hierachy so it's a tough lane to walk against. Maybe Japan is doing really well on that topic.
I think it is certainly directly tied to public health and communitarianism. In other words, there they often say screw hierarchies, we're all in this together!