Despite the tremendous progress made, misinformation and prejudices remain.  The Japanese think that there are far too many guns in the US while the Japanese think that there is too much smoke in Japanese restaurants.  Many American men continue to believe that geishas are prostitutes and swarms of them roam the streets in Japan while the Japanese think that all Americans are Caucasians – the men are tall, blonde and have blue eyes while all women are all voluptuous.

The reason why Japanese take a lot more interest in America than the other way round is that from the Meiji Restoration (Isshin) period onwards Japanese scholars, in particular, considered Japan as the gateway to the West (via the Pacific), different geographically and somehow closer to the West than continental Asia.  The United States is the largest market for Japanese goods which is not the case for the United States.  The American Government and corporations continue to be frustrated by the closed markets in Japan.  Efforts to open up the Japanese markets (at least in the manner the Americans wanted) failed miserably due to lack of Japanese willingness and poor understanding of the Japanese economic system by American experts. 

Americans are particularly proud of their capitalist, democratic system, and believe this dogma should be forced onto every country for their own good, whether they know it or not. Such attitude drove American push for ‘reform’ in Japan when Japanese did not see any fault at all with their system (and hence, no need for any reform).  Many Japanese simply wondered why Americans cannot navigate the Japanese system while they can successfully navigate the bureaucratic systems all over the world.  Americans who lack patience, and more often than not, long-term vision, simply gave up as economy at home boomed during the nineties.   

It is not an exaggeration to say that the Japanese have also toned down their obsession with America.  Culturally there is clearly less blinded favoritism towards the US in Japan today than 20 years ago. In the 1970s and early 80s, many young Japanese were listening to The Carpenters and The Eagles, flocking to McDonalds and KFC, and dressing in West Coast and Ivy League inspired fashions. Today, with the possible exception of street wear and Gap-inspired American casual, fashion trends in Japan are clearly influenced more by European tastes: over 80% of the offshore clothing companies operating in Japan are European. In terms of travel, with the exception of those attending MBA programs in the US, Japanese youth are traveling in greater numbers to Europe relative to the US (and even more so after the events of September 11). It is much more appealing to many Japanese to live in Paris or London today than ever before.

It is telling to reflect, though, on the 180 degree shift in sentiment in the US with respect to Japanese economic prowess during the 1980s and today. In the late 1980s, there was fear and respect that Japan had the perfect business model for global domination. One expected to see Japanese tea ceremonies being conducted in IBM conference rooms to unlock the mysterious, business secrets of the orient. By mid-nineties there was zero interest in Japan.  Thousands of students and business executives who learned Japanese language found it to be a great waste of time – except for a few lucky ones who had a relatively easier time finding Japanese girlfriends when they ended up in Japan teaching English rather than engaging in international business as many had hoped for.

This should not imply that the Americans have started to ignore Japan.   In certain sectors such as many manufacturing industries including automobiles, precision electronics, robotics, and other industries where Japanese companies have dominant market shares worldwide, American companies have to continuously compete.  In the automotive sector, the domestic market in the US is dominated by Japanese automakers.  Toyota Camry continues to be the most popular car in the country and Lexus is the most desirable brand among luxury car buyers.

It is now obvious that Japan was never as good as the 80s suggested, nor has it become a third-world economy today as some Americans believe. On this point, I believe most Europeans historically have had a more balanced view of Japan than the US.  A lot of the threats posed during the 80s by Japan had a lot to do with the faults in the American manufacturing sector – lack of attention to detail, poor quality and engineering, hasty product launches, etc.  Once the Americans realized that they had competition, it did not take them long to catch up and even surpass Japan.  At the same time, Japan still leads the world in many sectors – semiconductors, electronics devices, automobile, advanced materials, etc.  Japanese companies conduct cutting edge research and a lot of it in America.  In fact, Japan leads the world in filing patents in the US.  Thus, it would be disastrous for the Americans to see the current downturn in Japan as an indication of their superiority.  Japan is still the world’s second largest economic power and that is not likely to change anytime soon.  

Recommended links:  Impact of social trends on business    Japanese television  Has Japan lost its soul?        Faking it

Japanese in Canada        Japanese work ethics   Designer gifts for Japanese business contacts       Honne and tatemae

Japanese influence on New Zealand   Information about Japan    Japan as a homogeneous society  Life of salaryman  

Discrimination in Japan      Making friends in Japan      Generation gap in Japan  Dissolving stereotypes of Japan   

What to expect on your trip to Japan?    Chris Tashima