I would like to share some of my own thoughts on this anniversary of the end of World War II.
Last summer I was living with a host family in a small town (Taketoyo) south of Nagoya while attending a language school. On the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima I happened to be watching the news with my host family. Unlike most host families where one's placed with people who are young, I was with two grand parents.
As a segment on the bombing of Hiroshima and the fire bombing of Japan came on, my host mother (78 years old) turned to me and stated, "I and my mother were there." I really didn't know what to say in turn. I felt awful yet anything that I could say would sound well, rather lame. I expressed to her my regret of her having suffered as a small child with her mother through the hell of the atomic bombings. But inside I didn't really think that what I'd said really came out all that well.
Whenever I see footage of the atomic bombings, and whenever I hear debates about if or if not the surrender of Japan had to be achieved through the bombings, I always ask myself this: could I tell the host mother of the family I lived with that the potential deaths of her, her mother, and whoever else were in Hiroshima justified a correct way to end the last bloody portion of World War II?
65 years and thousands of miles away removed from the war against Japan, it’s too easy for Americans to dispassionately argue one way or the other for or against the dropping of the atomic bombs. I realized last summer that without the human element, the face of a victim, or having known someone, who was there, all of the times that I argued about the necessity of the atomic bombs being dropped as necessary for the ending World War II decisively were absolutely hollow. Now I feel on this 65th anniversary of the end of World War II repulsed and disgusted with the beliefs I thought I held so dearly before I studied in Japan in the summer of 2006.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Tragedy in the workplace for Japanese Women
A while ago I read an article in the New York Times newspaper about Japanese women moving to America. The article was about discrimination faced by many Japanese women entering the workforce and their joy in living a different life on the American East Coast. Reading this article reminded me of a fascinating yet perplexing experience I had at school in Japan last summer. One day popular Japanese teacher for foreign students decided to make an announcement that she would be leaving soon. Our teacher was a women but she had always seemed very independent. She had even gone to university to get a teacher’s certification. Yet when it came to her announcement, the content of what she said shocked us all. She was getting married and become a housewife. We could not believe it. A housewife? No job? “Why on Earth would you desire that?” we all thought. When we asked her politely if she would not still like to teacher rather staying at home, she did betray what might be said to be regret on her usually always happy and caring face.
But she continued to profess she wanted to do this. Why was it that Japanese traditional culture even now expects women whom get married to stop working? The answer at first seemed to be that in conservative Japanese society women are expected to be homemakers, have children, and act as super nannies while fathers are away at work. But this disregards one important factor. Women in Japan rarely are able to hold jobs if they are to have kids. And thus it comes down to one or the other. In Japan daycare and paid maternity leave without consequences are not the norm. Most women who succeed in getting a good job are usually forced into losing everything if they have children. Such a system certainly does not aid in any way the lives of Japanese women.
As I read the article in the New York Times it became abundantly clear why unmarried young Japanese women would wish to leave Japanese temporarily and sometimes permanently. Society in Japan is rigged against the advancement of women. But the article at the end brought up the interesting fact that many women who come to America find the freedom and openness of western life to be too shocking and different. In the end the majority of women end up returning to Japan out of homesickness or inability to adapt to a radically different setting than in Japan, even if it might offer more opportunities for advancement in their lives. To me this is very distressing. For these women to comeback to Japan to face little prospect of achieving jobs and lives that are on par with what men can do must certainly be profoundly discouraging. What always amazes me when thinking about Asia is that in China, a nation of extreme poverty and wealth that has suffered so much war and political disasters compared to Japan, it still manages to easily beat Japan when it comes to women’s rights. This has always distressed me about Japan. This is a perpetual and dire quiet problem that afflicts Japanese gender relations in modern Japan.
But she continued to profess she wanted to do this. Why was it that Japanese traditional culture even now expects women whom get married to stop working? The answer at first seemed to be that in conservative Japanese society women are expected to be homemakers, have children, and act as super nannies while fathers are away at work. But this disregards one important factor. Women in Japan rarely are able to hold jobs if they are to have kids. And thus it comes down to one or the other. In Japan daycare and paid maternity leave without consequences are not the norm. Most women who succeed in getting a good job are usually forced into losing everything if they have children. Such a system certainly does not aid in any way the lives of Japanese women.
As I read the article in the New York Times it became abundantly clear why unmarried young Japanese women would wish to leave Japanese temporarily and sometimes permanently. Society in Japan is rigged against the advancement of women. But the article at the end brought up the interesting fact that many women who come to America find the freedom and openness of western life to be too shocking and different. In the end the majority of women end up returning to Japan out of homesickness or inability to adapt to a radically different setting than in Japan, even if it might offer more opportunities for advancement in their lives. To me this is very distressing. For these women to comeback to Japan to face little prospect of achieving jobs and lives that are on par with what men can do must certainly be profoundly discouraging. What always amazes me when thinking about Asia is that in China, a nation of extreme poverty and wealth that has suffered so much war and political disasters compared to Japan, it still manages to easily beat Japan when it comes to women’s rights. This has always distressed me about Japan. This is a perpetual and dire quiet problem that afflicts Japanese gender relations in modern Japan.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
My first academic essay in Japanese
サム ポーター
日本の移民政策
日本の将来にはこれまでに起こった事がない大事な問題が起こります。それは日本の人口問題です。今までも、人口は徐々に増加してきましたが、２００４年をきにへり始めました。問題は高齢化と少子化です。最近女性の就労の自由化とともにより多くの女性が働いています。働くつもりの女性でも赤ちゃんがいるために、働く事が困難な女性もいます。もし人口がへりつづけたら、２０５０年までに日本の人口は多分八億人になるでしょう。もし日本がこの大切な問題をかいけつするなら、移民にき会をあたえる国を作らなければなりません。（Sakanaka, The Future of Japan’s Immigration Policy: A Battle Diary）
現在、日本の就労者が高齢化しています。第一次産業国では、日本がもっとも高齢化がすすんでおり、毎日のようにたいしょく者が出ています。少子化問題があるので、仕事につく事が出来る若者も多くありません。少子化がない国は経済ききが少ないです。今、日本の経済はききではありませんが、必ずしも韓国と中国の経済とせりあう事が出来るというわけではありません。日本はどこから就労者を見つける事が出来ますか？外国から来た就労者が日本の経済ききをすくう事になるでしょう。
日本がより多くの就労者を外国から受け入れるために、日本の政府は新しい移民政策を作らなければならないでしょう。現在の移民法は、移民の入国を難しくてしています。最近、日本の自動車工場でブラジルからの移民が働いています。たとえば、名古屋市に住んでいるブラジルの移民はトヨタの工場で働いています。でも、ブラジルからの移民は日本では市民けんを持てません。そのためブラジルの移民は工場でのかんたんな仕事しか出来なく仕事の機会は沢山ありません。日本はこうとうなぎじゅつを持った就労者がひつようです。日本では移民にたいする十分な教育がないので、日本に住んでいる移民の家族の子供達にとって、日本の学校での就学する事はこんなんです。現在の移民政策のために沢山の問題が起こっています。
げんざい１.５５百万の移民が日本に住んでいます。日本は他の第一産業国とくらべると日本の移民の人口は小さいです。きびしい移民法があるにもかかわらず、沢山の外国労働者が日本へ働きに来るため､海外からの就労者をもっと受け入れる社会にしなければなりません。（Sakanaka, The Future of Japan’s Immigration Policy: A Battle Diary）日本人論によると、日本の歴史や文化が世界の中でとくいであるから、日本を特別な国だととらえています。多くの日本人にとって、日本で生まれた人は日本人です。しかし、移民が日本人になるための機会をもっと与えた方がいいと私は思います。もし機会があるなら、日本人になるために日本について学ぶでしょうが、もし、そうした機会がなければ、外国からの就労者は日本が不親切な国だと考えるでしょう。日本はこうとうなぎじゅつを持った就労者がひつようけれど、理由がなかったら来る事にしないでしょう。（Sakanaka, The Future of Japan’s Immigration Policy: A Battle Diary）
今、日本の政府は将来の高齢化と経済ききを解決する新しい日本の社会を作る事が出来ます。もし、日本はこの機会を使わなかったら、将来には多くの問題が起こります。日本の社会はこの事を議論した方がいいです。将来日本の経済は他の第一産業国とせりあう事が出来るために､かいりょうが起こらなければなりません。
日本の移民政策
日本の将来にはこれまでに起こった事がない大事な問題が起こります。それは日本の人口問題です。今までも、人口は徐々に増加してきましたが、２００４年をきにへり始めました。問題は高齢化と少子化です。最近女性の就労の自由化とともにより多くの女性が働いています。働くつもりの女性でも赤ちゃんがいるために、働く事が困難な女性もいます。もし人口がへりつづけたら、２０５０年までに日本の人口は多分八億人になるでしょう。もし日本がこの大切な問題をかいけつするなら、移民にき会をあたえる国を作らなければなりません。（Sakanaka, The Future of Japan’s Immigration Policy: A Battle Diary）
現在、日本の就労者が高齢化しています。第一次産業国では、日本がもっとも高齢化がすすんでおり、毎日のようにたいしょく者が出ています。少子化問題があるので、仕事につく事が出来る若者も多くありません。少子化がない国は経済ききが少ないです。今、日本の経済はききではありませんが、必ずしも韓国と中国の経済とせりあう事が出来るというわけではありません。日本はどこから就労者を見つける事が出来ますか？外国から来た就労者が日本の経済ききをすくう事になるでしょう。
日本がより多くの就労者を外国から受け入れるために、日本の政府は新しい移民政策を作らなければならないでしょう。現在の移民法は、移民の入国を難しくてしています。最近、日本の自動車工場でブラジルからの移民が働いています。たとえば、名古屋市に住んでいるブラジルの移民はトヨタの工場で働いています。でも、ブラジルからの移民は日本では市民けんを持てません。そのためブラジルの移民は工場でのかんたんな仕事しか出来なく仕事の機会は沢山ありません。日本はこうとうなぎじゅつを持った就労者がひつようです。日本では移民にたいする十分な教育がないので、日本に住んでいる移民の家族の子供達にとって、日本の学校での就学する事はこんなんです。現在の移民政策のために沢山の問題が起こっています。
げんざい１.５５百万の移民が日本に住んでいます。日本は他の第一産業国とくらべると日本の移民の人口は小さいです。きびしい移民法があるにもかかわらず、沢山の外国労働者が日本へ働きに来るため､海外からの就労者をもっと受け入れる社会にしなければなりません。（Sakanaka, The Future of Japan’s Immigration Policy: A Battle Diary）日本人論によると、日本の歴史や文化が世界の中でとくいであるから、日本を特別な国だととらえています。多くの日本人にとって、日本で生まれた人は日本人です。しかし、移民が日本人になるための機会をもっと与えた方がいいと私は思います。もし機会があるなら、日本人になるために日本について学ぶでしょうが、もし、そうした機会がなければ、外国からの就労者は日本が不親切な国だと考えるでしょう。日本はこうとうなぎじゅつを持った就労者がひつようけれど、理由がなかったら来る事にしないでしょう。（Sakanaka, The Future of Japan’s Immigration Policy: A Battle Diary）
今、日本の政府は将来の高齢化と経済ききを解決する新しい日本の社会を作る事が出来ます。もし、日本はこの機会を使わなかったら、将来には多くの問題が起こります。日本の社会はこの事を議論した方がいいです。将来日本の経済は他の第一産業国とせりあう事が出来るために､かいりょうが起こらなければなりません。
Update
Hello again. It seems that life has not been kind to me in parceling out much free time for me to write much in my blog. But now there is only 1 week left until I graduate high school. This also means there is less than 3 months until I leave for Japan for a 10 month stay with a host family while doing intensive language study at a Japanese high school.
Recently I just finished writing an essay in Japanese on the importance of reforming Japan’s immigration policy in the wake of rapid population decline. I argue that if Japan’s economy is to stay competitive in Asia then it must bring skilled workers from outside. This change would required a radical altercation to how “being Japanese” is perceived in order to allow immigrants to attain full citizenship, Without immigration, there are not going to be enough young people in the labor pool to fill the many soon to be vacant jobs because of the retiring generations from the 1940’s and 1950’s. This essay reflects my first attempt to write about an academic subject in Japanese. For me it proved to be an invaluable experience. To view this essay please look at the previous post. I hope to be able to continue such work later on as I progress in my studies while attending school in Japan this year.
Recently I just finished writing an essay in Japanese on the importance of reforming Japan’s immigration policy in the wake of rapid population decline. I argue that if Japan’s economy is to stay competitive in Asia then it must bring skilled workers from outside. This change would required a radical altercation to how “being Japanese” is perceived in order to allow immigrants to attain full citizenship, Without immigration, there are not going to be enough young people in the labor pool to fill the many soon to be vacant jobs because of the retiring generations from the 1940’s and 1950’s. This essay reflects my first attempt to write about an academic subject in Japanese. For me it proved to be an invaluable experience. To view this essay please look at the previous post. I hope to be able to continue such work later on as I progress in my studies while attending school in Japan this year.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
politiziation of entertainment
Hello! It has been a long time, but I’m back. Today I had an opportunity to listen to 6 lectures about Japanese culture and society as part of the MIT-Harvard “Cool Japan” conference that’s been held over the past four days here in Boston. Today for 4 hours I listened to a number of interesting authors and professors speak about a wide range of topics. One of the speakers was David Leheny, the author of Think Global, Fear Local. I had just recently read his book back last autumn. From the book I was able to discern that he was very critical (an understatement) of the current political and social Japanese environment. In his lecture on Japanese soft power, a term which he use for lack of a better word, he described how Japan’s ministry of foreign affairs, MITI, and MEXT have embraced Japanese manga and anime as tools in selling Japan overseas. The consequences of this that he raises are that politicians, especially the Hashimoto faction in the LDP, are now influencing an otherwise independent artistic realm with money and politics. When these two things enter any arena, the rules of the game change entirely for the worse.
Soft power as a concept refers to the notion that any nation has the ability to influence others to their side through means other than coercion. This can be through diplomacy, but is usually seen through the application of cultural transfusion into another society through trade. Japan’s export of popular culture through manga, anime, and music was never planned by Japan’s government. In fact, according to Leheny, Japanese politicians along with many other nations’ politicians did not believe soft power could really work. Years went by in the 90’s and early 2000’s before Japan’s government realized that much of its image success in the west was not because of its policies, but because of the anime and manga industry. This resulted over the past few years in LDP politicians such as Taro Aso declaring that manga should be used as official tools in explaining Japanese society to the world. Other government employees began a program in which the government helped channel money into promoting certain anime and manga. This direct meddling by politicians in a formerly strictly usual apolitical entertainment realm provoked angry blowback. This was illustrated clearly by the manga author who was in the audience at the conference today who expressed in a moving a statement his anger and sadness over the politicization of this sector of Japanese culture. Now, it should be noted that the government does not control the production or planning of any manga or anime. But it does have the ability to give money and support certain projects.
Lehney finally pointed out that this politicization of Japan’s manga and anime has made many in Asia begin to question the convictions and motives behind what they’re consuming.
I’ll try and write up more on the lectures. Other lectures covered topics such as Japan’s pink culture kawaii, Matsuzaka phenomenon in Boston, girls in anime, and another looked at the phenomenon of Onyouji, a heian-jidai bureaucrat/court magician and his transformation into a pop idol and sex symbol over the last 20 years.
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