Maciamo
Apr 5, 2005, 13:56
Japanese culture emphasizes the importance of consensus and the avoidance of conflicts or open disputes. This is quite interesting because in the international scene (especially inside East Asia) in this early 21st century, Japan seems to be more antagonistic and trouble-making than many other developed countries, except of course the bellicose and imperialist United States. Japan has poor relations and border conflicts with all of its neighbours : Russia, North and South Korea and China.
Across the Pacific, we could frankly say that the relations between Japan and the US are quite hypocritical and artificial. Japan acts as a puppet state of the US since their defeat in 1945, although somewhat relunctantly. Many Japanese are not very happy that their government always seem to do everything Washington tell them to do. That is chiefly why independent nationalist politicians like Shintaro Ishihara got elected (in his case, thanks to his book The Japan that can say no (http://www.jref.com/shop/showproduct.php/product/380/sort/7/cat/12/page/1), where he convincingly explains that Japan should stand up to the United States).
It is just a bit sad that the Japanese should pass from one extreme (servitude) to another (ultra-nationalism) instead of having a more balanced attitude. It's a love or hate relationship with the US, but in any case a too emotional one, hardly a rational one. The same is true for the relations with China, although it's more hate and fear than love and praise. No wonder that in such an environment so many Japanese people have overly emotional and prejudiced ideas (http://www.jref.com/culture/misconceptions_prejudices.shtml) of foreigners. It seems that the social rules about consensus only apply between Japanese people.
An eloquent example of Japan's obstination not to find a consensus with its neigbours is its refusal to foramally apologise for WWII war crimes and absues in China and Korea, and to include this face-losing past in its history textbooks at school. In contrast, Germany, Austria and Italy have not made any problem, have apologised, paid reparations and taught children at school about what happened during WWII. Nowadays European countries have better relations with each others than they ever had before WWII.
Another point is the territorial disputes of Japan with its neighbours. Groups of noisy nationalists frequently protest in front of the Russian embassy (in Roppongi) or in the streets of Tokyo to regain the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan (aka Southern Kuril Islands) north of Hokkaido, which are uninhabited, have little resources, strategic or cultural value for Japan, as they were only annexed by Japan in the late 19th century (Taiwan and Korea followed soon after, but are now clearly separate countries).
China claims the uninhabited Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) in Okinawa, a case for which neither country have a real claim (at best it should belong to Taiwan or to an independent Okinawan nation).
Recently, the much mediatised dispute over the also uninhabited Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) with South Korea has escalated, and even famous Korean actors popular in Japan have appeared on TV saying that Japan should return the island to Korea. Like with the Senkaku Islands, the reasons for claim are just a matter of fishing-rich territorial waters surrounding the island.
Interestingly I couldn't find any such territorial disputes between European countries (the UK and France have a few issues with former far-away colonies though, like Argentina that still claims the Shetlands). Why can't Japan agree on a settlemnt with its neighbours ? I especially don't understand why a solution about Liancourt Rocks has not yet been found since 1945, as South Korea has always been in the same "team" as Japan along the United States, and the two cultures, economic and political system are more similar with each others than with any other country in the world. Some European countries have a longer and bloodier history of conflicts between themselves, but have sucessfully put this behind them (e.g. France and Germany). The solution to a territorial waters dispute with no historical support in favour of one of the two paties is quite obvious, isn't it ? Just divide the territorial waters in two (e.g. everything north of the island to Korea, and everything south to Japan).
My question is, why in a country where consensus and avoiding confrontations is so deeply rooted in the culture as in Japan, should there be so many confrotations and disagreements with neigbouring countries ? Isn't time for Japan (and its neighbours) to grow up and stop quarreling over trifles ?
Across the Pacific, we could frankly say that the relations between Japan and the US are quite hypocritical and artificial. Japan acts as a puppet state of the US since their defeat in 1945, although somewhat relunctantly. Many Japanese are not very happy that their government always seem to do everything Washington tell them to do. That is chiefly why independent nationalist politicians like Shintaro Ishihara got elected (in his case, thanks to his book The Japan that can say no (http://www.jref.com/shop/showproduct.php/product/380/sort/7/cat/12/page/1), where he convincingly explains that Japan should stand up to the United States).
It is just a bit sad that the Japanese should pass from one extreme (servitude) to another (ultra-nationalism) instead of having a more balanced attitude. It's a love or hate relationship with the US, but in any case a too emotional one, hardly a rational one. The same is true for the relations with China, although it's more hate and fear than love and praise. No wonder that in such an environment so many Japanese people have overly emotional and prejudiced ideas (http://www.jref.com/culture/misconceptions_prejudices.shtml) of foreigners. It seems that the social rules about consensus only apply between Japanese people.
An eloquent example of Japan's obstination not to find a consensus with its neigbours is its refusal to foramally apologise for WWII war crimes and absues in China and Korea, and to include this face-losing past in its history textbooks at school. In contrast, Germany, Austria and Italy have not made any problem, have apologised, paid reparations and taught children at school about what happened during WWII. Nowadays European countries have better relations with each others than they ever had before WWII.
Another point is the territorial disputes of Japan with its neighbours. Groups of noisy nationalists frequently protest in front of the Russian embassy (in Roppongi) or in the streets of Tokyo to regain the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan (aka Southern Kuril Islands) north of Hokkaido, which are uninhabited, have little resources, strategic or cultural value for Japan, as they were only annexed by Japan in the late 19th century (Taiwan and Korea followed soon after, but are now clearly separate countries).
China claims the uninhabited Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) in Okinawa, a case for which neither country have a real claim (at best it should belong to Taiwan or to an independent Okinawan nation).
Recently, the much mediatised dispute over the also uninhabited Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) with South Korea has escalated, and even famous Korean actors popular in Japan have appeared on TV saying that Japan should return the island to Korea. Like with the Senkaku Islands, the reasons for claim are just a matter of fishing-rich territorial waters surrounding the island.
Interestingly I couldn't find any such territorial disputes between European countries (the UK and France have a few issues with former far-away colonies though, like Argentina that still claims the Shetlands). Why can't Japan agree on a settlemnt with its neighbours ? I especially don't understand why a solution about Liancourt Rocks has not yet been found since 1945, as South Korea has always been in the same "team" as Japan along the United States, and the two cultures, economic and political system are more similar with each others than with any other country in the world. Some European countries have a longer and bloodier history of conflicts between themselves, but have sucessfully put this behind them (e.g. France and Germany). The solution to a territorial waters dispute with no historical support in favour of one of the two paties is quite obvious, isn't it ? Just divide the territorial waters in two (e.g. everything north of the island to Korea, and everything south to Japan).
My question is, why in a country where consensus and avoiding confrontations is so deeply rooted in the culture as in Japan, should there be so many confrotations and disagreements with neigbouring countries ? Isn't time for Japan (and its neighbours) to grow up and stop quarreling over trifles ?