There are many things Australians could teach the Japanese a thing or two about. Kindness to whales is one area in which we enjoy an obvious advantage. And there's other stuff too - work-life balance, good coffee and leg-spin bowling spring to mind.

But after a recent visit to Japan, I find it hard to avoid feeling that we have so much more to learn from them than they do from us. Such as how to build an adequate public transport system.

The Japanese could teach Metro a thing or two about making the trains run. Credit:Frank Maiorana

A clue to their outstanding adequacy in mass transit comes soon after arrival at Narita Airport, the main gateway to Japan, where signs point to two alternative high-speed express trains into central Tokyo, along with some cheaper limited-express options. More telling still is the metropolitan rail map of Tokyo, a spaghetti-like profusion of criss-crossing, twisting and looping lines - above and below ground - in numbers and density that almost defy comprehension.

With such a network, Tokyoites generally don't need cars; getting from almost any place to another by train is convenient, quick and economical. It is also reliable - the timetable is not a work of fantasy or aspiration, but a factual and usually precise guide to what actually happens.