Free Essays on Japan

Japanese in Control Vandana Gandhi Ms. Livingston 19 July 2000 English 161 Japan in Control Americans who buy Japanese goods, or even US companies that actively source Japanese parts for their products unknowingly help Japanese reach the goal of their economic war. America often complains that Japan must change its ways to become more like us. However, this is not true, as America is not number one anymore. Today, the tables are turned. America, which used to be the world’s largest creditor nation, is now the world’s largest debtor nation. Currently, Japan is the world’s largest creditor nation and we are one of their biggest borrowers (Burnstein 77). Their strategies have helped Japanese industries take over in America. Moreover, Japan has taken control in the economic war with America. Japan is a major or dominant power in almost every world strategic industry including finance, communications, mass-transit, semi-conductors, motor vehicles, and popular-entertainment. Two of the th ree biggest movie/entertainment companies in America (Universal/MCA), the makers of "Jurassic Park", and Columbia/Tri-star are Japanese. Many big companies in the US like Loews Theatres, and Firestone Tires are Japanese. In fact, today 7 of the 10 largest companies in the world are Japanese. Furthermore, Japan today is the world's biggest manufacturer of autos, having surpassed the United States in the mid 1980's. These all used to be American dominated industries 25 years ago (Information Please! 144). Some claims echoed in America that are commonly dismissed as â€Å"Japan Bashing† statements, upon investigation these claims are in fact truthful. The following statements may seem brash right now, but their meanings will become clearer in the explanations and examples that follow. Japan is in a kind of economic war against us. Their objective is for them to win and for us to lose. Through the use of cartels, price fixing, government-corporate "an... Free Essays on Japan Free Essays on Japan Japanese in Control Vandana Gandhi Ms. Livingston 19 July 2000 English 161 Japan in Control Americans who buy Japanese goods, or even US companies that actively source Japanese parts for their products unknowingly help Japanese reach the goal of their economic war. America often complains that Japan must change its ways to become more like us. However, this is not true, as America is not number one anymore. Today, the tables are turned. America, which used to be the world’s largest creditor nation, is now the world’s largest debtor nation. Currently, Japan is the world’s largest creditor nation and we are one of their biggest borrowers (Burnstein 77). Their strategies have helped Japanese industries take over in America. Moreover, Japan has taken control in the economic war with America. Japan is a major or dominant power in almost every world strategic industry including finance, communications, mass-transit, semi-conductors, motor vehicles, and popular-entertainment. Two of the th ree biggest movie/entertainment companies in America (Universal/MCA), the makers of "Jurassic Park", and Columbia/Tri-star are Japanese. Many big companies in the US like Loews Theatres, and Firestone Tires are Japanese. In fact, today 7 of the 10 largest companies in the world are Japanese. Furthermore, Japan today is the world's biggest manufacturer of autos, having surpassed the United States in the mid 1980's. These all used to be American dominated industries 25 years ago (Information Please! 144). Some claims echoed in America that are commonly dismissed as â€Å"Japan Bashing† statements, upon investigation these claims are in fact truthful. The following statements may seem brash right now, but their meanings will become clearer in the explanations and examples that follow. Japan is in a kind of economic war against us. Their objective is for them to win and for us to lose. Through the use of cartels, price fixing, government-corporate "an... Free Essays on Japan Conformity in Japan We absolutely live in conformity to something like fashion, thoughts or whatever depends on us. Conformity has existed in many countries since people began to make groups. It’s an awful trend, because conformity hides the personality and characteristics of a person. Some people may be scared to do something different from others, while some may have the ease to be the same as others. In addition to being similar with the group, most people feel pressured by their peers, and they end up doing things against their free choice. There are various cases of conformity even in Japan. It’s not different from the past and the present. The history of Japan during 1603-1867, called the Edo period, has some awful peer pressure stories. These were called â€Å"Murahachibu† which means that the whole village blames and sends away a person who breaks the rules along with his/her family and group. They might even impose high taxes to these people. Still today, we sometimes call â€Å"Murahachibu† peer pressure. In the Edo period, the villages were organized into groups of 5, and each group take joint responsibility for the prevention of crimes and paying for tax. Everyone had to be the same. Japan is one of the most serious countries that practice conformity today. Most people, from children to adults, feel peer pressure. Some adults even allow their children to do the same as their peer, because the adults think that they may be departed from their group if their children do something strange. Japanese people like to make their own groups, and do anything only with their own friends. Lately, news about a more serious problem of bully is increasing. These are not only about young people, but the adults’ behavior and feeling about peer pressure are evident. I had belonged to groups that conformed, and I had to be the same with everyone else. My junior high and high school had a rule that we wear uniform. We must ... Free Essays on Japan Mutsuhito Emperor Meiji was born on November 3rd, 1852 in Kyoto, and given the name Mutsuhito. He took the personal name Mutsuhito when he became crown prince in 1860. He was the second son of emperor Komei, who ruled between 1847 and 1866. His father was the titular ruler in the last years of the Tokugawa Shogunate. His mother was Yoshiko Makayama. His consort empress Shoken, devoted her life to promoting national welfare and women’s education. She donated a fund to the International Red Cross, named the â€Å"Empress Shoken Fund,† which is currently utilized for international welfare activities. In 1868 radical nationalists groups working for a stronger Japan united under the emperor and toppled the Tokugawa Shogunate, replacing it with a unified administration headed by the sovereign. As part of the new regime’s policies, Meiji became the first emperor to live in Tokyo rather than Kyoto, the traditional imperial capital. Although only 15 years old, the emperor in time became an influential force in the government, he functioned mainly as a symbol of national unity, leaving the actual business of governing to his ministers. His presence was essential to the new government as a source of legitimacy, as a sanction for its transformation of Japan, and as the center of the authoritarian cult of the state Shinto which it introduced. During his reign, Japan became an industrial power able to compete with the nations of the west. The Meiji shrine in the center of Tokyo was built in his honor. His accession to the throne marked the beginning of a national revolution known as the Meiji restoration. During this time, Japan became a world industrial and naval power. His ministers abolished the feudal system, abolished discrimination against the lowest caste, established state schools, and reformed the civil service, introduced conscription, the western calendar, and other measures to modernize Japan, including a constitution in 1889. ... Free Essays on Japan JAPAN Japan is a country located east of North, and South Korea, and China. It’s capital city is Tokyo, which is the largest city in Japan, and has one of the biggest metropolitan areas is the world. Japan is made of four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku, but has many smaller islands as well. Japan’s total area is around 145,000 square miles, and is actually bigger than places such as England, and Italy. Japan also has a population of over 126 million people, which is the ninth largest in the world. Two-thirds Japan is made of mountainous areas, forcing the people to squeeze into smaller areas, giving Japan a huge populations density. Until recently, Japan was an extremely isolated place, which helped giving Japan it’s distinct culture. Most of Japan’s crops are made of vegetables, and rice. Because of little farming space, Japan gets 63% of it’s food from other countries. Japan’s climate is very similar to that of the US east co ast, but has more rainfall, and is generally warmer. Japanese usually pay about one-third more for stuff than the US. Because of government controls, and regulations, Japan’s firms have about the world’s highest cost. Even with all this, Japan is still the worlds fifth most productive country. Also, Japanese firms that compete internationally, are 20%more effective than US firms. As far as the auto industry goes, Japan is just as productive as the US, but when itcomes to construction, sometimes, the crews must be almost triple of what they are in the US... Another reason Japan’s economy is not that of the US’s is because the prices of stuff for sale onlinein Japan, is 46% higher than it is in the US! And even the internet connection itselfis sometimes 45% higher than the US also! As far as religion goes, the Japanese do not have a problem with taking aspects, and principles from many differentreligions, and using them all. 65% of Japanese people hav e their own priv...