Cultural Analysis of Japan by Bruce Medler

Country History

            Japan was discovered by the world around 1542, when a lost Portuguese ship arrived accidently. After the location of Japan was learned many traders flocked to Japan eager to sell their goods. The arrival of Christianity lead to the shoguns of the Tokugawa period to prohibit all trade outside of Japan. The one exception was a trading center in Nagasaki. The West continued to try to restore original trade routes but was unable to until 1853. In 1853 the trade route was forcibly reopened by Matthew Perry. This ultimately lead to the dismantlement of the shogun system in 1868 when emperor Meiji ascended to the throne.

            “Japan's postwar economic recovery was nothing short of remarkable. New technologies and manufacturing were undertaken with great success. A shrewd trade policy gave Japan larger shares in many Western markets, an imbalance that caused some tensions with the U.S. The close involvement of Japanese government in the country's banking and industry produced accusations of protectionism. Yet economic growth continued through the 1970s and 1980s, eventually making Japan the world's second-largest economy (after the U.S.).” (Fact Monster)

            Japan has experience economic prosperity for almost all of the time after World War 2. In 1990 Japan face many problems with corruption in the government and other leaders. In 1998 Japan had its second economic hardship because of the Asian Economic Crisis. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto resigned that year to be replaced by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in 1999. Japan made some progress in its economic recovery however in May 2000 Prime Minister Obuchi died of a stroke. He was replaced by Yoshiro Mori. Yoshiro Mori’s administration had more corruption problems that lead to many problems for Japan.

Geographical Settings

Location: Japan is located on the east coast of Asia in the Sea of Japan. It is approximately the size of Japan. There are four islands that together make up Japan Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku.

Climate: “Japan is located at the northeastern edge of the Asian monsoon climate belt, which brings much rain to the country. The weather is under the dual influence of the Siberian weather system and the patterns of the southern Pacific; it is affected by the Japan Current (Kuroshio), a warm stream that flows from the southern Pacific along much of Japan's Pacific coast, producing a milder and more temperate climate than is found at comparable latitudes elsewhere. Northern Japan is affected by the Kuril Current (Oyashio), a cold stream flowing along the eastern coasts of Hokkaido and northern Honshu. The junction of the two currents is a bountiful fishing area. The Tsushima Current, an offshoot of the Japan Current, transports warm water northward into the Sea of Japan.” ("Encyclopedia of the Nations")

            The temperature though out Japan is very different from the southern and northern parts of Japan. In the south the weather is very warm and has a climate similar to Florida and in the north the weather is much colder with intense blizzards and snow for the majority of the year similar to Alaska’s climate.

Topography: Japan is located in the Circum Pacific Ring of Fire a volcanic mountain range. The country of Japan is covered majorly (around 75%) by mountains. The most popular of the mountains in Japan is Mt. Fuji with a height of (12,388 ft). Japan has 265 volcanoes spread across the 4 islands however only 20 or so remain active. Because of Japan’s location it is very prone to earthquakes. “One of the world's greatest recorded natural disasters was the Kanto earthquake of 1923, when the Tokyo-Yokohama area was devastated and upward of 99,000 persons died.” ("Encyclopedia of the Nations 2")

            Useable harbors are few and far between because of the mountainous shape of Japan. Japan has several rivers the longest in Shinano a river measuring 228 miles that flows into the Sea of Japan.

Social Institutions

Nuclear Family: The family system in Japan is called the “ie” the Japanese word for home or house. The Japanese family is not based merely on blood and succession. It is based off how one honors one’s family. “In any given period of history, all family members have been expected to contribute to the perpetuation of the family, which is held to be the highest duty of the member” (Ariga, 1954).

Extended Family: The idea of the extended family in Japan has changed with the adoption of American customs. This is leading children to expand out and to attend colleges however after Japanese has started their family they will generally return close to the parents.

Dynamics of the Family

Fathers: “In many white collar families, the father is a proverbial "guest" in his own house, returning home most evenings after the children have gone to bed. Although fathers provide children with certain role models and many take an active interest in education matters, the task of attending to the child's upbringing and education is usually left to the mother. Mothers take that responsibility seriously. Research indicates that Japanese mothers place the subject of childrearing at the top of their worry list.” (Hakuhodo) Most Japanese males often become married to work. They spend the majority of the time at work. This has become a problem with Japanese families because after the man retires the woman is still expected to do all of the house hold duties while the man does nothing. This has cause a large increase in divorces in older couples in Japan.

Mothers: “Mothers and their children are especially close. Japanese mothers seldom confront their preschool children. Rather, they attempt to appease the child and foster an intimate, dependent relationship. The purpose of this approach is to get the child to comply willingly with the mother's wishes and to shape behavior gradually over the long term. Another goal of early training is to instill in the child a deep sense of responsibility to the mother and family. This becomes an important factor in developing motivation for school achievement in Japan.” (Minami)

Marriage and Courtship: The Japanese courtship begins with a friendly date. The two people will usually accompany each other to events with friends. The Japanese seldom show public displays of affection. So at this point any form of PDA would be inappropriate.

            The next stage involves dating without the friends however still while remaining discreet. In Asian societies it is appropriate for a woman to appear very difficult to get. This form of dating allows a woman to judge the genuineness of her interest. In this stage feelings are not greatly discussed. This process is usually very slow at can require great amounts of time before the title boyfriend and girlfriend is used. This is due to the idea that the man who meets the woman’s family is shown as the man she will marry. This is changing slowly from the influence of American dating styles.

            The next step is the publication step friends and families are informed of their relationship. It is necessary for the man to meet the woman’s family now. “When courting the Asian you are not courting just her, you are courting the entire family. Following this rule will help you earn her respect by entrusting her family with high regard.” ("Japan Women.info")

There are many things the man must due to be accepted by the family some general examples are on the first meeting of the father the man must present the largest fish he can buy. Then after the first meetings it is customary for the man to bring small gifts for the family.

Education

          “The educational system in Japan is very competitive; entrance exams to private schools and universities are rigorous. Competition is keen for acceptance to the prestigious schools because graduating from these schools usually assures the person a position in a top corporation. Japan’s literacy rate is 99%. Education for persons between the ages of 6 and 15 is generally free and compulsory; after age 15, tuition must be paid. Math and science are stressed.” (Chaney, and Martin 35) Education is considered an honor for most Japanese. It is an opportunity to increase the honor of the family. The Japanese people are very serious when it comes to education as they must be.

             “In Japan, education is expected to be difficult and sometimes unpleasant. In addition, the heavy intellectual demand on the students occurs during the primary and secondary education years rather than in the college years. After high school, the students take a very competitive university entrance exam. Because the university a student graduates from determines the company for which he or she will work, the better the university, the better that person’s life will be. A close allegiance (i.e., sense of loyalty is maintained between graduating classes, employee careers, alma mater, and year of graduation.” (Chaney, and Martin 35)

Political System

Political Structure: Japan is a constitutional monarchy it has a Prime Minister and an emperor with limited to no governing power as a figure head. The Prime Minister is similar to the President he has a cabinet that form the executive branch of the Japanese government. A 252 seat House of Councilors and a 512 seat House of Representatives that form a Diet which represents the legislative branch. The prefectures of Japan are governed by elected officials. The voting age is 20 both males and females are allowed to vote.

Political Parties

The Democratic Party of Japan

“The newly formed Minshuto (the Democratic Party of Japan) was launched on September 28, 1996, uniting 57 dissenters from other parties into Japan's third-largest political party. Although the party is jointly run by Hatoyama and Kan, Hatoyama is in practice serve as party head and Kan as secretary general, according to party members. The inaugural convention was attended by 52 House of Representatives members and five House of Councilors members, making the party the third-largest after the Liberal Democratic Party and Shinshinto (New Frontier Party).” ("Japan, a pocket guide" 12-18) This year the DPJ Prime Minister candidate Yukio Hatoyama was elected which is the second time since 1955 that another party has had control other than the LDP.

The Liberal Democratic Party

“The Liberal Democratic Party, the biggest political party, is a conservative force. The party regards the protection of liberty, human rights, democracy, and the parliamentary system as its fundamental mission. The LDP was formed in November 1955 through the merger of two conservative parties founded after World War II and continued to govern without a break until August 1993.” ("Japan, a pocket guide" 12-18) The LDP has had many problems with corruption that led to the 1993 break in power. They handled the recession of 2008 2009 poorly and have been known for poor use of funds. These are some of the suspected reason that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of the DPJ was elected in September 2009.

 

Political Stability

“The long post-war economic boom in Japan explained the relative political stability of the country. But since the 1980s things have changed. Now we are seeing its economic decline emerge as political instability, with the masses looking for an alternative to the status quo.” (Fulsom)

Tax System

Income tax (所得税 "shotokuzei ")

• People whose yearly salary is lower than 1.300.000 yen are exempt of income tax. If taxes have already been paid (by the company, for instance), these workers should mention it to get a tax refund.
• Expats whose salary is paid by a foreign company can have tax reduction or be exempted if taxes are already paid in the other country - and under certain conditions.

• Resident tax (住民税 "juuminzei")
  Actually not a tax on residence itself, but a local (as opposed to national) tax. It is lower than the income tax, but also depends on one's revenues.
• Consumption tax (消費税 "shouhizei")
  The current rate is 5%. It is the tax paid when buying/selling a product or service. The equivalent of the European VAT.

 ("Japan Reference")

Legal System

Judicial System: “Japan's judicial system, drawn from customary law, civil law, and Anglo-American common law, consists of several levels of courts, with the Supreme Court as the final judicial authority. The Japanese constitution includes a bill of rights similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights, and the Supreme Court has the right of judicial review. ("U.S. Department of State")

The courts of Japan do not allow for jury systems to the Japanese the idea of a jury takes away from the law because decisions are made from feelings not from law. The Supreme Court is the only court in which previous decisions play a future role in law.

Japan’s Intellectual Rights: The system is based on the first to file principle. When someone applies for a Patent, Design, or Trademark they are given priority based off the time they applied. These laws are designed to foster creativity and to protect the people’s creativity and contributions to development.

Social Organizations

            From birth, Japanese people are taught to be collective starting with the family then to include organizations such as schools and neighborhoods. In Japan status is very important usually status is determined by age, family, and then ability. To know when to act as a colleague, inferior, or superior and the ability to switch between these roles is a must in Japanese society. 

            In Japanese society uchi(home) and soto(outside) play a more than significant role. The idea of uchi incorporates the idea that one has for “we.” We can be your family to everyone in Japan. If you are in the soto the Japanese seem very distant. They will not share inner feelings and will only play to external necessities. Soto means outside or outsiders people that do not fit into one’s individual life. This is an excellent example of Hofstead’s collective society. When a Japanese person introduces themselves they will always claim part of a group. Compared to the Americans who define themselves as a person what makes them unique.

            It Japan it is necessary to think of the group first and the inner self second. “Japanese are taught that this level of self should not be assertive but rather should be considerate of the needs of others; the private emotions, and perhaps the funloving , relaxed side of Japanese individuals are tolerated and even admired as long as these do not interfere with the performance of more public responsibilities. The proper performance of social roles is necessary to the smooth functioning of society. Individuals, aware of private inner selves (and even resistance to the very roles they perform), use a shifting scale of uchi and soto to define themselves in various situations.” ("Country Studies")

Religion and Aesthetics

Religion: The two major religions of Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. These two religions co-exist very well in Japan because of the Japanese cherry picking the two religions and mixing them together. Japanese people usually will not claim a religion but if they do they will typically claim both. Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today. The average person typically follows the religious rituals at ceremonies like birth, weddings and funerals may visit a shrine or temple on New Year and participates at local festivals, most of which have a religious background.” ("Japan-Guide")

Aesthetics: “Japan's aesthetic conceptions, deriving from diverse cultural traditions, have been formative in the production of unique art forms. Over the centuries, a wide range of artistic motifs developed and were refined, becoming imbued with symbolic significance. Like a pearl, they acquired many layers of meaning and a high luster. Japanese aesthetics provide a key to understanding artistic works perceivably different from those coming from Western traditions. Within the East Asian artistic tradition, China has been the acknowledged teacher and Japan the devoted student. Nevertheless, Japanese arts developed their own style, which can be clearly differentiated from the Chinese. The monumental, symmetrically balanced, rational approach of Chinese art forms became miniaturized, irregular, and subtly suggestive in Japanese hands.” ("Country Studies 2") While almost all of Japan’s aesthetics are taken from other cultures they hold great reverence in Japanese culture and have become their own.

Performing Arts: Many of Japan’s traditional forms of music, dance, and theater have survived to this day. They are still immensely popular and important for the Japanese. Much of Japanese arts can be traced back to Religious use. Much of the music and dancing is derived from entertainment that was for the imperial household. “By the early historical period (sixth to seventh centuries A.D.), there were a variety of large and small drums, gongs, chimes, flutes, and stringed instruments, such as the imported mandolin-like biwa and the flat six-stringed zither, which evolved into the thirteen-stringed koto. These instruments formed the orchestras for the seventh-century continentally derived ceremonial court music, which, together with the accompanying bugaku (a type of court dance), are the most ancient of such forms still performed at the imperial court, ancient temples, and shrines. Buddhism introduced the rhythmic chants, still used, that were joined with native ideas and underlay the development of vocal music.” ("Country-Data")

Relevant Symbols: “Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, had long been highly esteemed, intensively studied, and avidly collected. The writing of Chinese ideograms (kanji) in a wide variety of styles was inherited from the Chinese scholarly tradition, which at one extreme became the nearly indecipherable grass-style writing and at the other geometric abstractions.” (Country Studies 3) Calligraphers are held in high regard because of the lifetime it takes to perfect one’s style.

Music: Originally music, song, and dance were performed by geisha. The Japanese music scale is based on a five-tone scale. “Famous performers may play the samisen or koto only, or they may play together with a singer or dancer. The dances come from No, Kabuki, and folk sources, featuring large ensemble dances as highlights of these brilliant spectacles.” ("Country Studies 4")

Color Meaning

Black: Color of the night, and of "evil." Black can also be a color of elegance or class (such as a black-tie only event, and black evening gowns.) Black can also represent ideas such as power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, sadness, remorse, anger, and mourning.

Blue: Color of the Virgin Mary, and is associated with girls who have similar pure qualities. In addition, it is the color of water and the sea, with all the symbolic references already discussed for that element - that is, blue usually indicates femininity, life, purity, etc., just as water does.

Blue can also symbolize peace, calm, stability, security, loyalty, sky, water, cold, technology, and depression.

Brown: Represents the ideas of earth, hearth, home, the outdoors, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.

Gold: Associated with royalty. It represents the color of the heavens, and is used to decorate statues of the Buddha and religious temples.

Green: Represent nature, the environment, good luck, youth, vigor, envy, and misfortune.

Orange: Represent energy, balance, warmth, enthusiasm, flamboyant, and demanding of attention.

Pink: It can be used to show childish innocence, or a characters child-like personality.

Purple: Represent royalty, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, mysterious, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, and mourning.

Red: Symbolize many things; from blood, to love, to infatuation.  Basically red symbolizes strong emotions, or things of strong emotions rather than intellectual ideas.

White: Is a sacred and pure color. It's the color of angles and gods, as the color reflects that which is sacred and pure. It is also the color of doctors, nurses, and others in the health profession, as well as cleanliness. White can also represent reverence, purity, simplicity, peach, humility, youth, winter, good, cold, clinical, and sterile.

Yellow: Symbolize joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, gold, dishonesty, cowardice, deceit, illness, and hazard.

(Dreyfus)

Living Conditions

            “Japanese generally enjoy good health and have the greatest life expectancy in the world--77 years for men and 82 for women. Medical care is generally good and includes both modern scientific and traditional Chinese-style herbal medicines. A national health insurance system supports low-cost care but labors under massive debt. The Japanese are great customers. They are very prone to fads and fashions in marketing and tend to stress the purchase of famous brand- name products.” ("Geocities") Japan’s capital city is known as the “Fashion Capital of the Eastern World.”

            Japan’s major problem is crowding. After the economic raise and adoption of many American ideas Japanese people prefer to have independent houses however the large cost of housing makes it difficult to afford large amounts of land. “As many as 40 houses are built on one acre. Small apartments are very common. The average dwelling space for a middle-class household in 1988 was just under 1,000 sq ft. Traditional housing was furnished with wall-to-wall mats (tatami), but recent trends are toward carpet or wooden floors and Western-style furniture.” ("Geocities")

            The living conditions of Japan are very high they are easily comparable with the United States. Also due to the Japanese collectivism the safety level of Japan is very high. Another issue for the Japanese is a lack of by due to large requirements of business and work hours.

            Japan has one of the most advanced transportation business. It is the common way to get from one place to another. Even though trains are crowded they are extremely reliable. They have build long distant bullet trains which one can travel very quickly from anywhere in Japan. Japan also has its own domestic airlines. Cars are also a common way of transportation but due to the price of toll roads and cars themselves they are seldom used for long distance.

Diet and Nutrition

Malnutrition Rates

Japan is not currently listed as an undernourished country. It currently has 2% or lower that is malnourished.

 https://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/liaison_offices/wfp185786.jpg

Japanese Diet

https://www.teachnet-lab.org/motthallschool/asalcedo/NutritionQuest/japame.htm

Clothing

National Dress: “The traditional kimono of Japan was the common form of dress for men, women, and children until the early 20th century when Western clothing became popular. It was designed during the Edo period.” ("Images of Asia")

Business Dress: One should dress according to their status or position. To the Japanese dress is very important. Men should wear dark conservative attire. Business suits are most suitable. One should never wear casual attire to a business setting. Do to the custom of removing one’s shoes when entering a house or certain other places. Shoes should be easy to remove. Women should wear dresses. Pants can be seen as offensive to Japanese men. Also women should avoid large high-heels in order to not be taller than men.

Recreation, Sports, and Other Leisure Activities

            The most common sports in Japan include football and other ball sports. Some of the martial arts and karate are also practiced by many people. There is no legally official sport of Japan, but the Japan Sumo Association describes sumo as the national sport of Japan.” ("Nihon Sumo") The Japanese attend baseball like Americans attend football. Games are thrilling and exhilarating. Everyone knows the cheers and will chant them loudly and proudly. “People living in Japan spend more on recreation than they do on clothing, electronics and household goods combined. $275.9 billion” (Fairfield, He, and Quealy)

Social Security

            “Japan has a universal insurance system whereby everybody residing in Japan must, in principle, take part in the public health (medical) insurance and pension insurance system.” ("Japan External Trade Organization")

Health Care

            “In the Japanese health care system, healthcare services, including screening examinations for particular diseases at no direct cost to the patient, prenatal care, and infectious disease control, are provided by national and local governments. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health care insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments since 1983.” ("Nihon Bairingaru Jiten" 183) The Japanese healthcare system is now mandatory all people living in Japan must sign up for it. The patient pays at most 30% of the health costs on the Healthcare Plan.

Language

            Japanese is the first language of Japan with English being the second language. The Japanese writing system consists of 3 parts Hiragana a system for writing phonetic sounds that are Japanese words, katakana a system of writing phonetic sounds for from foreign languages and kanji a system of writing taking from the Chinese system single symbols mean words.

Japanese has many different dialects there is an Eastern, Western, Kyushu, and Hachijou Island dialect all of these have several sub dialects.

 

 

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