Opening Up Japan
Recently I read an article in a newsmagazine by the name of Project Syndicate. The article is entitled "Opening Up Japan" written by an emeritus professor of International Political Economy at IMD, Switzerland, Jean-Pierre Lehmann. It's interesting to know that Japan is evaluated as a closed society from the Swiss viewpoint.
First of all I'd like to give you summary of his key points. After that I'd like to talk you about my opinion concerning his article.
According to the professoer, Japan's economy is the most closed among OECD countries.
Foreign capital, foreign managers, intellectual are all absent.
It's outrageout that Japan Prime Ministers disobey Asian opinion by paying his respects to war criminals at the Yasukuni Shrine
He attributes the closed nature of Japan society to its inferior knowledge about the world language, that is English.
As a matter of fact Japan ranks above only North Korea in scores on the Test of English (TOEFL)
His conclusion : "Japan must open up herself".
Now I'd like to talk about a letter to the editor.
"In 1853 black ships of the American Navy forcibly opened up Japan. Then we realzied that Japan was the least advanced nation in the world.
We made a strenuous effort to catch up with the strong European countries and America.
It follows that we defeated China and Russia.
After that the USA came up again with a threat, this time "oil embargo".
We found no other choice but going into the Pacific War. The rest is history.
It's a shame that the Swiss writer has negative opinions on Japan.
I'm of the opinion that Japan has every right, when Japanese Prime Ministers visit the Yasukuni Shrine to respect the death of the Japanese soldiers, no matter what other countries name them the war criminals.
Moreover we have not awful things done, like the Nazi to the Jews.
The author should know what happens if Japan pulls out of the United Nations. It goes without saying that Japan contributes a chunk of moeny to the UN.
As far as "the closed society of Japan" is concerned, it's difficult to say how far Japan is inward looking.
I don't think that the Japanese intellectuals' level is inferior to those of Europeans and Americans.
Due to the nature of reservation, which we consider our "virtue", we don't know simply how to expresse ourselves.
However it is regrettable to hear that we belong to the lowest rank in the TOEFL examination.
Although we try to improve English, the language barrier seems formidable.
I admit what Japan lacks is intellectual knowledge about westerners. Only 10 percent of the Japanese speak English. Very few people read English newspapers and magazines. But I find no problem with that as long as I live in Japan.
On a delightful note these days many young Japanese people visit Europe and America. Hopefully they will understand western custom, tradition and culture in detail and make friends with Europeans and Americans. This time we will be on our own to open up Japan.
Mind you, no matter how Japan is alienated, we are now a peaceful country."
First of all I'd like to give you summary of his key points. After that I'd like to talk you about my opinion concerning his article.
According to the professoer, Japan's economy is the most closed among OECD countries.
Foreign capital, foreign managers, intellectual are all absent.
It's outrageout that Japan Prime Ministers disobey Asian opinion by paying his respects to war criminals at the Yasukuni Shrine
He attributes the closed nature of Japan society to its inferior knowledge about the world language, that is English.
As a matter of fact Japan ranks above only North Korea in scores on the Test of English (TOEFL)
His conclusion : "Japan must open up herself".
Now I'd like to talk about a letter to the editor.
"In 1853 black ships of the American Navy forcibly opened up Japan. Then we realzied that Japan was the least advanced nation in the world.
We made a strenuous effort to catch up with the strong European countries and America.
It follows that we defeated China and Russia.
After that the USA came up again with a threat, this time "oil embargo".
We found no other choice but going into the Pacific War. The rest is history.
It's a shame that the Swiss writer has negative opinions on Japan.
I'm of the opinion that Japan has every right, when Japanese Prime Ministers visit the Yasukuni Shrine to respect the death of the Japanese soldiers, no matter what other countries name them the war criminals.
Moreover we have not awful things done, like the Nazi to the Jews.
The author should know what happens if Japan pulls out of the United Nations. It goes without saying that Japan contributes a chunk of moeny to the UN.
As far as "the closed society of Japan" is concerned, it's difficult to say how far Japan is inward looking.
I don't think that the Japanese intellectuals' level is inferior to those of Europeans and Americans.
Due to the nature of reservation, which we consider our "virtue", we don't know simply how to expresse ourselves.
However it is regrettable to hear that we belong to the lowest rank in the TOEFL examination.
Although we try to improve English, the language barrier seems formidable.
I admit what Japan lacks is intellectual knowledge about westerners. Only 10 percent of the Japanese speak English. Very few people read English newspapers and magazines. But I find no problem with that as long as I live in Japan.
On a delightful note these days many young Japanese people visit Europe and America. Hopefully they will understand western custom, tradition and culture in detail and make friends with Europeans and Americans. This time we will be on our own to open up Japan.
Mind you, no matter how Japan is alienated, we are now a peaceful country."
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