JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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Why do some celebrities self-destruct due to substance abuse?
( 14 )
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What do you think are the main reasons why U.S. car sales are so low in Japan?
( 34 )
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What can be done to ease escalating tensions between the West and Iran over its nuclear program? And should Japan join sanctions against Iran?
( 14 )
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What do you think of the revised plan to realign U.S. forces in Japan by sending some Marines to Guam, and rotating others to Australia, the Philippines, Hawaii and possibly Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture?
( 17 )
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Why are there so many deaths due to snow-related accidents (people falling off rooftops, for example) in Japan this winter?
( 15 )
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
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66 Comments
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some14some
ofcourse not, Japan is an insulated 'island'
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rjd_jr
I would say not. Japan is only a part of the geopolitical West when it suits the West for their own agendas, like war on terror or whatever. Everything else the West leaves Japan to fend for itself, i.e. territorial disputes, etc.
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roomtemperature
"ofcourse not, Japan is an insulated 'island'"
So Great Britain, Iceland, New Zealand and even Australia aren't part of the West either...according to your philosophy?
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USAPatriot
Japan is not located in the West, so how can anyone think it is part of the West?
What a ridiculous question.
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RepublicofTexas
Though Japan shares many traits with the West, I don't think that Japan is/ever will be a part of the West. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. Too many people confuse Westernization with modernization. A country can be modern and enlightened without being Western.
Australia and News Zealand aren't located in the West, but they are considered Western countries. Geography is not the only indicator.
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yabits
If by "East" is meant Russia and China, then by all means Japan is part of the geopolitical West.
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borscht
Japan is 'mid-Pacific,' neither West nor East. On some topics, the Japanese government toes the 'US' line (some might say West), on others, they attempt to lead the East, but are not accepted as 'leaders' by other 'East' countries.
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RepublicofTexas
Japan is a balance of East and West
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roomtemperature
USAPatriot, you're right about human rights. Japan still practices the death penalty.
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Richard_the_First
West means Eurocentric or of European origin so no.
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Speed
The "West" is made up of countries with shared geographical and historical backgrounds. Basically those countries with Latin/Greek historical roots (including racial) that evolved in Europe politically, socially, linguistically, and economically. The US is a direct extension of this.
Japan doesn't share these historical bonds. They're much closer to China historically. It's only until recently that Japan has adopted the Western economic/political model. But there's much more to being "Western" than that.
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RepublicofTexas
Anyway, Japan lacks Western "attributes" such as torture (Abu Ghraib), war, and support for undemocratic regimes. Clearly, the West is vastly superior.
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roomtemperature
RepublicofTexas
That's exactly the reason I mentioned it..;)
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RepublicofTexas
lol, sorry
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RepublicofTexas
I'd like to know where those statistics came from. Anyway, Western and enlightened are not synonymous as you seek to imply. The West and Japan, though better than most still have a long way to go.
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RepublicofTexas
Japan does not want to be Western, Western is a cultural term, the Japanese are Asian. Though Japan's relation to Asia could be compared in many ways to Great Britain's relationship to Europe. In that, the two are similar in many ways, yet still different and independent of one another.
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teaabe
no.
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serindipity
If you ask a Japanese person it is neither East or West. It is the center! It is an island with a unique culture of acceptable suicide, random stabbings, child molestation, spousal abuse, no work ethics and political corruption at the highest levels. A very unique place indeed!
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RepublicofTexas
Criticizing your gov't's actions does not mean you are any less a patriot than someone who blindly follows the country. Furthermore, Japan is an ally of Uncle Sam.
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RepublicofTexas
Japan hasn't been an ally of China since the pre-modern period. Your un-american views are quite ridiculous. Western and Civilization are not synonymous. A civilization is defined as a culture, that has a language, a political hierarchy, buildings/infrastructure, and a skilled/specialized labor force. In other words, Japan is a civilization. She is not Western but that in itself is neither good nor bad.
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USAPatriot
REpublicofTexas; Each year the Japanese govt makes new budgets to cut expenses. Every year the poorest are victimised, receiving less welfare and medical assistance. A very uncivilised and un WEstern way to rule.
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USAPatriot
RepublicofTexas; US is perfect compared to Japan. Tee Hee!
No country is perfect. At least in US, even those on minimum wage can live the nAmerican dream. In Japan the prices are fixed, and the poor live in abject povert. Third world Japan is backwards and un western.
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RepublicofTexas
I'm beginning to believe that you don't understand the world at all USAPatriot. A Third World country, is a undeveloped nation that remained unaligned during the Cold War, the Japanese are a wealthy nation that sided with the US and Europe. As for unwestern, the Japanese political mechanism/industry/army are all western in origin. If you hate japan so much, why are you on a site for japanese news?
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rajakumar
Japan is east.
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pointofview
I would say Japan is a Quasi-Western country because although it has a lot of international pull and is developed, there is still a great deal of oppression.
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Bovinus
I would divide all western countries into a) America and b) the rest. America has the death penalty, no public health care, uses the imperial measurement system, plays baseball etc unlike other western countries. I would lump Japan in with America, not the rest. And since countries other than the US make up the majority of western countries, I would say Japan is not a western country.
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Betting
Didn't a Japanese official say to a Middle Eastern country that they shouldn't trust blonde-haired round eyes either last year or the year before? I think that statement speaks loads and loads about how Japan perceives itself.
As for RoT saying that Japan doesn't support undemocratic regimes, can you provide any evidence of this? I think it is quite the opposite especially when Japanese coporate business need a "little" help when doing business in certain countries (as noticed recently with the export of nuclear related technologies from Hiroshima).
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burikko
The Japanese misunderstand themselves as a member of geopolitical West, although many of westerner don't consider the Japanese as their comrade. It's a unrequited love. (I'm a Japanese)
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Betting
Burikko, what you wrote is spot on I think. The Japanese misunderstand themselves to be a member of the geopolitical West and westerners don't consider the Japanese as their comrades. However, the second part of what you wrote is something I agree with completely and it actually applies to all countries.
I think it was Henry Kissinger who said something like, countries are friends when they have shared interests but only when those interests are shared (sorry I can't remember the exact quote). We can see this on many occasions after the end of WW2 (attempts to end the British Empire, the Suez canal crisis and the list goes on and on). On the surface many Western countries seem friendly/comrads with each other but just wait till a crisis pops up that is counter to their own interests ... In this case Japan is treated the same as any other country.
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Azrael
I think Japan is not part of the West, nor geopolitically or geographically speaking. As others have mentioned, the "West" is formed of countries with Latin background - more specifically, countries with European roots and which once were (or are) eminently Christian countries. The cultural ties between them are the primary base for their geopolitical association.
Japan, shortly before and after being forced open to the Western influences in the 19th Century, actively imported Western know-how and customs. It is important to realize that Asia was colonized by the West and thus Japan perceived fellow Asian countries as "inferior" (yet the historical reasons for Japan's recent contempt for Asia even after being itself a subject to China and having imported Chinese writing, Buddhism, laws and literature when Prince Shotoku turned Japan into an advanced nation in the 7th Century). Japanese education system for example, was a German import. The silk-processing factories (France) and other engineering processes came from Europe. Japanese changed their household habits to adapt those of Europeans including dress and architecture. Japanese aristocrats actively married Western ladies of standing, and sought mainly European husbands for their children. The contempt for Asia reached a peek with the "liberation campaign" (WWII) Japan unleashed on Asia. After being defeated, Japan never "returned" fully to its Asian roots. Japan, shielded from angry Asia by the United States, developed postwar Japan as a subject to the United States and actively keeps up with US policies. However, none of this ever made Japan a "Western" nation; and it did not because of the cultural definitions. Japanese culture was never assimilated or blended into Western cultures. In other words: Japan is a family friend, but not a family member.
Even within the West there are smaller definitions where not all countries fit. For example, in the case of 9/11 the West was consternated to see how the US had been stricken, but that the reaction was quite different from Romance language nations when Spain's railways suffered the Madrid bombing by terrorists. In every Latin American country, street demonstrations and Media outrage were unleashed in a proportion unseen in 9/11. This does not mean a rift, but a part of the West the US could never call itself a part of.
To summarize, it is not possible to force a cultural association without a common background which is strong enough and runs deeper than political ties. Japan does not need to be part of the "West" to be a modern and advanced nation. In fact, Westernization of Japan would mean assimilation of its Asian culture into the West's, and in terms of cultural heritage I think that would be most unwise. Japan should strengthen ties to both worlds, East and West; Japan has a unique opportunity to be a bridge. However Japan must also fix its ties with Asia beyond patches and half-hearted politics, starting with writing a History compilation in association with Asian countries which were accepted by all of them and even ratified (and protected) by law in each of the concerning Asian nations including Japan.
That's only my opinion, though.
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tclh
Japan is Japan ,it goes to the supermakets and buys best parts of the East(China) , best parts of Europe(England ,Germany...), best parts of America...then eats them together with its own,grows up and becomes unique Japan.Not other country has this capability which I can think of.
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dennis0bauer
Japan use the geopolitics only for their own gain. I thought Japan was the center of the universe?
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yabits
It's rather ridiculous for a person to consider their nation as part of the geopolitical West and then try to base it on whether or not a feeling of "comradeship" exists at any given point in time. Many European nations thumb their noses at many US policies, and many pass through phases of anti-Americanism, but that doesn't make the nations involved any less "Western" in their geopolitical outlook.
Also goofy is the notion that geopolitics is nothing more than what people can buy on supermarket shelves. In fact, in most Western nations, people can go to markets to buy products from various nations. If this is more pronounced in Japan than, say, France or Germany, it is more likely to be because the French and Germans have a wider assortment of high-quality foods (and other products) produced locally or regionally than the Japanese do. But this has little or nothing to do with a country's geopolitical outlook.
Japan's political structure finds its roots in western democracies, especially the constitutional monarchies. It's legal structures have evolved to more resemble those in the west. It has embraced modern capitalism. Of course Japan is unique -- just as Luxembourg is unique, Greece is unique, Italy is unique, etc., etc. So what?
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usaexpat
Yes, Japan is a western style democracy and is usually aligned in policy and goals with Europe and the United States. Not on every issue mind you but you certainly can't say that Japan is buddying up to anyone in asia.
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OssanULTRA
"Outside the Asiatic nations beheld with contempt, jealousy and alarm the departure of one of their number from Turnian ideas, principles, and civilization. China, with ill-concealed anger, Corea [sic] with open defiance, taunted Japan with servile submission to the "foreign devils".
W.E. Griffis 1876
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PuffinMuffin
"do you think of Japan as part of the West?" No, it's a whole different 'planet'
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japanauthority
I'm sure Japan would like to be viewed as part of the West, and distance itself more from its Asian neighbours, but let's not get too silly here, Japan is an insular little island whose people clap like seals.
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taikan
The question asks whether Japan is part of the West as a matter of geopolitics, and not as a matter of culture or geography. On most geopolitical issues (e.g., Iraq war, WTO, NKorea, etc.), Japan tends to side with the US and/or the EU, rather than with other Asian nations. Thus, it should be classified geopolitically as being allied with the West.
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Richard_III
Japan is a developed country, but it is not Western.
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undecidedbout08
Japan is developed because it adopted Western know how.
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Triumvere
Yes.
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roomtemperature
"Japan is developed because it adopted Western know how."
You really know how to twist things the way it suits you best, right?
The West didn't know what to do with their "know how", but Japan did!!
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Xentrix
dennis0bauer wrote: (Japan use the geopolitics only for their own gain). I think the West is using geopolitics in every nations in the world but only a few which Japan partakes. Well USA profound reason is the People's freedom and equality which are different way of thinking in Asia. Almost Asian people do have more respect and trust to their superiors because they know much better on how to solve conflicts and safety around the world.
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Betting
"Almost Asian people do have more respect and trust to their superiors because they know much better on how to solve conflicts and safety around the world".
Don't you think that remark is quite stereotypical? Nothing could be further from the truth. We only have to look at the Korean War (as well as other conflicts on that peninsula involving Japan), the Vietnam War, and Indo-Pakistan wars, Cambodia and Laos to name a few. We could further look at the nice shoving matchh Korea and Japan have had over some certain islands recently. And we could also look at Chinese history as well. Asia is certainly on equal footing with the West when it comes to conflict and, "... how to solve conflicts and safety", both usually settle things with any means that come to hand, violence included.
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theneworder666
Betting
I don`t think Japan behaves like a western country, but i do not agree about Korea, they behave like a western nation.
Japan lacks human rights and fair trials, this si unwestern. They cannot be considered western.
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Betting
I think you might be missing the point theneworder. Xentrix seems to be saying that "most Asian" people know how to solve conflicts better, which is a claim I strongly doubt as by the given examples (just to name a few). All I am saying is that "Asian" countries will use violence just as much as "Western" countries.
How you define "Asian" and "Western" is up to you.
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stanoue
Japan is not a part of the West. Not because of some of the stupid reasons written here, but more because of its historical background and how it has developed as a result.
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stanoue
And as for theneworder and others reference to 'human rights' and Japan's lack thereof - depends whether you put priority over collective or individual human rights when assessing that. Eastern/Asian countries have typically emphasised collective rights over individual rights - it it one thing that distinguishes them from the West in a way. And I am not saying that one set of rights is more important than the other - for example some of the stupid rights the USA thinks are so important to protect - I could happily do without
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greensatindress
No, and why should it be? Why does everything need to be neatly categorized?
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yosun
Quite a question! I can’t answer. However, I do know what I hope for Japan: Japan is the only Asia country really get western strength like advanced science, techniques, democratic social system….etc., BUT, for hundreds of years, it’s true the rising of the west together with conquering, colonization, resource robbing, killing of weak… mark the dark side of the west. I hope Japanese to keep his deep inside oriental spirit to voice for weak people of Asia and help the Asian. Japanese is lucky to be so advanced so he got this burden ! I hope Japanese reject to be follower of some greedy western action and stand up to be leader of righteous weak-help oriental spirit. BTW, I don’t have bias against many a good wake up western !
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Xentrix
Betting wrote: Xentrix seems to be saying that "most Asian" people know how to solve conflicts better, which is a claim I strongly doubt as by the given examples (just to name a few). my answer: What I mean culture from Asia is much more different from west and What I mean Asians,they believe their superiors can take good care of them and save them from possible dangers for example"Global warming" if the world will end in the means of natural disasters where would their people go? How to solve that problem? what I mean to say they let their superiors handle that big problem. So that is why they have a big trust and respect to their superiors because superiors have a wisdom to know what's the truth, What secrecy the world will become? This superiors, I think mostly members are those politicians in a high rank order throughout the world.
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Triple888
Oh yeah. Since Japan "left Asia" at the beginning of the 20th century it's a pseudo-western country.
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Xentrix
Well USA is friend nation and strong bond alliance in Japan. Who knows if they are a joint nation for making the world out of danger and make peace around the world.
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DanManjt
In the world of geopolitics, do you think of Japan as part of the West?
In the world of geopolitcs, Japan is part of Japan. And always will be so long as there is a Japan.
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Nordon
Geopolitics is certainly not the word you'd use to support a claim that "Japan is Western".
However it is isolated from it's Asian neighbors due to conflicts and relys on outside support to present a stronger face and has adopted many cultural and economic standards from the West. It's it own hybrid of a nation.
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