by Ryoko Yorifuji

In last class, we see a PV which was made Japanese fashion by Gwen Stefani. It seemed that she got inspiration from Harajuku, but in my opinion, the PV is crazy. And I think many things; why are back dancers’ hair styles traditionally Japanese hairdos? Why they wear a school uniform with the hairdo? Does she look down on Japanese culture? Anyway, I was shocked that Japanese cultures are misunderstood. However, possibly we may misunderstand foreign cultures too. So, I mention the gap.

First, I mention that I felt senses of incongruity before. I sometimes watch movies. From these movies, especially making in the USA, we can find some strangeness. For example; “The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”, in a scene of wedding, the ceremony is Japanese fashion. The bride and groom stand in front of a torii and wear like a yukata. In fact, we don’t hold a ceremony in front of torii. And a bride generally wears a white kimono. And “Godzilla” in the movie, fishermen in fishing boat printed the Hangul eat sushi and watch sumo on TV while warming themselves at a kotatsu. I think there aren’t kotatsu and TV on the boat, don’t eat sushi and the Hangul isn’t Japanese! Moreover some foreigners think Characters are cool. So, they wear T-shirts printed Characters and tattoo on Characters. But they decide from Characters’ form, these meanings are sometimes strange. I saw a foreigner wear T-shirts printed “妹”, the meaning is “sister”. But it seems that such T-shirts are popular in foreign countries. In same case some foreigners tattoo with Characters odd meaning; “台所”, the meaning is “kitchen” or “日本製”, the meaning is “made in Japan”. Such as these things, Japanese cultures are misunderstood. But they may be regarded as exotic things, Japanese admire foreign cultures too.

Second, I’m worry that Japanese cultures aren’t distinguished from Chinese or Korean cultures. In fact, these cultures are used Characters and these exist in Asia. So I understand foreigners cannot tell them. Recently I hear that Korean culture is introduced as Japanese culture in France. What is more, Korean culture makes a profit by using the problem. To prevent such an incident, Japanese government makes an effort to impress our culture on foreigners.

But after all, I’m glad that many foreigners are interested in Japanese cultures even if the understand is made mistake.

However, I think Japanese misunderstand about foreign cultures too. For example, I study French now, I learn many French words are misunderstood in Japan. In Japan, Japanese foreign languages are flooded. Especially, Japanese English is the best. Japanese English is that the meaning change and made in Japan. For instance, the former is “sandbag”. The original meaning is “blackjack”, but it changes to “punching bag” in Japan. And the later is “Office Lady”. This meaning is “female office worker” in Japan. This word is made in Japan. Such as things, I think this is one of the intercultural misunderstandings. I know nothing about foreign culture, and perhaps foreigners are the same. So, I would like to study right foreign culture.

References

Movie

Tim Story (2007) “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” by 20th Century Fox

Roland Emmerich (1998) “Godzilla” by TriStar Pictures

Music video

Gwen Stefani (2004) “Harajuku Girls”

by Yuuki Tashiro

These days, globalization more and more is spreading. In Europe, the European Union was established in 1991 by Maastricht Treaty. And currency was unified to the euro and regulation of immigrant workers was relaxed. However, in Europe, the number of unemployed increased recently and economic crisis was happened in Greece and other countries. So I wandered globalization is good for economy and life of ordinary people actually.

People who live in area of the EU was admitted to work at freely everywhere of this area. I think that it is one of the globalization. It led deregulation of work and mobilization of economy, however it made a lot of problem. Firstly, in large country like France and Germany, many immigrant workers came to these countries in order to get better jobs than these of their countries. Because their native countries’ minimum wage is lower than that of French or Germany, employer can make them work at low wage. As a result, it became difficult for the French and Germans to get jobs. And the number of unemployed increased. For example, in Germany, the number of unemployed was 5.8 % in 1991.¹ But after establishing of the EU, the rate became 11 % in 2006. ² With other cause, I guess that establishing of the EU is cause for this low number of unemployed.

Besides deregulation of working area made inequality between immigrant and other people. Because a lot of immigrants who went abroad to look for new jobs can get only unskilled works, for example works in factory or house keeper usually, their wage is very low. So between immigrants and other people, big inequality is made.

In addition to economic inequality, cultural inequality is also problems. In French, a low which ban Islamic women from wearing veil approved these days.³ As the background of this law, there is exclusive mentality. Because many French lost or can’t get jobs by immigrants who came from other countries, they turned this anger to immigrants.⁴ Globalization increased the number of immigrant rapidly, but diversity of race and religion which were made by it led exclusive law mentality of people.

Reference

¹²・The World Economic Outlook database　2012.6.29. http://www.imf.org/external/ns/cs.aspx?id=28

³⁴・China Radio International　仏「スカーフ禁止法」、正式発効　2004-09-03. http://japanese.cri.cn/1/2004/09/03/1@26042.htm

by Momoyo Tanaka

Globalization creates inequality between developed countries and developing countries, and rich and poor in domestic. One researcher showed that developed countries like the U.S., EU and Japan are one hundred times as rich as developing countries like Ethiopia, Haiti and Nepal. The West countries have been developing since nineteenth century (after the Industrial Revolution), and also the rising nations.  However, ex-colonial countries have not.  In addition, because of globalization, domestic inequality between rich and poor is a big problem now. There are some causes that occurs inequality; education and poverty.  Then, I will show the solution.

First, education causes inequality because of globalization. Generally speaking, benefits cannot be divided equal in globalization because capitalists and people who owe resources gain most of benefits.  Because of globalization ― expansion of the market and the development of IT technology ― when companies find employees, they tend to hire the people who have high skill, not the number of people.  Rich people can have high education, but poor people are difficult, and they lost the chance of working.  Rich people would get high wages and widen the sphere of work, but poor people tend to work in bad labor conditions and low wages.  Education is necessary to survive the global world, and it causes inequality.

Second, poverty causes inequality. A lot of developing countries suffer from poverty because they do not have chance of business. Developing countries are dependent on Mono culture which grows coffee, cotton, and so on. At the colonial period, these countries were forced to grow one material to create industrial products in law prices. After finished Colonization, the system of Mono culture remained.  Developing countries cannot create industrial product because they only produce one material, so they cannot extricate themselves from poverty.  If developing countries escape from poverty, they might develop and less poverty.  Then, developed countries are developing because of globalization, for example trade, the development of industry and technology. These countries are rich and have skill, so they succeed in globalization. Recently, inequality between developing countries which were colony and developed countries which were suzerain states are expanding. Thus, poverty causes inequality.

Then, what can developed countries to correct inequality?  One solution is that to achieve Millennium Developing Goals (MDGs). MDGs aims to achieve peace and safety, development and poverty, environment, the role of 21^st century, and so on by 2015.  However, it is said that it is difficult to achieve it by 2015 if the present situation were to continue.  The world needs to cooperate with each other more to accomplish MDGs and to correct inequality.

References

・Future Problem Solving. “Globalization Creates the Inequality in Developing Countries”. June 29, 2012. http://www.geocities.jp/fpspjapan/inequitypaper.html

・the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “What Japan Do to Achieve Millennium Developing Goals”. June 29, 2012. http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/pr/wakaru/topics/vol13/index.html

・Hunger Free World. ”the Relation between MDGs and Us”. June 29, 2012 http://www.hungerfree.net/special/31_2.html

by Mari Sunagawa

The accident of nuclear power plants in Fukushima occurred in 2011. The radioactivity spread in vast areas and a large quantity of debris was contaminated. This debris hasn’t been dealt with yet. The accident has a big influence. A lot of countries decided to decrease the dependence of nuclear power. There are many demonstrations and social movements to stop the plants. In Japan, there are 54 nuclear power plants. Where did Japan construct them? How did Japan choose the area?

There are nuclear power plants in Fukushima, Takahama, Shimane and so on. The common point among them is poor finance. They don’t have particularly popular special products and famous sight seeing spots. They had been in trouble before the construction of nuclear power plants. The government in Japan suggested building the plants. The poor area couldn’t reject the plan because they wanted the subsidy. Once the local government accepted the nuclear power plants, they tended to construct more plants. The area relied on the industry of nuclear power. The plants created the employment in local area so people were not able to remove them. Now, even after the accident in Fukushima, some people in local area want the rework of the plants.

There are some reasons why not-poor areas do not accept the nuclear power plant. First, it has the high risk that huge accident might occur someday. Every Japanese know the accident in Chernobyl. They understand how damage it suffered. The nuclear power plant lacks of safety. Second, the plants require wide space. People cannot live in the area near them. Moreover, the plants produce radioactive wastes. The way to disposal them is not decided completely. The waste is accumulated and stays in the plant. The nuclear power plant has many problems.

People had lived depending on the energy of nuclear power until 2011. However, they didn’t imagine the people in areas near the plants. The rich areas pushed the plants which they don’t want to accept onto the poor areas. There is the economic inequality among the areas in Japan. It creates new inequality of danger. The situation that certain areas can do nothing but depend on the nuclear power plants should be improved. The government must provide poor areas with economic support without the plants. It is important to do social movement in order to decrease the gap among the areas in Japan.

Reference

Nihon Genshiryoku Gijutsu Kyoukai http://www.gengikyo.jp/facility/powerplant.html

by Akiko Takano

Globalization progresses in the world, and coming and going of people, things, money, and information is taking place on a global scale now across a border. The spread of the internet that assists the globalization simplified access different culture to people. When communication technology and means of transportation did not yet develop, it was common that the people knew the event of even the neighboring village after a few days passed. However, now we can just know that what happen at this point by TV, a radio, newspapers, and the Internet in the world and there are many people going to the foreign countries and coming from the countries. When the coming and going of people becomes active, the interchange of the culture becomes active, too. I discuss how the culture changes by globalization in this essay. At first I explain the thing which globalization brings culture and then I discuss how we should deal with globalization of the culture.

The culture that spread through the world by globalization is American culture. For example, there is McDonald’s anywhere now in the world. Also, Disney is the character which is the most famous in the world. I think that the life of world people may change in Americanization. In japan, culture products of made in USA overflow now. The people imitate the fashion of America, listen to American music, eat a hamburger and drink Coke. Indeed, it may be impossible to put take on this trend. However, it is important to receive he different culture of other countries and send to a thing, the world I follow the unique culture of the own country while receiving the different culture of other countries by globalization and protect the unique culture of the own country at the same time, and send the own culture to the world. Japan has culture of traditional wabi sabi, and the modern Japanese comics ‘Manga’ and animated cartoon receive a high evaluation in the world.

Globalization advances, and there is the criticism that the cultures becomes Americanization and equalizes, on the other hand, the culture of the own country became easy to send and it is possible to develop variety of the culture. The influence that globalization gives in culture is big, but not only criticize the negative aspect, but also find a positive aspect. I think that we should balance with the reception of the culture of other countries, protection and sending of the culture of the own country.

Reference

MitsuiHirotaka. (２００５). “比較文化の心理学　カルチャーは社会を超えるのか”. kyoto: ナカニシヤ出版

by Megumi Shishido

Japanese contents such as MANGA, ANIME, GAME and Fashion are popular in Europe, America and Asia. The Japanese government understands like this, uses the word “Cool Japan” which means Japanese popular products and service (creative industry). The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) established the Cool Japan office, the Creative Industries Promotion Office in 2010. It promotes expanding overseas, informing Cool Japan the interior and the exterior, making ministerial transverse plans and promoting them. In Japan the real economic growth rate of the 2000s is under 1%, the working-age population decreases and the Japanese economy’s potential growth rate will decline. METI wants to uncover domestic demand, bring in foreign demand, maintain the new source of profit and be activated regional economies. And METI expects that foreign people are fascinated with Japan through Cool Japan and go to Japan to see the sights.

What are the primary factors that Japanese contents were accepted overseas? They include merely high-quality design and concept. Beyond them, the big one of factors is respect. Compare brand values between of Japan and of Korea. Korean economy is growing and Korean contents become popular overseas. We can say that Korean image is tremendously improving. According to SAMSUNG Economics Research Institute, the real value of Korean brand is 15^th and the imaginal value of that is 19^th in the world. The real value was ranked higher 3ranks than that of the last year, but the imaginal value didn’t change. While, the real value of Japanese brand is 4^th and the imaginal value of that is 1^th in the world. I surprised at the findings because I thought Korean future prospects are more than Japanese those and the imaginal value of Korean brand will be ranked much higher. Anyway, Japan is still admired.

Why Japan is still admired? It is reason why Japanese intellectual property is made in enough easy form that even children can understand. It follows Edo’s popular culture that has high spiritualities and artistic qualities. Japanese idea and Japaneses who create various cultures are accepted positively. However, differences of modeling characters, context that customers are wanted abilities to understand and understanding for culture that Japanese contents are childish are high barriers and foreigners shy away from contents made in Japan. So, not contents made in Japan but Japanese forms are often exported. For example, “SASUKE” that people compete using own strong physiques succeeded by exporting not programs made in Japan but the programs’ form. However, now the government dosen’t try to export Japanese forms. The government still tries to export contents themselves made in Japan. Also, for exporting contents the government begins controlling expressions. I think this is a bad tendency.

I think it is a good thing that Cool Japan informs overseas but the government should shift exports of Japanese form. Also, in METI’s policy the economic side is too strong, so I want the government to think quality of works and effects of controlling expressions.

Reference

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Cool Japan/ Creative industrial policy. http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono_info_service/mono/creative/index.htm

by Koki Shiozaki

Culture is defined as something one generation hands down to next generation, including languages, dialogues, custom, ideas and a way of life. It is growing in a country. It takes a long time to make up one culture. Or it also does not. Fashion is always changing one after another. This is a kind of culture. Today the culture took place in one country has spread all over the world.

The soft power is cultural power to erode one country and prevail among people. The soft power is the opposite to the hard power, which means the use of military power, economic power or political power. The good example of the soft power is Mac Donald, which is the fast food of the US. Mac Donald spread in the world. In Japan, people go there to eat it as something of a snack, breakfast, lunch or dinar. The shop of Mac is open for 24 hours. We can go every time. If I go there before 22 o’clock, I afraid that I will gain weight. Nevertheless, I dare to eat. Mac Donald has come to be a part of Japan.

Manga of Japan is the proud culture which spread in the world. Japanese Manga is translated into various languages and is sought a lot of countries. Many types of Manga are enjoyed by people in the world. Moreover, through Manga, people in the world can know about what Japanese culture is. We can let people understand it. I read the article that almost all of foreigners have a stereotype that Samurai is usually walking down the street and people wear Tyonmage which is the symbol of Samurai.

At last, the culture erodes one country and it becomes essencial to its people. And the imported culture is mixed with the original culture. If it has great effects on the original culture, the imported culture and the original culture merge and create new culture. Or the imported culture and the original culture are independence each other. They do not merge. Having an effect on the country is not only the hard power but also the soft power.

by Saki Sato

I report about the occurrence of inequality by globalization. I think globalization has made inequality. In 100 years, advanced nations have developed greatly. But developing nations have not developed much. Advanced nations, mainly Western countries, reached the Industrial Revolution in the 19^th century. After that, these countries have expanded a market and developed capitalism. But the development has been sacrificed developing countries.

People in these countries are forced to work for cheap wages. By advanced nations, nature (for example a forest with an abundance of trees) has been destroyed and wild animals have nowhere to go. So an environmental disruption has become important problem.

I think developing nations has become the target of exploitation by advanced nations. Developing nations economies reliant on product export and depend on just one or two products. So if the price of the products fall, the national economy is damaged easily. Moreover advanced nations buy the products at very cheap price. And in problem of genetic resource, multinational corporations rob of genetic resource. So the profit of genetic resource doesn’t distribute enough to developing countries and advanced nations and developing countries stand in opposition. As mentioned, the profit of export doesn’t spread to developing nations. So advanced nations develop more only. The economic gap between advanced nations and developing nations widen.

Next, I write about IMF. IMF was established after the war for global economic growth. But IMF gradually demanded economic reforms in developing nations in exchange for loans with the oil crisis in 1970s as a start. Developing nations were forced a policy of austerity. People’s complaint got worse and they started a riot. The national situation become unstable. IMF interferes in the domestic affairs of another nation that can’t pay off the loan. IMF is formed of advanced nations and the influential voice of developing countries is weak compared with advanced nations. I think IMF’s loan is temporarily good to equip infrastructure. But in the long run developing nations maybe are damaged by intervention of IMF. I think other international organizations are also led by mainly advanced nations so policies are carried out in favor of advanced countries.

I think we need grope for a remedy or solution to narrow the gap between advanced and developing nations.