The Japan That Can Say No
Encyclopedia
is a 1989 essay originally co-authored by Shintaro Ishihara
, the then Minister of Transport and leading LDP
figure and current governor of Tokyo
; and Sony
co-founder and chairman Akio Morita
, in the climate of Japan's economic rise
. It was famous for its critical examination of United States
business practices, and for advocating Japan's taking a more independent stance on many issues, from business
to foreign affairs
.
The title refers to the authors' vision—Ishihara's in particular—of a Japanese government that is more than a mere "yes man" to the United States. Many unauthorized translations were made and circulated in the United States. The authorized 1991 Simon & Schuster
translation by Frank Baldwin (out of print) did not include the essays by Morita. The book inspired the similarly themed China Can Say No
, a collection of essays published in 1996.
, and what Japan can do to improve its image and position.
Here is a sampling of points they make:
Shintaro Ishihara
is a Japanese author, actor, politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Suma-ku, Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
, the then Minister of Transport and leading LDP
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
figure and current governor of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
; and Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
co-founder and chairman Akio Morita
Akio Morita
Akio Morita KBE was a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony Corporation along with Masaru Ibuka.-Early life:...
, in the climate of Japan's economic rise
Japanese post-war economic miracle
The Japanese post-war economic miracle is the name given to the historical phenomenon of Japan's record period of economic growth following World War II, spurred mainly by Japanese economic policy, in particular through the Ministry of International Trade and Industry...
. It was famous for its critical examination of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
business practices, and for advocating Japan's taking a more independent stance on many issues, from business
Economy of Japan
The economy of Japan, a free market economy, is the third largest in the world after the United States and the People's Republic of China, and ahead of Germany at 4th...
to foreign affairs
Foreign relations of Japan
Foreign relations of Japan is handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.Since the surrender after World War II and the Treaty of San Francisco, Japanese diplomatic policy has been based on close partnership with the United States and the emphasis on the international cooperation such as...
.
The title refers to the authors' vision—Ishihara's in particular—of a Japanese government that is more than a mere "yes man" to the United States. Many unauthorized translations were made and circulated in the United States. The authorized 1991 Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
translation by Frank Baldwin (out of print) did not include the essays by Morita. The book inspired the similarly themed China Can Say No
China Can Say No
China Can Say No or The China That Can Say No: Political and Emotional Choices in the post Cold-War era is a 1996 Chinese-language non-fiction bestseller written and edited by Zhang Zangzang, Zhang Xiaobo, Song Qiang, Tang Zhengyu, Qiao Bian and Gu Qingsheng...
, a collection of essays published in 1996.
Points asserted
The work alternates between essays written by Ishihara and Morita. The essays were based on various speeches given in the past. In general, Ishihara's essays argue that Japan is a world power to be respected, and that Japanese need to assert themselves more when dealing with the U.S. Morita's essays focus more on the tragic flaws of U.S. companies that will eventually lead to America's declineAmerican Century
American Century is a term used to describe the United States' dominance of much of the 20th century, in political, economic and cultural terms. The United States' influence grew throughout the 20th century, but became especially dominant after the end of World War II, when only two superpowers...
, and what Japan can do to improve its image and position.
Here is a sampling of points they make:
Japanese superiority
- The world has come to depend on Japanese technology, especially in semiconductorSemiconductorA semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
production. - Japan must use its technological superiority as a negotiating weapon. It should even threaten to trade secrets with the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as a bargaining tool against the US and refuse to sell components that go into US missiles. - The quality of American goods is low because the level of the workers is low, while the superior education of Japanese workersEducation in JapanIn Japan, education is compulsory at the elementary and lower secondary levels. Approximately 98% of all students progress to the upper secondary level, which is voluntary . Most students attend public schools through the lower secondary level, but private education is popular at the upper...
is a big advantage. - The Japanese characterYamato-damashiiis a historically and culturally loaded word in the Japanese language. The phrase was apparently coined in the Heian period to describe the indigenous Japanese 'spirit' or cultural values as opposed to the cultural values imported into the country through contact with Tang dynasty China. Later, a...
is innately superior to the character of Americans.
Japanese assertiveness
- Japanese diplomatsForeign relations of JapanForeign relations of Japan is handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.Since the surrender after World War II and the Treaty of San Francisco, Japanese diplomatic policy has been based on close partnership with the United States and the emphasis on the international cooperation such as...
are not effective in dealing with westerners, so businessmen accustomed to dealing with foreigners should also take part in trade negotiations. - Japan should end the U.S.-Japan security pactTreaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and JapanThe was signed between the United States and Japan in Washington, D.C. on January 19, 1960. It strengthened Japan's ties to the West during the Cold War era...
and defend itself, because this would cost less and end reliance on the U.S.
American prejudice
- Americans believe that the Caucasian raceCaucasian raceThe term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
is superior since the modern era is dominated by the western worldWestern worldThe Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
, and this prejudice will hurt them in the end. - Americans and Christian missionariesMission (Christian)Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
try to erase local cultures and replace them with Western culture. (See Cultural imperialismCultural imperialismCultural imperialism is the domination of one culture over another. Cultural imperialism can take the form of a general attitude or an active, formal and deliberate policy, including military action. Economic or technological factors may also play a role...
) - Former American colonies are rife with problems, while former Japanese colonies are thriving.
- America's dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan and not GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
arose from racismRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
because Germans are white peopleWhite peopleWhite people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
and Japanese are not. (Though at the time of the German defeatEnd of World War II in EuropeThe final battles of the European Theatre of World War II as well as the German surrender to the Western Allies and the Soviet Union took place in late April and early May 1945.-Timeline of surrenders and deaths:...
in April 1945, the atomic bomb was as yet incomplete and untested until July 16, 1945.)
Morita's assertions
It is not unusual that Morita, who lived in New York for some time and was one of the most successful and famous businessmen in Japanese history, would have many opinions on U.S. business culture.American business
- American business focuses too much on money games like mergers and acquisitionsMergers and acquisitionsMergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...
, and not enough on creating real goods and manufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
power. - American business focuses too much on short-term profits, such as moving manufacturing overseas, while sacrificing long term overall livelihood.
- American company executives receive too much income, which hurts their companies.
- Employees in Japanese companies form a tight community, so overall results are better.
- The trade surplus with the U.S. is caused by the lack of desirable products made in the U.S.
- U.S. businesses are strong in basic researchBasic ResearchBasic Research is an herbal supplement and cosmetics manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that distributes products through a large number of subsidiaries. In addition, their products are sold domestically and internationally through a number of high-end retailers. Dennis Gay is the...
, but not in product developmentNew product developmentIn business and engineering, new product development is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a new product to market. A product is a set of benefits offered for exchange and can be tangible or intangible...
and marketingMarketingMarketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments... - It is natural for the Japanese government to protect Japanese businesses, as it relies on their tax revenue.
Japan's image and position
- It is popular to bash JapanAnti-Japanese sentimentAnti-Japanese sentiment involves hatred, grievance, distrust, dehumanization, intimidation, fear, hostility, and/or general dislike of the Japanese people and Japanese diaspora as ethnic or national group, Japan, Japanese culture, and/or anything Japanese. Sometimes the terms Japanophobia and...
, and this is largely the fault of Japanese businessmen overseas who don't socialize with locals and become part of the local community. - Japanese need to do more to adapt to Western cultureWestern cultureWestern culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
and language when dealing with Americans in order to be understood (pointing out that foreigners from other countries have successfully integrated into U.S. society). - The U.S.'s failure to recognize Japan's importance will hurt the U.S. and the world economyWorld economyThe world economy, or global economy, generally refers to the economy, which is based on economies of all of the world's countries, national economies. Also global economy can be seen as the economy of global society and national economies – as economies of local societies, making the global one....
. - Japan must be conscious of its role as a world leader, and do its part to support the world economy.
- Japan must help build up AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to strengthen its position as a regional economic leader. - Japan must give more foreign aid if it wants to be a true world leader. He equates this with doing local community serviceCommunity serviceCommunity service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
.
Reception
Daniel W. Drezner of Foreign Policy ranked the book as one of the ten worst books about foreign policy.See also
- Anti-American sentiment
- Cultural imperialismCultural imperialismCultural imperialism is the domination of one culture over another. Cultural imperialism can take the form of a general attitude or an active, formal and deliberate policy, including military action. Economic or technological factors may also play a role...
- Japanese nationalismJapanese nationalismencompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
- Foreign relations of JapanForeign relations of JapanForeign relations of Japan is handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.Since the surrender after World War II and the Treaty of San Francisco, Japanese diplomatic policy has been based on close partnership with the United States and the emphasis on the international cooperation such as...
- China Can Say NoChina Can Say NoChina Can Say No or The China That Can Say No: Political and Emotional Choices in the post Cold-War era is a 1996 Chinese-language non-fiction bestseller written and edited by Zhang Zangzang, Zhang Xiaobo, Song Qiang, Tang Zhengyu, Qiao Bian and Gu Qingsheng...