In Japan, Blood Type Rules All

Posted by Queuebot in Medicine, Odd News on February 2, 2009 at 1:59 am


There’s an odd fad going on in Japan: that a person’s blood type determines his personality.

But it’s not all fun and game. The craze has gone so far that there’s a new form of discrimination called "bura-hara," where someone may not be offered a job because of his blood type.


In Japan, “What’s your type?” is much more than small talk; it can be a paramount question in everything from matchmaking to getting a job.

By type, the Japanese mean blood type, and no amount of scientific debunking can kill a widely held notion that blood tells all. [...]

Taku Kabeya, chief editor at Bungeisha, thinks the appeal comes from having one’s self-image confirmed; readers discover the definition of their blood type and “It’s like ‘Yes, that’s me!’”

As defined by the books, type As are 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.

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From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Geekazoid.


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17 comments to "In Japan, Blood Type Rules All"

  1. Alex
    February 2nd, 2009 at 1:59 am

    Pretty interesting - but you shouldn't grab the entire article, just a select part for the quote. :)

  2. Alex
    February 2nd, 2009 at 2:00 am

    Edited and pushed to the front page. Thanks Geekazoid!

  3. SenorMysterioso
    February 2nd, 2009 at 2:10 am

    blood type is to the japanese as zodiac sign is to the west. IDK if Id call it a fad as theyve made personality/blood type connections for a long time now

  4. Reechard
    February 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 am

    The description for my blood type fits me perfectly! and so do the other three...

  5. lir
    February 2nd, 2009 at 2:21 am

    This has been around for a while; I remember my friend (who is very Japanese) asking me what mine was and then reading my 'description' probably about, oh, five years ago.

  6. LisaL
    February 2nd, 2009 at 2:45 am

    Seems pretty silly.. but then again every culture has their silly little traditions.

  7. Chad Cloman
    February 2nd, 2009 at 3:40 am

    There's a diet plan based on blood type: Eat Right For Your Type. It's based on the fact that the different blood types can be mapped to different geographic regions and lifestyles.

    The theory goes that people migrated out of Africa (type O) and had to adapt to new foods. At some point, they mutated to create the newer blood types (A, B, and AB) which were better at processing the new foods and which gave an evolutionary advantage.

    So the diet plan is that if you eat the right foods (the ones for which your blood type was developed), then your digestive system is more efficient. And you lose weight.

  8. Polx
    February 2nd, 2009 at 4:34 am

    The Japanese believe in this blood type nonsense.

    Nearly all US presidential candidates believe in literal biblical Creation.

    Hell, at least blood types actually exist.

  9. Bob the Scientist
    February 2nd, 2009 at 6:23 am

    "Eat Right For Your Type" exercises me a little because it is so simple. It turns out that Chimpanzees are polymorphic for ABO blood groups. But you don't find them becoming farmers or migrating to North America. And it ignores all the other blood groups (variable antigens on blood cells) of which there are more than a dozen detectable. Now MY theory comprehends all the data: if you are AB, Fy(a), K, Le (b), MN, Rh(cDe) then you really shouldn't eat prawn crackers.

  10. hooptycritter
    February 2nd, 2009 at 6:37 am

    This "fad" has been going on for over 20 years in Japan. It's another case of recycling old news.

  11. zm
    February 2nd, 2009 at 6:42 am

    I don't even know what my blood type is.

  12. Geekazoid
    February 2nd, 2009 at 9:33 am

    Thanks Alex, still trying to get the hang of the queue.

  13. I.n0jaQ
    February 2nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm

    It aint no fad.
    Its serious business as shown.
    Its part of the culture and has been used to bracket people since bloodtypes were able to be read, Id say at least 70years!

  14. Niemals
    February 2nd, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Koreans also believe in 'blood horoscopes'. Every single address book I've bought in a Korean stationary shop has blood type listed. I thought it was kind of weird so I asked my family. They didn't talk about personality traits, just medical ones. My brother has stomach pains and intestinal problems and they attribute that to his AB blood type.

  15. Non
    February 2nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm

    Oh Japan,Japan, Japan.... You know I love you but sometimes... you're just too crazy.

  16. Jose C.
    February 2nd, 2009 at 8:12 pm

    This isn't a "fad" it's a long held culture belief.

  17. noface
    February 3rd, 2009 at 8:40 am

    B rh- if you were interested.


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