A newly graduated train conductor in Japan opened the doors of the train after it had started to move. This was reported by the Mainichi Daily News and I must admit that I wondered on how this had made the newspaper since no one had been hurt. I then pondered the discipline that this poor 28 year old would probably face. My guess, based on my limited understanding of how mistakes are dealt with in a Japanese business setting, was that he would probably be demoted and suffer for a number of years cleaning the tracks or doing some other type of menial work as a result of a “rudimentary error”.

The same day, in the same paper, I read a different article about a boss who punched an employee so hard that the employee died. This event did not take place at the place of work but in front of the employees home and seemed a lot more news worthy to me. The boss was quoted as saying “I was just giving him a telling off, but I went too far”. The boss has been arrested for the fatal assault and I would be interested to know what his punishment will end up being and what caused such a reaction on his part? It seems ridiculous that this type of behavior exists in modern day Japan.

I can’t help but think that the Japanese conductor in the first article will be getting off light if all he suffers is having to clean the tracks for eternity…at least he is still alive.