How Modern Japan Is Described in Textbooks around the World
(Select a Country to review excerpts)
Europe ……………
Austria,
France,
Germany,
Switzerland,
UK
Asia ……………… China,
India,
Indonesia,
Korea,
Malaysia,
Russia,
Singapore,
Vietnam
North America ……
Mexico,
USA
South America ……
Brazil
NORTH AMERICA
USA
Title:
World Studies: Asia & the Pacific
Pages: 154-161
Publisher: Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA, 2005
Excerpt:
Chapter: Japan – Tradition & Change
Harmony and teamwork are important in the Japanese way of life. Tradition and change are also important. Present-day Japan is a modern, urban country where traditional ways blend with the new.
High-Technology Industries
Since the 1960’s, Japan has produced some of the world’s most modern industrial robots…By the 1980’s, Japan made and sold a large share of the world’s cars, electronic goods, skiing gear, and bicycles. Japan also produced huge amounts of steel, ships, televisions and CDs…In addition, Japanese companies improved existing products.
…Japanese companies also had new ideas of their own. You are probably familiar with portable stereos and small, hand-held electronic games. These products were invented by the Japanese…Working with European and American companies, Japanese companies also developed the digital video disk (DVD).
Success and Challenges
By the 1980’s, Japan had one of the world’s largest and strongest economies…Americans and Europeans eagerly bought Japanese products – particularly cars, television sets, and electronics. Yet Japanese people did not buy many goods from America and Europe.
Other countries grew angry because even though they bought many Japanese products, the Japanese did not buy theirs. This led to poor trade relations between Japan and other countries. On top of that, the Japanese economy suffered a severe recession.
Japan still has one of the largest economies in the world, even though its economy continued to decline into 2003…Today, however, more people work in Japan’s service industries than in manufacturing.
Life in Japan
Harmony, ceremony, and order have long been important in Japanese culture. Japanese people have generally followed these traditional values. While the past is honored, however, new ways of living and working have been introduced in Japan. The result is a modern culture with features that are unique to the country.
Working Together
Working together as a group has long been a tradition in Japan. One way Japanese manufacturing companies have worked together is by forming keiretsu. This is a Japanese term that describes a group of companies that join together to work toward one another’s success…Although still part of the country’s economy, keiretsu have been joined by a growing number of small businesses.
Changing Roles
The role of marriage is another example of tradition and change in Japan. Marriage has been the most acceptable position for a Japanese man or woman. Today, however, more and more Japanese men and women are choosing not to marry or to delay marriage. One result is that Japan’s birthrate is low. The role of Japanese women in the work force has changed, too…Today, there are more Japanese women working full time or part time than women who stay at home full time.
Facing the Future
As Japan heads into the future, its challenge is to find a way of maintaining its wealth. One of the resources a country needs to produce goods and services is labor…Japan does not have a growing labor force of young workers…[Limited immigration and] Japan’s low birthrate affects the labor force. Fewer and fewer workers have to support an aging population no longer working. This makes the cost of producing goods and services higher in Japan than in countries with growing populations.
