Punctuality — Anyone Can Do It

Sio
Dec 14
2 min read

In Japan, dates are usually scheduled several days in advance. With Japanese people, even a month is not unusual.

Outside Japan, this kind of planning feels rare. In many places, men mention meeting but never set a time, often cancelling late, or simply ghosting.

In Portugal, I dated a man who was always 20–30 mins late. I’d finish my first coffee before he strolled in with Olá.

But Southern Europe wasn’t the most extreme. When I lived in Argentina, it was completely normal for friends to show up 1 or 2 hours late.

What shocked me when I first moved to Japan - a South American texted me 15 mins before our meetup: “Sorry I might be 5 mins late.”

I stared at the screen, stunned. In Japan, even the most laid-back person becomes punctual — that’s how strong the culture of time is.

In Japan, punctuality isn’t etiquette, it’s survival. Being 5 mins late calls for a formal apology.

Punctuality in Japan is a reflex trained from childhood and shared as a social responsibility.

Because everyone is on time, trains run on time, meetings start on time, society keeps moving. Each person is a gear, if one is late, the whole system lags.

It’s also about respect, not causing inconvenience or wasting the time someone set aside for you. Being late isn’t just a delay, it’s stealing a piece of someone’s life.

Time can’t be returned. The only part of life we ever truly own is time.

So why do people who are always late suddenly show up on time in Japan?

Answer is - They always can.

Question is - Do they want to?