Just Small Number of Japanese Can Use Chopsticks???

I just read a Japanese newspaper article, which provides that just 30% or so of 30's through 50's of Japanese can properly use chopsticks.

It makes me a bit relieved as I'm not included in the stats and in the majority of Japanese...yes, I can't properly use chopsticks...

The article reminded me some my experience when I was living in the U.S. some time ago.

I went to a Chinese restaurant with my professor at graduate school and business partner, both American.

We ordered fried rice, among other items, and shared it.

The two Americans tried to use chopsticks for the fried rice, which was very dry, whereas I used a large spoon without any hesitation!  Of course, I said to them that even Japanese did not try to use chopsticks for fried rice and they did not have to try it, however, they somehow continue to use their chopsticks.  They might have thought using chopsticks was a sort of business manner, but I still don't understand reason for their hard efforts.

The newspaper article does not mention about the same stats for American or any other non-Japanese, however, I feel the ratio of non-Japanese would be possibly higher than the Japanese'.

We Japanese should train hard to use chopsticks?

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