Blood Type and Character Traits
Yesterday’s newspaper carried an item about the Japanese belief that blood type and personality are linked. In Japan, it’s perfectly normal to ask “What’s your blood type?” in the course of a conversation, just as here we might ask ” What’s your ( zodiac) sign?” Until recently, job applicants in Japan were asked for their blood type and companies would make decisions about job assignments based on employees’ blood types. Children in some kindergartens are divided according to blood type so that each type can be taught according to the method best suited to their personality. Matchmaking agencies provide blood-type compatibility tests and consumer goods such as womens’ handbags, chewing gum , soft drinks and even condoms are formulated for specific blood types.
Surprisingly, such thinking is not new , having been first put forwarded by Kumata Hara in 1916. Hara was a doctor but subsequent research showed that there is no scientific basis , no link between blood types and character traits. However the idea never died down and it is rumored that during World War II, battle groups were assembled according to blood type. The notion got fresh legs in 1970, when Masahiko Nomi, an advocate with no medical background,popularised it. His son , Toshitaka, continues to push it today . Last year , this was the subject of four of the top 10 bestselling books ( one for each blood type) in Japan .