Blood types and pseudoscience in Japan

Ever wonder why some anime and video game character profiles tell you about the character's blood type? Check out this fascinating post at the Providentia blog about the use of blood types as horoscopes and personality tests in Japanese culture. The practice has origins in early-20th century racist pseudoscience, and it can still negatively affect people today. For instance, somebody with Type B blood might have a hard time finding a job. (Via Jack El-Hai)

Maggie Koerth-Baker is the science editor at BoingBoing.net. She writes a monthly column for The New York Times Magazine and is the author of Before the Lights Go Out, a book about electricity, infrastructure, and the future of energy. You can find Maggie on Twitter and Facebook.

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MORE: Culture • discrimination • History • pop culture • pseudoscience • Science

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http://www.facebook.com/people/Matthew-Miller/1178810793 Matthew Miller

Canadian Blood Services use this bit of racist propaganda to encourage donations.

http://www.bloodservices.ca/CentreApps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/WYT_E?OpenDocument

They’re very proud of their “What’s you Type?” campaign.
- chumpmeat
  
  Racist?
  - MaxEmerika
    
    Woosh!
    
    :)
  - catgrin
    
    I’m thinking it’s typist propaganda, myself.
- Guest
  
  ……..
bob d

Sadly this (yet again) proves that in the absence of actual differences that people can use to discriminate against each other, people will make some up.
http://about.me/JonAbrams Jon Abrams

The Ottawa Skeptics blogged about the Canadian Blood Services’ promotion of this ridiculous pseudoscience: http://www.ottawaskeptics.org/topics/alternative-medicine/268-canadian-blood-services-promotes-pseudoscience
Jonathan Badger

That Canadian Blood Services thing really is abhorrent. My impression is that most Japanese *know* it’s silly, but it’s just a bit of fun like horoscopes, but having it on the Blood Services webpage makes it look as if it has actual science behind it.
Tarliman

Hm. I’m B-Pos. Maybe that’s why I was so long between jobs. Couldn’t be the economy being in the bin could it?
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Hm. I’m B-Pos. Maybe that’s why I was so long between jobs.
  
  I don’t know my blood type. Maybe that explains why I have no personality.
bbonyx

Ahhhh, so that explains the spec listings on jappydolls, av-girl.nfo and sleepyjohn! Always wondered that. Good to know.

No, it isn’t the fever… after this long, it’s the plague.
Guest

…….
Guest

comment edit fail. mdhatter reading fail, insult fail,

oh well.
bluetwinkle

On the other hand, westerners also commonly talk of “type A/B personality”. Asians (Chinese people do that too, not just Japanese) just happen to link it to blood types.