Japanese spirit and Western things: an article review

Japanese Spirit; Western Things

The Economist (2003) article analyzes the events surrounding Japan's economic growth and its relationship to the rest of the world since 1945. Fundamental in this relationship has always been Japan's ability to resist cultural influences from Western countries, despite succumbing to the necessary paradigm of modernization in terms of its economy. This modernization drive, while still maintaining the majority of Japanese culture, has had interesting repercussions in terms of the world economy.

The article emphasizes that the steadfast maintenance of Japanese culture has both positive and negative aspects. Paradigms such as social and workplace harmony by maintaining respect for one's peers and superiors for example has had a positive influence on the way in which Japanese culture functions.

On the other hand, Japan's viewpoints on the macro-economic and trading fields have resulted in considerable frustrations for rich and poor countries alike. Rich countries for example believe that Japan's refusal of foreign investments, in addition to its insistent protection of banks and companies that are no longer financially viable does not serve either its domestic economy or its relationship with the global economic world. Poor countries on the other hand demand free trade of goods and services to allow all countries to compete equally.

Despite these criticism, the Economist states that what it refers to as "Japan's economic miracle" has brought great advantages to the rest of the world. The article mentions the access of western consumers to better and cheaper products such as cars and electronics as a result of Japan's export market. As a result of the same export market, East Asia has become a thriving economic region, and global poverty has been significantly reduced.

The article notes that Japan managed to maintain its own terms while entering the global economy successfully by means of a historical paradigm of doing so. Despite the invasion of American ships during 1853, and its surrender after World War II, the Japanese nevertheless refused to absorb the cultural values of western countries. Instead, Japan maintained its local traditions and guarded them jealously.

Laura Hein's (2009) writing connects with this idea in terms of Japan's claim to what she refers to as the country's "uniqueness. This paradigm has persisted even through Japan's growing understanding that some acceptance of the global paradigm is necessary to ensure economic growth. The uniqueness viewpoint, according to Hein, took a background position during the 1950s and 1960s as a result of the post-war association with exceptionalism. However, the international climate during the 1970s once again brought about a rise in Japanese nationalism when the United States complicated its relationship with the country by entering diplomacy with China without informing Japan.

The viewpoint of current Japanese leaders, according to Hein (2009), remains both nationalistic and even somewhat resentful, not only towards foreigners, but also towards the country's own minorities and women. Leaders also still tend to operate on a hierarchical scale rather than a democratic one, further hindering the country's full participation in the economic arena with the rest of the world.