The New Empire of the Rising Sun

The culture of Japan is amazingly individualistic for an East Asian civilization.  This is also true as one studies its history.  In fact, Japan's culture has had influence upon other countries which rivals similar influences of China and the West.  In the seventh century Chinese models of government, and especially the figure of the emperor, were modified quickly to fit into a more "Japanese" pattern.  In addition, Japan's Buddhism, Confucianism, art, and literature resonated in different ways than that of China.  Throughout all cultural change, a consistent and very unique sensitivity arose in Japan's views of nature, time, and space.  Traditionally, Japan's values of honor, loyalty, and sincereity distinguished its art, letters, and especially poetry. 

In modern times the speed of change has become quicker and the power of foreign influence has been very broad.  Even so, the pattern of "selective adaptation" of foreign influences remains the same in Japan.  It is without dispute that the flood of Western influence into this country in the nineteenth cenutry brought troublesome changes.  This was particularly true in the area of politics.  The national resolve to restore autonomy and equality had powerful influence on the international system.  Japan was the first non-Western state to modernize its institutions.  It also struggled to first join and then to defeat Western colonialism, including its own brand of colonialism. 

It was after this period that Japanese leaders and citizens turned to pursue new goals.  These new goals included social justice and economic gain.  Japan succeeded very well in this new direction.  Its success took place in a vigorous way that is still transforming the economic order.  It is true that China has now entered into the economic landscape in the twenty first century to give Japan real competition in its own part of the world.  However, Japan laid the groundwork for an invigorated Asian commerce industry long before.  Japanese society has indeed been revolutionized without internal revolution.  This was in response to modern knowledge and technology.  It happened within a single century to a society which before had been structured rigidly on lines of hereditary privelege.  Japan's experience is a powerful example of the realities of empowered capitalism resulting in income redistribution for those who have attained educational merit. 

Harlan Urwiler

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