Japaneseness as the Essence of Being Japanese - Essay Example

Definition of Japaneseness Two of the leading countries when it comes to technological development are America and Japan. America they say is the land of immigrants, a country where there is diverse cultural population, made up of different societies. Japan on the other hand claims to have a homogenous society. A society where there is only one culture, one norm. Others define this as “Japaneseness.” Japanese ethnic homogeneity was believed by many business leaders as the reason why she is successful. One of Japan’s prior prime ministers, Nakasone Yasuhiro was quoted in August 22, 1986 saying “Japan, with her high level of education, has become a pretty intelligent society -- far more so than America. In America there are quite a few blacks, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans, so that the average level is still extremely low....” (Fukuoka) It was not only he that was quoted giving high regards to Japanese and comparing the winning principles that govern them as opposed to that of the Americans. Watanabe Michio, former head of the Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, remarked in July 24 1988 “…while Japanese took bankruptcy very seriously, the many black people in America simply laughed at it because they no longer had to pay their debts…” (Fukuoka) What is the true essence of the term Japaneseness? How will one define a homogenous society in this era they call globalization? Is diversity an issue within the Japanese setting? A lot of studies have been conducted to give light to the true meaning of “Japaneseness.” Some tried to look on different art forms to find meaning. Some did a review on how films portrayed Japaneseness, how some were able to capture it. Still others look at the real life situations like the issue between Japanese and Korea and some historical analysis on what could be quoted as Japaneseness. Fumiaki Itakura from Kyoto University tried to analyze Japanese films of different generations to give an overview on how these films try to capture some aspects of Japaneseness. He tried to look at how movies portrayed different qualities of Japaneseness throughout 3 different eras; during the war period, in the 60’s and in the 80’s, Japaneseness in the age of globalization. The Daughter of Samurai was a film during the war period about a man who came home to Japan from Germany. It was about a Western Japanese man who went through a route to discover his Japanese identity and embraced his roots. It was said that this movie is biased in showing culture in Japan; they tried to disregard the fact that Japan too has diversities, cultural and ethnic. The symbols of Japaneseness shown in the movie as discuss by Itakura were Sumo, Cherry Dance, and Noh performance. Sumo is the national sport of Japan. This was considered a national sport during the early 20th century but existed since feudal years. Cherry dance on the other hand are performed by Geisha to entertain, this was invented in 1972 in Kyoto. Noh performance has gained its distinction as a National performing art after the Meiji period. During the Edo period, Noh performance is well-regarded only by the Samurai class. During Japan’s independence, Cherry blossom became the national flower, thought of as dead Japanese soldier’s reincarnation. Itakura’s view regarding “Japaneseness” was that it was only invented in the process of modernizing Japan after the Meiji restoration. He called this as a classic demonstration of “the Invention of tradition.” “…cultural nationalism during the 1890’s has created many symbols of “Japaneseness”. This cultural nationalism not only constructed and confirmed the consistency of the Japanese nation but also concealed the origins of these symbols of “Japaneseness” at the same time.” (Itakura, 2004) In the 1960’s, Japanese films were constructed to show Japanese homogeneity. (Itakura) The film Akatsukino dassou (a deserter at dawn) in 1950 concealed racial discrimination by Japanese during period of war by altering the original story in the book from a Korean Sex Slave into a Japanese singer. This movie was only intended for Japanese audience. Films during this era also show how Japan was a victim of the Second World War and not as an aggressor. This movie censorship paved the way to enhance the idea of homogeneity of Japanese society. Kimi mo syusse ga dekiru (You can succeed too, 1964) was a movie that tried to depict relational identity by comparing Japanese from the Americans, their major differences especially on working ethics and principles. Japanese have greater love fro himself and have little tolerance regarding diversity. During the 80’s immigrants from neighboring countries flocked to Japan which created a social issue, which created movements against these immigrants wherein majority is Korean and Filipinos. Darrel Williams tried to look at how Japanese pre- war government affected the cinematography in that era. He tried to look at field of jidai-geki, or period drama. He called the stylistic change in this era as monumental style, "…bending of the language of classical Western cinema to accommodate the undulations of classical Japanese design and behaviour… The films enact a canonization of history, an emphasis on indigenous art forms and design, and a corresponding technical repertoire of long takes and long shots, very slow camera movement, and a highly ceremonial manner of blocking, acting and set design. The monumental style sets out to transform Japanese tradition from a cultural legacy into a sacrament". (Davis, 1996) He carefully examined how films in this era tried to depict an untainted tradition to its masses. The essence of Japaneseness was demonstrated by not only demonizing the enemy but also showing self-glorification towards Japan. Another tried to look at Japanese art and how it was able to fulfill Japaneseness, as they believed in it. Earlier periods of art were seen as determining factor in relation to Modern art portraying the essence of Japaneseness. One form of art that was look at was Zen painting, the most utilized paradigm in the contemporary understanding of Japanese culture. (Brown) They tried to analyze paintings like this to define Japanese culture as compared to the Western Culture. They looked at the expressions’ done and the manifestation of each painting and how it conveyed their culture. Works like Nihonga he Hibo Kannon of Kano Hogai are distinguish arts which was used to show the two major trends in Meiji art and recognize the stylistic conversion regarding the Bakumatsu and early Meiji periods. Japanese art also tried to merge western styles and Japanese uniqueness to show their national identity and at the same time garnering international acclaim in the process. (Conant) Another tried to relate Japaneseness with nationality, he tried to look at history and then stipulated 8 criteria on what Japanese and non- Japanese is. 1 "Pure Japanese". Type one covers people who are of "Japanese lineage," have internalized "Japanese culture" and hold Japanese nationality; 2 First-generation Japanese migrants etc. Type two covers people who are of "Japanese lineage" and have internalized "Japanese culture," but hold foreign nationality; 3 Japanese raised abroad Type three covers people who are of "Japanese lineage" and hold Japanese nationality, but have internalized a foreign culture; 4 Naturalized Japanese. Type four covers people who have internalized "Japanese culture" and hold Japanese nationality, but are of foreign lineage; 5 Third-generation Japanese emigrants and war orphans abroad. Type five covers people who are of "Japanese lineage," but have internalized foreign culture and hold foreign nationality. This would apply to many nisei and sansei (second- and third-generation Japanese emigrants); 6 Zainichi Koreans with Japanese upbringing. Type six covers people who have internalized "Japanese culture," but hold foreign nationality and are of different ethnic lineage; 7 The Ainu. Type seven covers people who hold Japanese nationality, but are of different ethnic lineage and have internalized an independent culture. 8 "Pure non-Japanese". Type eight covers people who are of non-Japanese lineage, have internalized non-Japanese culture and hold foreign nationality. In short, we are talking about foreigners. (Fukuoka) Yasunori Fukuoka from Saitama University in Japan concluded that Japan is not a homogenous society as there are different groups too that shaped its history. However, he pointed out that it has lesser groups of people as compared to other countries like America and China. Japaneseness is all about the wholeness of the culture, what citizens of the country as uniquely theirs. Essentially a Japanese trait, Things that pertains to them Art and Media have a crucial role in determining mindset about certain ideas. There are a lot of medium that could be use to propagate an agenda and make the larger group believe that it is the truth. The way the Japanese government tried to mold its society to believe in the homogeneity could have not been attained if films were not censored and some form of art was not dictated. The Meiji Restoration has set clear goals for Japan; the government then has clear vision of how they would shape cultural mindset of its population. They have discipline their people in a way that could not be underestimated. One could not tell the difference if they will not compare it with another entity. Japan can clearly see their “superiority” because they are able to draw a clear line between their culture and that of the other especially that of the Americans. In some way, this has proved useful for its citizen because they were able to encompass their good points to their advantage. Everything in this world evolves. What could have been accepted then might not be the case today. Japaneseness is the essence of being Japanese. Japaneseness is about living the upright principles of being Japanese. We live in a complex and diverse world; we could not hinder people from migrating and loving someone with a different culture as theirs. Japaneseness is about embracing the culture, whether you are a naturally born citizen or not. Cultural homogeneity was the core of Japaneseness and not the diversity of its culture. They have acknowledged the fact that there are some ethnic groups and immigrants but the Japanese government has not stresses out the difference; they tried to create a way to envelop this. Some were ask to change names or strictly follow Japanese way of life. Japaneseness is about nationalism, patriotism. A sense of belonging and of having an identity that is distinctively Japanese. Reference: Brown, Kendall. Heresy on Zenga: Zen Painting and the Modern Zen Paradigm. Session 118: Paradigms in the Study of Japanese Art History: A Discussion, Part Two. University of Southern California. May 06, 2006. http://www.aasianst.org/absts/1998abst/japan/j118.htm Davis, Darrell William. 1996. Picturing Japaneseness: Monumental Style, National Identity, Japanese Film. New York : Columbia University Press. May 06, 2006. http://www.midnighteye.com/books/picturing-japaneseness.shtml Fukuoka, Yasunori. "Japanese" and "Non-Japanese":The Exclusivity in Categorizing People as "Japanese". Saitama University, Japan. May 06, 2006. http://www.kyy.saitama-u.ac.jp/~fukuoka/non-jap.html Itakura, Fumiaki. 2004. “Japaneseness” in Japanese cinema from the War Period to the Present. Research Fellow of the Japan Society for Promotion of Science. Kyoto University. May 06, 2006. http://www.throughthesurface.com/symposium/Fumiaki_Itakura.html Read More