Traits to be a developed nation?

Hijab stir a curiosity.

The title seems a little out of context but I wanted to make a statement that Japanese in general is very curious. They wanted to know the answer of any arising issue and will go to great length of trouble to find out the answer.

Why I am saying so? This is the observation of a foreigner who lives here in Japan (Tokushima) for the last 3 years, a Muslim lady who wears a hijab.

About the hijab, definitely none of the Japanese wears any cloth to cover their head accept for cancer patients or some old ladies who are losing a lot of hairs or in Edo period, a Ninja. Hence, it is common to hear a comment from a little boy asking her mother, “Is she a Ninja?” This question will always bring a smile to anybody nearby who can understand Japanese language. The mother will then hush-hush the little boy who appear to be shy.

The query about the hijab does not stop with only with the little boy. Any passing old ladies or men will also ask about the hijab, and definitely nothing related to the Ninja thing.

Actually, I lied. Not only old people ask the questions. Lectures or professors had asked me the question, even my adopted mother of Hiroshima.

The first question usually, ‘How do you feel wearing hijab especially during summer. Is it hot?’

Summer in Japan is hot and they are curious on how the Muslim woman is coping with the heat. Then the next question is do we open the hijab at all, as example in our house. Then, they wanted to know if we do cut our hairs because we can’t open up the hijab in public, so how about in the saloon. The next, if we can buy the cloth of the hijab in Japan and are there any specific colors permitted. If woman they will end the question saying that the brooch that we used is beautiful. The man will tend to say that he just wanted to ask because he is thinking about the hot weather of summer in Japan.

Those are the normal and standard questions. No hard feeling from me because the questions are sign of curiosity. I can understand it since I am a researcher myself.
Today, I was asked the same set of questions again during lunch time at the bicycle parking area. An uncle who appeared out of nowhere approached me just to ask the questions. Can you make it the guts that he had, coming up to a stranger and asked a question about her lifestyle? I can’t ever do that.

I guess the Japanese is very curious people and they love finding the answer straight from horse’s mouth. I can’t blame them but I salute their braveness. I just think that probably those are a few traits of people needed to build a developed country. Any ideas Malaysian?