Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook

Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

Blood Type Obsession Splits Japan

Belief that blood type determines personality blamed for discrimination

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 2, 2009 8:43 AM CST

(Newser) – A widely held belief that blood type determines personality has opened a vein of controversy in Japan, the AP reports. The notion persists despite scientific debunking, with sports teams, matchmakers, and even employers making decisions based on a person's blood type. Some see the craze as sinister and the term "bura-hara" has been coined to describe blood-based harassment.

Four of Japan's top best-sellers last year were about how blood type determines personality. Type As are said to be sensitive perfectionists but overanxious; Type Bs are cheerful but eccentric and selfish; Os are curious, generous but stubborn; and ABs are arty but mysterious and unpredictable. Employers have been warned not to ask workers their blood type, but the belief seems unlikely to vanish any time soon; even the prime minister felt the need to reveal in his official profile that he's an A.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Transparent body robot, called Eve, with complex intertwining rubbery tubing inside for honing doctors' skills for surgery on blood vessels in Tokyo Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)

In Japan, your blood type can often affect your chances of getting a job. (Shutter Stock)

The belief that blood type determines personality has been widespread in Japan since the 1930s. (Shutter Stock)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

It's simply sham science. The idea encourages people to judge others by the blood types, without trying to understand them as human beings. It's like racism. - Satoru Kikuchi, associate professor of psychology at Shinshu University

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

AP Photo

35 Brutally Honest Reasons Men Say No to Sex (The Stir)

Which Entertainer Pulled Out of 'Inappropriate' Whitney Tribute? (NewsOne)

The French Government Wants to Tone My Vagina (Slate)

Obama Photo on Facebook Helps Catch Drug Dealer (HuffPost)

Hottest Women to Ever Appear in the SI Swimsuit Issue (Bleacher Report)

Partner Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 6 comments

Shannonals

Feb 4, 2009 3:17 AM CST

The Japanese need to work on increasing the birthrate of the next generation, as the elderly are slowly outnumbering the young. Why worry about a person's blood type when you have to worry about that?

Newser001

Feb 2, 2009 5:31 AM CST

The Japanese suffer from a number of social stereo type categorization problems, which has been built into the culture, some for eons... The newer, younger generations will eventually purge themselves of such ideology... It will take time.

Guest

Feb 2, 2009 4:50 AM CST

This is internalised burakumin! Looks like even the most homogenous society will invent distinctions to discriminate about.

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Rick Santorum: Birth Control Is 'Not OK'

Valentine's Day Role-Playing Goes Very Wrong

Associated Press (Source Grid »)

What some Japanese believe your blood type says about you
BellaOnline

World • Science

Japan • discrimination • blood • personality test

More Newser Stories

Japan's Economy Shrinks More Than Expected

Rising yen, falling international demand, led to 2.3% contraction

(NEWSER) - Economists were expecting the Japanese economy to contract in the last quarter of 2011, but not this badly, reports the BBC . Japan's gross domestic product shrunk 2.3% in the last three months of the year, much worse than the 1.4% economists were predicting, due to the yen rising 7% against the US dollar since April, the effects of last March's earthquake and tsunami, and the general worldwide economic slowdown. More»

Japan's Emperor to Have Heart Bypass

Akihito has suffered from variety of health problems in recent years

(AP) - Japanese Emperor Akihito will have heart bypass surgery later this month, his palace said today after the 78-year-old monarch was hospitalized for tests over the weekend. Akihito returned to the palace today after the tests and has scheduled the surgery for Feb. 18, the Imperial Household Agency said. More»

US Military Looking for Foothold in Philippines

But doesn't intend to reopen bases

(NEWSER) - The US military is seeking more access to the Philippines, sources tell Reuters , though not, they hasten to add, new full-blown bases there. The Philippines voted to remove gigantic US naval and air bases 20 years ago, but the country remains a US ally, and the US is hoping for more access to its ports and airfields to refuel warships and planes. "It's access, not bases," one official clarified. And the desire seems to be mutual. More»

Japan Kept Worst-Case Nuclear Fears Under Wraps

Fukushima report warned that all of Tokyo might need to be evacuated

(NEWSER) - Japanese officials were told that last year's nuclear disaster could have required the evacuation of tens of millions—but they didn't mention it, worried that the information might cause a panic. A 15-page report, given to the prime minister two weeks after the earthquake, was obtained by the AP and Japanese media. It says that meltdowns could cause vast amounts of radiation and necessitate the evacuation of homes within at least a 105-mile radius of the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. More»

Japan Reports 1st Trade Deficit in 30 Years

And that could mean trouble for its national debt

(NEWSER) - Japan reported its first trade deficit since 1980 today, a $32 billion shortfall caused in part by the tsunami that struck the country, and in part by the strengthening yen. And while the tsunami may have been a freak occurrence, experts tell the AP that the deficit isn't. "It reflects fundamental changes in Japan's economy," one economist at Japan Research Institute says. "Japan is losing its competitiveness," with its manufacturing giants largely moving production abroad. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Blood Type Obsession Splits Japan