The history and culture of Japan - Essay Example

Running Head: THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF JAPAN The History and Culture of Japan in APA Style Your University Japan's history is a rich and varied one, with the different periods marked by remarkable change. In the Yayoi period (300 BC - AD 300), rice cultivation was introduced from China and Korea, and Japan's oldest religion, Shinto, identified "divine forces in nature and in such human virtues as loyalty and wisdom." (Background, 2005, p. 1). The Kofun period (300-645) showed the emergence of powerful clan rulers, and Japan begins to establish close contacts with mainland Asia. The Asuka period, (645-710) brought a great wave of reforms and new aristocratic families were created. During the Nara and Heian periods (710-1185) the emperors began to practice Buddhism, believing its teachings would protect the state. The Muromachi era (1333 to 1568) brought disintegration of the central government, firearms were introduced by the shipwrecked Portuguese soldiers, and Christianity was introduced by Francis Xavier. (Background, 2005, p. 3). Finally in the Edo period (1600-1868) Japan enters into an age of "peace and national isolation." (Background, 2005, p.4). The United States wants to use the Japanese ports as supply bases for its commercial fleet, and, in a surprise move, Japan accepts the US demands and opens its doors for the first time in two centuries. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the emperor was restored, and Japan made its transition to nation-state. The Showa period (1926-1989) brought many more changes for Japan, including World War II and its aftermath, including the necessary economic recovery. In 1941 Pearl Harbor brought the US into war in the Pacific and in August of 1945 "the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the second on Nagasaki; the emperor airs by radio a statement of unconditional surrender." (Background, 2005, p. 5). The years of 1945-1952 brought allied occupation of Japan, with women gaining legal equality as well as the right to vote. Japan's political life was changed to a parliamentary state, and with the peace treaty signed in 1951, Japan regained independence. The "High Growth Age" in Japan occurred from the late 1950's to the early 1970's and Japan was rewarded with a booming economy. (Background, 2005, p. 5). Japan is made up of five islands; however there are some thirty-six hundred islands in the entire group, and dozens that are actually inhabited. Japan has twenty-nine thousand kilometers of coastline, and the total land area is 142,000 square miles which makes Japan one-twenty-fifth the size of the United States, or roughly the size of Montana. Ostensibly, some one billion years ago these Japanese islands were part of the Asian mainland, however movement of the earth's plates resulted in part of the Asian coastline breaking free and traveling east. Then a mere 100 million years ago, in the area that is now the Sea of Japan, a huge lake appeared, eventually linking up with the Pacific Ocean in the north and south, leaving the highest regions to become the islands of Japan. (Lafayette, 1995, p. xi). Seventy percent of Japan's land mass is made up of high mountains and hills. These mountains have over two hundred volcanoes and geothermally active areas. There are eleven peaks in Japan that are over three thousand meters high, and thirteen that are over 2500 meters high. These mountainous areas make Japan one of the most scenic groups of islands in the world.(Layfayette, 1995, p. xi). The climate of Japan is generally rainy, with a fairly high humidity. The Japanese enjoy warm summers and long cold winters in the north, and hot humid summers and short winters in the central regions. The southwest has long, hot, humid summers, and mild winters. (Library, 2005, p. 1). Japan's population is currently 127,417,224 million people, a huge number for such a small area. Japan is second only to the United States in the number of large cities-they presently have ten cities with populations over one million each, and some twenty-seven million people live in the Tokyo-Yokohama area. However, population growth has recently decreased, due to falling birth rates and almost no net immigration. (Demographics, 2006, p. 1). Still, Japan ranks directly above India, coming in at number 18 in population density in the world. Because of this dense population, land is at a premium and between 1955 and 1989, land price in the major cities increased 15,000%. Yes, that is fifteen thousand percent! (Demographics, 2006, p. 1). This meant that housing became unaffordable for the average citizen, requiring them to live outside the cities and suffer a long daily commute to work; daily commutes of up to two hours each way are not uncommon in Tokyo. Japan is one of the more "elderly societies, with projections of 25.6 percent of their entire population being over the age of 65 by the year 2030. The Japanese life expectancies are the highest in the world, at 76.4 years for males and 82.2 years for females. This high rate of the elderly has been brought about by low fertility and high life expectancies. The average number of children born to a woman throughout her lifetime is fewer than two, with condoms and legal abortions being the main forms of birth control. (Demographics, 2006, p. 3). Unlike the United States and other developed countries, the Japanese enjoy a high standard of living-nearly 90% of them consider themselves as a part of the middle class, and most people living in Japan express satisfaction with their lives. This Japanese economic success has led to external migration of sorts, as in 2000, about eleven million Japanese went abroad, however more than 80 percent of this number considered themselves tourists, returning to Japan within a year. (Demographics, 2006, p. 4). The Japanese society as a whole is reluctant to accept as full members of society those people who are not ethnic Japanese. In 1991, less than one percent of Japan's population was foreign residents. It is estimated that 99.4 percent of the population is Japanese, with 0.6 percent being mostly Korean and some Chinese. (Library of Congress, 2005, p. 4). All non-Japanese must register with the government and carry an alien registration card. Fingerprinting accompanies application for registration, and thought it has been argued that this practice is discriminatory, it still remains. The Japanese have a "closed" culture and they try their best to keep it so. (Demographics, 2006, p. 5). The HIV rate in Japan is less than 0.1%, with the number of deaths per year due to the disease at 500, and the number of people living with the disease at 12,000, rates that are much lower than other comparable countries. Education in Japan is compulsory; a free nine-year education followed by public and private upper secondary schools (grades 10-12). "Educational standards are high, and Japanese students consistently finish at or near the top in international academic tests." (Library, 2005, p. 4). Education in Japan rarely ends with graduation from the formal school system, and, amazingly, the literacy rate in 1993 was 99 percent. Japan is officially considered a "constitutional monarchy," with the emperor as head of state. The emperor is basically a figurehead, similar to the British Queen, but he nonetheless receives a great deal of respect. Electoral seats can be inherited by family members, and "the power of rural politicians tends to rest in their ability to satisfy their constituents by bringing infrastructure projects to their region." (Japan, 2006, p. 1). The political system in Japan is divided into the Sangi-in, or lower house, called the House of Councillors, and the Shugi-in, or upper house, known as the House of Representatives. The Sangi-in has 247 members, and the Shugi-in has 480 members. The Executive powers are vested solely in the cabinet which is comprised of the prime minister and 15 ministers of state. The prime minister has the power to appoint and dismiss the ministers of state. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Court, and the chief justice is appointed by the emperor after designation by the cabinet, with all other justices being appointed by the cabinet. (Japan, 2006, p. 3). Many Japanese people feel they are a "rich nation, but a poor people." (Japan, 2006, p. 3). The Japanese people tend to be loyal to domestically produced goods, and are avid savers, using a variety of investment funds. The consumers have benefited from the nation's economic growth, and while household expenditures rose during Japan's economic growth, living standards improved sharply in the 1980's. "Japanese income distribution, both before and after taxes, was among the most equitable in the world. An important factor in income distribution is that the lower income group is better off than in most industrialized countries." (Japan, 2006, p.4). Japan's basic export industries include automobiles, electronics, computers, iron and steel. As the coal mining industry declined, the general importance of domestic mining in Japan's economy declined as well. The highest economic growth in Japan came in the production of plastics and polystyrene in the late 1980's. Japan dominated the world's shipbuilding in the late 1980's, filling over half of all orders worldwide. The nation's service industries are the major contributor to the GNP, "generating about 59 percent of the national totals," and service industries are also the fastest growing sector, outperforming manufacturing. The restaurant, advertising, real estate, hotel and leisure business are the fastest growing of the service industries, and fast food chains have grown into a 138 billion dollar business per year. (Japan, 2006, p. 2) The Japanese economic boom that began in the 1950's left farmers behind in income as well as agricultural technology. Because of the government's food control policy under which high rice prices were virtually guaranteed, farmers became "mass producers of rice, even turning their own vegetable gardens into rice fields." (Japan, 2006, p. 1). Even though Japanese agriculture is considered a "sick" sector because of the rapidly diminishing lands, the farmers manage to keep production levels high. Japan's livestock raising is a very minor activity, however Japan ranked second in the world behind China in the amount of fish caught-over 12 million tons per year. (Japan, 2006, p. 2). One of the first things you will notice about the Japanese people is their attitude, best explained as "us and them." The Japanese culture says that the Japanese are part of a group, (us) and that group is always dealing with other groups (them). While it is relatively easy to deal with the Japanese people on a one-to-one basis, dealing with them as a group tends to be more difficult. Even if you are the most polite person in the world, and your Japanese language skills are fairly good, you may still be treated as an outsider, or a "gaijin". (Although in the dictionary this term means foreigner or alien, in practice it almost always means "white person"). The Japanese people are very sensitive to what others think of them, or might say about them behind their backs, and being ostracized by their group is one of the worst things imaginable to the Japanese. (Japanese Culture, 2006, p. 2). Although it can be said that the Japanese people see things through "race-colored glasses," it cannot be stressed enough that this racism is almost never hostile, just a cool attitude toward another. (Japanese Culture, p. 3). Avoiding conflict and trouble is extremely important in Japan, and in formal situations a direct "no," is almost always to be avoided. When a Japanese person says "That's a little difficult," you can translate that to mean "No way." "I'll think about it," is nearly always an absolute refusal, cloaked in politeness. Yet some feel that while the Japanese heartily push the image of harmony and peace, what lies beneath the surface may be somewhat different. (Japanese Culture, p. 7). From the day a Japanese baby is born, there is a strong push to conform and follow orders without question, therefore when the Japanese face a troubling situation that they feel they have no control over it they use the phrase "Shikata ga nai," which means, "There's nothing you can do about it." There is a certain amount of brainwashing that goes on, that tells the Japanese people to "put up and shut up," or in essence, no matter how hard things get, be patient and keep going. (Japanese Culture, p. 8). Obviously, whining is not an option in Japan! Before World War II, women's status in Japanese society was especially low, and the Constitution at the time did not offer equality of the sexes; women had neither the right to vote nor be elected. After the war, however, the Constitution guaranteed men and women equality under the law for the first time, and since the 1960's women have begun to participate in even greater numbers in a full range of economic and social activities; still the "traditional concept that women are to stay at home is deeply rooted." (Women, 2003, p. 1). The women of Japan took their newly garnered right to vote seriously; the number of eligible women voters accounts for more than half of the total number, and the voting rate of women has consistently been higher than that of men for the last few years. There are still few women in political office, about 14% of the total. Japanese women still feel the sting of inequality, with 77.1 percent of those surveyed believing men still received much better treatment than women. (Women, 2003, p. 6). The total number of female paid employees is about 39.6 percent of the whole, yet the average age of female employees is 37 years old. This is accounted for by the divorcees who have been forced to return to the workplace. Also, many Japanese women stop working when they get married, then return to the workplace once their children are raised. (Women, 2003, p. 8). The family in Japan can have fuzzy boundaries in that it can refer to the nuclear family of parents and unmarried children, or on the line of descent, or to the household as a unit. The divorce rate remained at 1.3 per 1000 marriages in 1987, low by international standards, but has gone up somewhat in the past fifteen years. The Japanese people believe that the family life should always emphasize parent-child relationships over those of husband-wife. (Library, 2005, p.2). In many households the woman is considered the "professional housewife," with total responsibility for running the household, managing the budget and the children. She may also have a part time job or participate in adult education. The "closest emotional ties are between the mother and children." (Library, 2005, p. 2). In families that have their own businesses, husband and wife often work side-by-side. Although the pressure is on for husbands to take more responsibility around the home, the reality is that it will be a long time coming! Status in Japan tends to be based on "specific relationships between individuals, often relationships of social dependency between those of unequal status. Giri (duty), is the sense of obligation to those to whom one is indebted, and requires deferential behavior and eventually repayment of the favor, which in turn calls for future favors. Relations of social dependence thus continue indefinitely." (Library, 2005, p. 2). In Japan it is customary to dress according to your status or position. Men should wear dark business suits that are very conservative, and casual attire is never appropriate in a business setting. One should always wear easy-to-remove shoes, as you will have to take them off fairly frequently. Women should dress very conservatively and should never wear pants in a business situation as Japanese men find it offensive. It is also best to wear low-heeled shoes to avoid towering over the men. (Japanese Business, 2006, p. 1). While in Japan, the foreigner should avoid hand gestures or any "dramatic movements" as the Japanese rarely talk with their hands and they find it particularly distracting. Always avoid the "OK" sign in Japan as it means "money." Pointing or blowing your nose in public is never acceptable, and a smile can have a double meaning; joy or displeasure. You should never pour a drink yourself, rather let someone pour it for you. Business entertaining is done in bars after business hours, and women should not attend these "hostess bars." (Japanese Business, 2006, p. 2). Let your Japanese host both order the meal and pay, but if you take your Japanese host out, insist on paying, though they will refuse-insist!. Never openly display money in Japan, it is considered bad manners. The Japanese use envelopes to transfer money from person to person. Tipping is not expected in a restaurant, it is considered rude. Remember that the Japanese frown on open displays of affection. They do not touch in public and find it highly inappropriate to touch someone of the opposite sex in public. (Japanese Business, 2006, p. 3). Business cards are given and received in Japan with both lands. Your card should be printed on one side in your native language, and on the other side in Japanese. Present your card with your native language side up. Never write on a business card that is given to you, and handle it with special care. If you put the card into your pocket or wallet it is seen as a sign of disrespect, so examine the card carefully with a great show of respect. Remember that "in a business situation, business cannot begin until the business card exchange process is complete." (Japanese Business, 2006, p. 4). The customary greeting in Japan is the bow, though some Japanese may greet you with a very weak handshake. If you are greeted with a bow, you must return the bow as low as the one you received, as how low you bow determines the relationship between you and the other individual. Keep your eyes low while bowing and your hands flat on your thighs. The business card should be given after the bow. Two things that you should not forget while in Japan: The number fourteen is considered bad luck as it sounds like the word for death-don't use it. Also, try to remember that the Japanese prefer never to use the word no, so they may respond to your question with "yes," while clearly meaning "no." (Japanese Business, 2006, p. 5). Works Cited: Background Essay. (2005). Japanese History: A Timeline. Retrieved April 23, 2006 from: http://www.askasia.org/teachers/essays/essay.phpno=131/ Demographics of Japan. (2006). Demographics. Retrieved April 26, 2006 from: http://www.answers.com/topic/demographics-of-japan Japanese Business Etiquette. (2006) Appearance, Behavior and Communications. Retrieved April 27, 2006 from: http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/japan.htm. Japanese Culture. (2006). Japanese Culture-A Primer for Newcomers. Retrieved April 13, 2006 from: http://www.thejapanfaq.com/FAQ-Primer.html. Japan Omnibus-Politics. (2006). Government. Retrieved April 24, 2006 from: http://www.japan-zone.com/omnibus/government.shtml. Lafayette De Mente, Boye. (1995). Japan Made Easy. McGaw Hill Publishing. Library of Congress Studies. (2005). Japan, Basic Manufactures. Retrieved April 22, 2006 from: http://www.lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query Women in General. (2003). The Situation of Women in Japan. Retrieved April 11, 2006, from: http://www.jiwe.or.jp/english/situation/general.html. Read More