A surprising anniversary aimed at Anger Management

Among the many anniversaries, observances and commemorations on June 6th annually is Anger Management Day アンガーマネジメントの日. This surprises me as I personally have never heard the term "anger management" used in Japan, ever, anywhere. But it looks like it is a term that exists, taken from the English and written in Katakana. Possibly to soften its meaning.

"Anger Management Day" was established by the Japan Anger Manager Association, an organization based in Shibaura in Tokyo. My research revealed that the association is dedicated to building a society where people do not take their anger out on others and where anger does not spread in harmful cycles. The association’s mission is to spread the message “Let’s break the chain of anger”, encouraging individuals and workplaces to rethink how they respond to emotional stress.

The date comes from two ideas. One is that research shows that the peak of anger lasts about six seconds. The other is a "goroawase" on the date. As the Japanese onomatopoeia “muka‑muka”, sometimes used to describe irritation, can be read as “mu (6) ka‑mu (6) ka”. 

Had you ever heard of the Japan Anger Management Association? Have you heard the term 'Anger Management' being used in Japan before?