Just back from three weeks in China + Japan — back to back. The contrast was sharper than I expected and eye opening. I recently wrote about China, this is now about Japan. Japan: 43 million tourists a year. A currency that has lost a third of its value in five years. Less than 2% EV adoption. And streets that are somehow completely spotless with almost no public bins. Japan is a country of fascinating paradoxes — 20 years later and after a week in China, I saw it with eyes I wouldn't have had otherwise. Five things I can't stop thinking about, including why Japan's "cheapness" is not a travel deal, but a symptom of something much bigger. 👇 linkedin.com/pulse/japan-th…

@mariekeflament Don't actually need a car in Japan. Suggesting Japan isn't modern or the smell of gas is in the air everywhere is a bit much. Might want to research where China's trains came from. The borrowed and then copied technology. No mention China's communist government or oppression.

@dalger2001 @mariekeflament If one goes out of the center, a car becomes quite essential. Japan isn't indeed the futuristic place it used to be like 20 years ago. Time has pretty much stood still. China has now become this futuristic place.

@seeingmole @mariekeflament Sorry, 50 miles outside of Tokyo and haven't needed a car.

@dalger2001 @mariekeflament That's still like suburbs of Tokyo man.