January 7, 2011
In Japan, there are social “rules” that dictate what is considered acceptable public behavior, and cell phone use is also governed by these “rules.”
How often do we pass someone on the street in the U.S. who is talking loudly into their cell phone or, more recently, a Bluetooth earpiece? How about in an elevator or on a bus or train? In Japan, while riding the bus or train, an announcement plays often throughout the trip, reminding or instructing passengers to keep their cell phones (Jpn: keitai) on silent and to refrain from making cell phone calls while on board the bus or train. Some schools ban the use of cell phones on campus as well.