I see where you are coming from.
Though I think the Japanese government doesn’t have to play a hand in promoting such a minimalistic culture. I mean it has been suffering from stagnant wages n stagflation for decades. People naturally acquire a scarcity mindset and give up on material possessions.

I think it isn’t so much the exact amount of things, but whether you keep each item in its designated place and are able to use it conveniently instead of letting it gather dust and sap your mental energy 

cryotosensei

There's also the flipside, though, of pushing people to overspend, as a way of transferring hard-earned wealth back to the ruling class.


Undisciplined

alter_native

Minimalist Culture in Japan

I'm always very wary of "minimalist" narratives.

To what degree is this movement a genuine drive to reduce clutter in life, fight consumerism and waste?

And to what degree is it a government PsyOp perpetuated as "culture" so that people are more likely to accept that they own less and less stuff (because they can't afford them due to inflation)? Basically an "own nothing and be happy" served in a different sauce. 