Japanese Spirit and Western Things - Essay Example

Japanese Spirit and Western Things Japanese Spirit and Western Things In the Second World War period, Japan has been under the dominating power of the American superpower. After the single command of opening up and initializing trade Japan has become one of the wealthy nations along with America. A new dimension of technology, ideas and thinking paradigms has led Japan to compete with the other developing nations in the international front. Prior to globalization, Japan has been breathing under the canopy of colonialism .A set of barriers were prevalent in order to restrict Japan from trading with all the other nations. It was America’s strategy to call upon for abolishing all the trade barriers as Japan came on America’s way to trade with China and also in order to foster economic growth and development of Japan. In the context of the article, “Japanese spirit, western things- 150 years after commodore Perry”, the author’s point of view may be compared with the current economy of Japan and its uncertain alliance with America. Japan’s modernization policy-without western culture: According to the author, the intensity of just a simple and short command “open up” (Japanese spirit, western things- 150 years after commodore Perry July 12, 2003) changed the thinking dimensions of Japan’s ruling powers. After this command given by the America’s president Millard Fillmore, Commodore Matthew Perry ordered the Japan officials and rulers to open up the trade barriers and legal impediments to welcome trade with America. Even, if inspired with Americans way to grow economically, Japan has never westernized its culture and social structure to modernize them. With its own modernized ideas and thoughts, Japan has been successful in bringing about all round economic development. Americans have been agitated with the fact that Japan is not following the American terms to organize its economy. As Americans thought, that with the advent of multilateral trade, Japan will also be influenced with the American culture or the western World and will serve America as the godfather of their country. This indeed took a completely different shape. Without any further American aids, Japan set its own rules and regulations to foster its exporting business. One major reason of this is the paucity of colonial zeal among the Americans. Apart from focusing on the trade policies, Japan also indulged in to the activities for financial management and macroeconomics analysis to give Japan a new way to walk on the road of flowering development. (Japanese spirits, western things-150 years after commodore Perry, July 12, 2003). With comparison to the current period, this has been evident till date. Japan has been very tactful in utilizing the gains extracted out from the developed nations of the country. Japan has never made an attempt to give back to these nations, anything in return. The means of its modernization has only been through trade and profits earned by the exports to all the other countries. This is the methodology adopted to achieve its economic significance among the other nations in international trade competition. Eventually, with this planning and goal of reaching at the top of global market, Japan emerged as the second superpower after America. The remarkable resistance to any cultural or social change has been evident in Japan and also its people and ruling political parties. Even, in the working place, the environment, the behavior of the people, the working culture is completely exclusive for Japan itself. The adoption of technological and managerial knowledge has been done in such an effective way, that Japan is blessed with the benefits of western culture but not adorning themselves with it. Japan has shown a way to the other developing nations, that without modernizing themselves by the western culture, the best way to grow is mechanize one’s own tradition and culture with the objective of welfare maximization of the economy. Japan’s weapon of modernization also prevented them from any economic or political threats of the world powers. Although while diverging themselves towards modernization, they never failed to achieve their trade and investment targets. So even in the current period, Japan has not only been modernized by the by its own technological advancement but also developed a stronger alliance with America in this new millennium. (Finn, 1986) Success story of modernization of Japan: As the author states with the opening up of trade, Japan found a multidimensional way to improve its economical condition. With the onset of global trade structure Japan has been benefited with a lot of facilities instantaneously, like opening up of theaters, cafes, companies, newspaper etc. The adoption of modern methods or technology, and production techniques has improved the business scenario of Japan. This also has inspired other nations to engage into trading relations with Japan. Even, if the major concentration has only been on the financial and economic aspects of the economy, with the self-reliance nature of trade policies being neglected, Japan’s business growth has a positive repercussion effect on the other developing countries as well. The import barriers set up for Japan to increase its domestic production of goods and services have helped the home country consumers and the foreign exporters to enjoy from the fruits of import substitution strategy. On the other hand, the export promotion strategy of Japan served as a blessing to all other countries around the globe by providing them with the high-tech products and services. The exported goods from Japan were sold at considerable cheaper rates and with better quality at the same time. Japan even restricted foreign investment flows that had a negative impact on the industries, which were on the verge to rescue from getting ruined. Again, from the respect of the whole world, this had been beneficial in helping the other nations of East Asia to strive for economic growth and also to eradicate abject poverty. As compared to the current scenario, Japan has been blessed with the heavy precipitation of its own technology and military force. With this impact, the poverty levels of the underdeveloped nations have faced an overwhelming downward trend. The economic and political strategy of Japan to modernize them without the aid of western culture has potential impacts on the world just with a limited proportion of trade and commerce. This has led the red carpet for a dynamic stability in the economic, social and political equilibrium. So, empirically, it can be stated that the economic growth in Japan through trade and commerce has led a significant role in the success of its own economy as well as the World economy. (Edgington, 2003) Future scenario of the two supreme powers: United States and Japan From the article and the current scenario between Japan and America, one can say that the uncertain and fluctuating relationship between them has been strengthened now, with the growth of China. Today, Japan is no more an economic threat to US, but China has emerged as the superior threat. This is enhanced with the pace of globalization and liberalization. In spite of the action taken according to the American command to liberalize trade policies and promote export business, in the recent times, it has been observed that America and Japan have been the two superpowers in the world market. Before, the picturesque of the relationship between America and Japan has been completely different. The Japanese spirit to modernize the culture with their own traditional aspects has resulted in a conflict between America and Japan. Japan’s policy of colonialism, has made America more apprehensive about its supreme position. In the later periods, America has helped Japan to achieve growth by welcoming trade. This has integrated both the opposing nations in a world economy. In the mean time Japan develops economically and empowers themselves with technological advancement processes. Finally, both the countries have emerged as the supreme powers. Japan also helped United States in exporting the advanced technological skills and modern methods of production. In the 1980s, even if Japan has been on the slippery grounds in the function of the government and political parties, still America never complains about Japan for his own advantage. The growing association between America and Japan has been evidenced with the engagement of Japanese soldiers in Iraq. There has also been joint venture in enhancing anti-missile protection system. According to me, in spite of being business partners, both the nations share a masked relationship of hostility and rivalry, which withered away in the new millennium. Japan’s attitude towards drawing its own business plans and strategy and becoming financial independent has posed a problem for respective economy and the world itself. It is still been a debate that whether these two nations share a positive degree of correlation in the coming years. The 150 years of trading relationship between Japan and America has led an overall potential as well as dynamic impact in the global market. (Japanese Spirit, western things, and 150 years after commodore Perry, July 12, 2003) In 2009 the call for all-round security of the economy and technological advancement shows an expected cold relationship with America. (Finn, 1986) With reference to future time period, if Japan follows this strategy of financial independency of not incorporating any change and the obsolete ways of running a global business, then Japan will eventually lose its supreme power. This will lead to the fall in economic status of Japan and make it low grade competitor in international front. Though business plans are being improved from the private sector as well as public sector perspective, the political scenario stands as a barrier to make Japan a strong competitor. So, along with just paper -written plans to innovate educational sector, health care and technological growth, the implementation of the policies has to be made successful. Recently, Japan has a declining trend in growth and per-capita income, the dependency of the developing nations and the United States on Japan will be eventually be wiped out. The long-term relationship and co-ordination between the two superpowers will be uprooted and Japan will have no weapons to deal with the global challenges. The unprofessional working of the banks, the financial sector culminates into bankruptcy situation from which there will be no scope for Japan to revive. A major drawback in Japan is its negative sensitivity with any global change. So, it is high time that adequate steps should be taken by Japan to consider and adopt significant change in its thinking, motivation and orientation. (Edgington, 2003) Conclusion Thus, we can infer from the above analysis, that, with the onset of globalization and liberalization of trade policies, Japan has established a supreme position in terms of financial independence. The pavement for modernization has been constructed, not on the basis of western culture but modifying its own tradition and social features. The degree of association between the two supreme powers of the world United States and Japan have a positive repercussion effect on the rest of the world for more than decades. Lately, Japan’s resistance toward change has held Japan in low esteem position. The wings of the highflying nation has been pulled out by the challenging issues of globalization and left Japan to lie in the lowly dust. The growth of Japan has been remarkably declining, and the government claims to take up any adequate influential changes like deregulatory measures of North America, the adoption of corporate governance in a Japanese way, encouragement of foreign investment capital flows in the upcoming decade. The implementation is evidenced with the new political strategy of 2009, to modify its security level and adopt a new independent foreign policy in contrast with the US policy and the westernization of literature, religion and its commercial methodology. (Edgington, 2003) References: Edgington, D.W. (2003). Japan at the millennium: Joining Past and Future. Canada: UBC Press Finn, R. B. (1986).US-Japan Relations: A Surprising Partnership. New Jersey: Transaction, Inc Special Report: Japanese spirit, western things - 150 years after Commodore Perry . (Jul 12, 2003). The Economist. London, 368 (8332), 20. Read More