Respect for victims of war

Kumar Suresh in the Japan Times letters of 17th Aug 2005 comments on `Little Respect for the Occasion` is critical of Japanese people in Tokyo who celebrated the 60year anniversary of WWII with a fireworks festival. Its hard to disparage these celebrants without knowing their motives. Perhaps they were just pleased to have a day off work, given that labour has a servile relationship to business & government in Japan, which manifests in Japanese workers getting fewer days holiday than other nations, not to mention the hours of unpaid overtime.

Perhaps they were nationalists proud of Japan`s empire-building accomplishments during WWII. Perhaps they were celebrating the end of the war. Some cultures celebrate the death of workers rather than mourn their death.

Personally I prefer the more positive interpretation of events. Why do westerners make a virtue of mourning. Why is it better to mourn the loss, as opposed to celebrate the relationship you had. Its really a matter of `the glass half-full or half-empty`. We have the right to celebrate or mourn, but should we be reproaching people for doing either. Neither is an imposition on the other. I find it more shameful when western leaders describe the defence of their nations by soldiers as `the greatest sacrifice to nation`. If that is a soldiers motive than we have learnt nothing from WWII. The collectivist `self-sacrifice` ethos has underpinned every authoritarian regime that has coersed, suppressed or otherwise terrorised people, and that like should be recognised. Consider that religion has the same collectivist ethos of `non-self`.

Human ethics does not require the renunciaton of human values, it needs a refinement and celebration of them. I hope that was the motives of the Tokyo celebrants.

Racism in Japan

On the 1st july 2005 the UN announced that it would send an expert to Japan to assess whether foreigners and minorities were fairly treated.

My judgement is that the UN `inspector` need not leave Narita Airport if he gets an evening flight. Basically he will conclude that foreigners have the same status as cattle. Lining up for immigration at Narita Airport is like lining up to be `branded FOREIGNER` by Japanese authorities.
Why do I say this?
Because when all the Japanese nationals returning home had been processed, the airport authorities allowed them to finish work, rather than assist with the processing of FOREIGNERS. It might be argued that these `domestic` immigration authorities are not trained to process incoming foreigners, but that`s precisely the point....why aren`t they? Why are foreigners treated as secondary, forced to stay back late because the japanese government has provided only 3 immigration officials to assess imcoming passengers.

This is of course not the only evidence of racism in Japan, and neither are such sentiments universal. Japanese are themselves divided among those who embrace western values (5%) and those that don`t (95%). Its important to realise that its the majority of intellectuals and the educated classes that embrace western values, whilst the unthinking majority are insane or just collectivist sheep with the intellectual capability (far short of capacity) of an ant.　

Nor do I see this as reason to snub Japan. On the contrary, for westerners Japan is perhaps the most interesting country they should go to, if only because its so poorly understood by the western media. Some do justice to its tourist attractions, but few `get the culture`. it takes years. I`ve been here 10 times over as many years, and never cease to be bored.

There is some confusion as to what constitutes racism in Japan. Firstly we must define our terms. Racism is any act of treating or judging others on the basis of their ethnicity. Given that Japan is a pretty homogeneous population, there is some justification for doing this. Why? Because Japanese are different. Just as westerners enjoy their values (which embrace others), should not the Japanese be free to embrace their values (which exclude others). I am critical of institutionalised discrimination (as occurs at the airport) in government policy, but should not the Japanese be free to have a beer in their favourite izakaya free of foreigners - IF that policy reflects the values of the izakaya owner. Many times I have been rejected from drinking at bars (even if its contrary to government policy).

In case your wondering why some Japanese deplore western interaction - the answer is nationalistic arrogance. Back in the 1870s Japan was forced to open up to western influence. At the time they were technologically inept, but what hurt these collectivist souls more was reports that westerners regarded the Japanese as `yellow vermin`. Its no doubt such sentiments prompted the empire building of the early 1900s, and the opportunism that brought them into the war. Defeatism was short-lived after the war, during 1950s the Japanese were intent on demonstrating that they were economically and culturally superior to the West. Unfortunately that`s a difficult achievement for a collectivist country. So lets consider whether they have achieved it:

1. Economics: Japan is often perceived as an economic miracle, but really its economic progress is nothing special when you consider the support its had from the west, the benefits of low cost labour, the technology transfer from the west. Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, China have been no less impressive, just they are smaller countries or have been `economies in transition`for less time.
2. Culture: Japan does embrace the cultural institutions like the west. eg. theatre, rock n`roll. It even has its entrenched historical cultural values such as kabuki, tea ceremony. But there is very little growth in these cultural values, as there is very little originality or creativity. There is a great deal of copying western styles, though they are `fashioned` to ever greater `extremes` to impress others. eg.　Harajuku fashion is really a take on the Boy George punk styles and barbie dolls. At least Boy George had a semblance of intellectual depth.
3. Intellect: The Japanese are collectivist souls, and as such you will not get the depth of analytical debate that you get in the west. The problem is philosophical (lack of individualism), and this extends into the education system. Children are lectured to, with no opportunity to contribute, nor is there creativity encouraged. Its fair to say that criticism is discouraged, of any authority or even peers. Harmony is the greater virtue.
4. Civility: Much of Japan`s self-belief stems from government-sponsored propaganda. Its argued that Japan is the pinnacle of virtue because of its low divorce rates. Dubious statistics when women fear divorce. A great deal of many marriages are described as `domestic divorce` where the wife cooks for the husband dutifully, but will seldom talk to him. Police statistics are just as dubious. Low crime? Its true that certain crimes are less frequent, but records are misleading. A great many crimes go unreported. There are softer forms of coersion that are not even evident in the west. eg. the presence of yakuza and petty criminals soliciting money from independent women. Another perceived Japanese virtue is `consideration`. But knowing Japan as I know it, its really just selflessness (usually women) or self-delusion (men wanting to show you are beneath them). They want to show you how `civilised` they are. Never mind that a great number of the population are weird....the further you get from Tokyo the more weird they get.
5. Standards of living: Inspite of Japan`s economic assension, it is still only on-par with Australia and Switzerland in terms of purchasing power. That`s a purely economic assessment. But consider the dubious status of Japanese savings (poor return on investment), the fact that for the last 14years the Japanese have been loosing value on their housing assets, and the fact that they live in shoe-size boxes, and the fact that they work much longer working hours in a very stifling environment, and you get the impression that they are not doing so well. Their only reprieve is that they have low expectations....at least until they travel overseas.

To be fair Japan offers some great virtues....its consumer electronics designs are great (by virtue of having a frivilous consumer culture that embraces Japanese IT), food is healthy and fresh. Great service is often a myth when it becomes a virtue to show.