Japanese believe that their personalities are shaped by their type of blood and this belief transcends scientific reasoning.
This is evidenced by the fact that top four best book sales belonged to the ones which dealt with how each of the blood group, viz, B, O, A and AB determines the personality. Put together, their aggregate sales exceeded 5 million copies in 2008.
According to these books, Type As are sensitive perfectionists, but, overanxious, Type Bs are cheerful, but, eccentric and selfish, Type Os are curious and generous, but stubborn and Type ABs possess artistic but mysterious and unpredictable characteristics.
Even the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader are not spared from this belief. In his profile, the Prime Minister has revealed A as his type while the Opposition Leader has stated B is his type.
Right from employment to assignment to match-making, the type of blood plays a decisive role. In matrimony, the compatible tests are conducted and employers decide the allotment of type of assignment based on the emplyee’s type of blood.
The negative impact of this craze is the harassment that goes with it. Japanese call it ‘bura-hara’ meaning blood type harassment. Warnings issued by the governmental authorites have not been heeded to.
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