Japan: 1868-1968; Japan: A Century of Change

From WRC our Five College Radio in Amherst Massachusetts. We present Japan 1868 through 1968. This year has been officially designated as the centennial of the beginning of the modernization of Japan and this is the last of a series of 13 broadcasts with John M. Maki professor of government and vice dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Massachusetts. The title of today's broadcast is Japan a century of change. Professor Markey. Perhaps it is fitting that I round off the discussion of Japan during the last quarter of a century from one thousand forty five down to today and will enter into a brief discussion a brief review of Japan's century of change by seeing just a few things about the extent of social change that has taken place in that country in recent years. As I think you're all aware the problem of social change in any

society is one a difficult one to measure. And secondly a difficult one to explain. It occurred to me when I was in the process of well planning these broadcasts the broadcasts on Japan's modern century since 1868 that I have been shall I say professionally interested in Japan in the study of Japan for almost a third of a century. I suppose that is simply an indication of advancing age on my part. On the other hand that has given me an opportunity perhaps to observe Japan at different critical periods of its very recent history and thereby to gain a feel for the amount of social change that has actually taken place. I first went to Japan back in the

mid-1930s just at the time when the drive towards authoritarianism was well set and it was possible to observe a number of things in that country which obviously were unsettling unsettling to anyone who felt a decent commitment to some of the democratic values the general democratic values not simply American democratic values. And disturbing also because of what they very clearly implied as to Japan's future role in world affairs at that time the future role was simply what it turned out to be namely a major role as an aggressor in Asia and involvement on one side in the second world war. I was fortunate enough in being able to return to Japan a few months after the end of the war where I saw a very different country indeed a country that was marked by great destruction and great devastation and

one which I must confess I approached with a certain degree of apprehension not because I might get involved in difficulties because I was working with the occupation but rather I did not have any real feel for what might have happened to the Japanese and Japanese society as a result of the crushing blows of the war and of the defeat and the beginning of the occupation. And finally I was able to return after a number of years in the late 1950s where I saw Japan well along the road towards the development of a new society and it's very difficult for me to attempt to recreate through words alone. The striking difference between the three Japans that I was able to observe over that period of time. No to get on to the matter of social change in Japan. One of the most striking developments has been what is referred to as the

emancipation of women. Now this was something that the occupation early on in 1945 was determined to bring about. Obviously if half of Japan's population suffered from a certain disability political disability the lack of the franchise the lack of the right to vote certain legal disabilities and certain social disability then Japan would be far from the ideal goal in occupation policy of democracy. Now the occupation initially roughly the first year ordered the Japanese government to do a number of things relating to the position of women. And many people including many in the occupation felt that what the occupation was trying to do in this area was simply another example of misguided American idealism because

obviously it was perfectly clear that this was something that an occupation was trying to force on a defeated country but secondly and more importantly this involved a problem a very important problem of social relations in Japan and also of Japanese history and tradition that it seemed impossible to change and change briefly as was the apparent intention of the occupation. Well what happened very briefly was that these apparently idealistic actions of the occupation turned out to be realistic or realistic in the sense first of all and most importantly that women in general accepted if not welcomed these changes that were being brought about in their position in Japanese society. From the very beginning they responded politically by exercising the franchise.

They took advantage of the new educational and professional opportunities that were opened up to them by first of all by occupation order and then by incorporation into the new constitution of Japan and acted in every way as if this was what they had been waiting for for many decades if not for many centuries. Now the significant thing Another significant thing I should say is the fact that in general the Japanese male has accepted these changes. For example women have far broader professional opportunities than they ever had before. There are now women lawyers women business men women doctors. Obviously women teachers and so forth and so on. Prior to 945 there was only a minute number of women who were able to become involved in any of the

professions. Part of this was no discrimination on the grounds of sex part of it was legal discrimination. But most of all it was the reflection of social attitudes help particularly by men and meekly accepted by the women. Now as I said men have accepted the change in the role of women. Well with calm to put it very mildly indeed it's a matter of fact the new role of women seems to be as acceptable to the Japanese male as it is to Japanese women. Now I do not want to give you the impression that all that women are as free in Japan as they are in this country. For example there are still a number of attitudes which should carry both women's attitudes towards themselves and men's attitude towards women. That many Americans both men and women would find it difficult to accept. And

also in spite of the opening up of professional opportunities the number of women in the professions is still small but on the other hand the important thing is to Mischer the degree of change not against some kind of a foreign ideal but against Japan's own very recent past. Going back again to approximately a quarter of a century. Now in addition to that there have been some very important changes in family life in Japan. Indeed it follows a very obviously that if there is a change in the position of women in Japan Society this inevitably had to have an impact on Japanese family life. There is no question but the Japanese woman plays a new role as wife a new role as mother and a new role as daughter and automatically This means that the Japanese male necessarily must play a new role as husband as

father and as son. Now basically what has happened within the Japanese family for sociological and perhaps psychological reasons is simply that the well authoritarian structure of the family has changed and changed very considerably. Prior to 1945 the Japanese ideal which unfortunately was realized on many occasions was the authoritarian family with the father as being the repository of all authority within the family. Which meant that the wife and the children were subservient to the desires of the Father. This does not mean that it was impossible to have well normal bonds of affection existing within the family but certainly all children were aware of the paternal

authority and aware also and perhaps even more importantly the fact that the good of the family took precedence over the good of any individual member of the family. And this ranged all the way from the choice of marriage partner up to the choice of career. Now the contemporary family could be carried as being one of. Again the ideal type would be one of relations between individuals on the basis of mutual respect for their rules within the family as individuals. Now on the other hand it is accepted again in the ideal family that naturally the parents both the Father and the mother know do have the well shall we say the dominant role within the family. But text books for example dealing with problems of

family relations point out that children have certain rights as individuals. But on the other hand the goal is for all members of the family to work together in order more effectively to realize whatever generalized goals the family might have. To say nothing of the particular goals of individual members of the family. Now also it is perfectly clear that the contemporary Japanese family is existing as a social unit within a rapidly changing Well general social context. For example the rapid rate of urbanization in Japan has had a direct impact on family organization and on family relationships. For one fairly obvious example the development in Japanese cities of the large apartment complex has had a marked effect on family relations. No longer is it possible in the small typical small Japanese

apartment for three generations the grandparents the parents and the children to live together under one roof or more precisely perhaps between four walls. I know many Japanese particularly older Japanese feel that there has been a sad deterioration in family discipline to say nothing of family unity. Under the new system and perhaps they have reason to feel this way simply because again the family and indeed all Japanese are caught up in this broad current and very rapid current of social change in which the traditional attitudes of respect towards authority of the acceptance of discipline are being sadly eroded. And again sadly eroded from the position of many older Japanese. Now also there is the very significant point that there have been many changes in daily life for the Japanese.

Change is growing in large part out of changes in the economy. As I emphasized in a previous broadcast Japan's economy can be described as a consumer economy and economy of the mass market. Now this means that material goods are available for the Japanese in quantities that the Japanese never before have experienced. Now this means that the conditions of life the existence of the utilization of utilities in the home for one example have changed well the general context of daily activities particularly for Japanese women in the home a very great deal. The well-known story of the impact on daily life of the machine of the household machine the washer the refrigerator the vacuum cleaner and so forth and so on. Now another extremely important sociological change in Japan that it's come about

roughly since the mid 1950s has been the very great increase in leisure time for virtually everyone. Increase time to well go to spectator sports increase time to devote to participant sports increase time for the theatre traveling both inside and outside Japan and everything else in this highly important area of leisure. Now leisure in this sense is a demonstration of general economic prosperity. On the other hand very clearly this changes. Well certain social values of Japan for example prior to 945 the virtues of hard work of thrift of placing the good of the society whether that be the family or the nation above the good of the individual. These were things that were supposed to be the ideal. And obviously

attitudes of this kind cannot long stand firm against the impact of the kind of leisure activities that the Japanese have demonstrated beyond any question that they are very much interested in Indeed. I referred a moment ago to the problem of urbanization in Japan the impact of different patterns of living on the family in the country. Well urbanization has proceeded very very rapidly indeed. Now on the one hand this means greater ease in life more pleasures in life simply because of the many advantages that urban life provide for the inhabitants of major cities. On the other hand the Japanese are confronted with all of the urban problems that we are all too familiar with in this country. Smog for one traffic for another. Slums for another and so forth and so on. On the other hand these things both the advantages and disadvantages

of urbanization are marks of social change within the country. Now in other words as I have been emphasizing Japan has been caught up in an extremely rapid flow of change in all aspects of the society in politics in government in economics social change and social relations and so forth and so one. On the other hand I think it is perfectly clear that the things that have taken place in Japan since 1945 could not have taken place had not certain other things occurred within the country back in the earlier period between 1870 and 1900. Japan has undergone this current of change not only because Japan is changing but obviously because contemporary human society has been changing and changing also very rapidly indeed. Now by way of conclusion what I would like to do is to

review very briefly this past century of change sense eight hundred sixty eight and perhaps abstract from this review. Some generalisations that might to hopefully shed a little light on modern problems of Japan. And in addition on problems of modern man and his society during this past century. I suppose that one way of approaching this problem is simply to raise a question. What does this past century of modern Japan tell us of modern man and his society. Because obviously I feel that what has happened in Japan has a relevance far beyond the Japanese and their society. Well as one answer to the question I think it can be said beyond any question that Kipling was wrong. You will recall that one of Kipling's more famous

aphorisms was to the effect that the east east west is west and never the twain shall meet. Well I think it has been demonstrated beyond any question that the East and the West can meet and that the result can be something well which can be described as creative. I'd like to say a few words simply about Japan as the east Japan as it existed to roughly at the beginning of this modern century. As you will recall Japan at that time had no modern science no modern technology no industrialization no modern government no modern economy. And as a matter of fact the process of modernization was simply an elimination of these negative aspects of Japanese society. Indeed going back to 1870 it was perfectly obvious that Kipling did

have abundant reason for coining his famous saying. Now on the other hand as I have been emphasizing Japan beyond any question as of today and for a number of decades has very definitely been modern in the scientific field. Japan has had its Nobel Prize winners. Japan has made its population in general scientific minded in the sense that education in science has been firmly woven in. Again going back to the end of the 19th century woven in to the education of the Japanese young from primary school through the universities. Japan does have modern scientific laboratories extremely advanced laboratories so there is no question that modern science has become firmly woven in to the very web of Japanese society. In

technology the application of science in Japan is well on the contemporary scene. One of the leaders of the world. You are all familiar I believe with Japan's most amazing developments in the field of rail transportation in terms of efficiency. For one thing the movement of large numbers of people by means of rail and also the high speed train that was opened several years ago which has been accepted as one of the marvels of contemporary rail transportation. And of course the Japanese have made remarkable strides in the direction of the peacetime utilization of nuclear power. In terms of broad Well economic development and indeed the chief meant Japan is now the fourth ranked industrial power of the world. And many observers feel that it is only a matter of time perhaps only a matter of months before it moves into a third position behind the United States

and the Soviet Union. Japan obviously has solved the problem of government. The Japanese government serves the people of Japan. It serves the people of Japan not only by doing certain positive things for those people but also responding to the needs to the criticisms of the people. As I have emphasized and again as is familiar to virtually all the rest of the world there has been the contemporary economic miracle of Japan a miracle resulting again in the very important phenomenon of mass prosperity. And of course as I stressed earlier in this broadcast Japan is the scene of social innovation and indeed of great social change. Now note that all of the things that I have been listing as shall I say plus values for Japan or characteristic features of Japan as a modern

nation. One way or another had their origins in the western world. This was simply an historical accident. The fact that modern science and technology and industry modern government industrialization the mass economy and so forth and so on happened to develop in that part of the world it is loosely referred to as the West. Now it seems to me that the conclusion from these observations about Japan is simply the obvious fact that the modern world is modern modern in the sense that these things which happen to have been originated and developed in the so-called Western world have relevance far beyond the western world. Not only do they have relevance but the Japanese example and indeed Japan is only them perhaps the most striking example

that other parts of the world other societies are not geographically a part of the West not a part of the Western tradition have been able to become modern modern in the sense that they have been able to adopt and to indeed to adept these things that were seemingly so alien seemingly so far from the Eastern world that it again the twain could never meet. Now this raises what seems to me to be an extremely important point namely that it can be said that the modern world as we know it here in the West is universal or universal in the sense that what it has produced can be well adapted and can be utilized again by other societies. Now it seems to me that the reason why this modern world that we know is universal can be stated rather simply namely

the world of modernization has provided the best answers yet devised by men for a series of very old and very difficult problems. Problems again confronting man and his society. It is perfectly obvious that the modern world has provided for individual well-being in purely physical terms. There is no question but that mankind a substantial segment of mankind that is is better fed than it ever has been before. There is no question but modern medicine has brought with it a degree of health control of disease that again mankind has never before enjoyed. The modern world has provided means for the realisation of human abilities

and human talents. Again on a far greater scale than man has ever known. I'm referring to mass education for one very obvious example. Also the modern world has worked successfully on the problem of man's relation to his government and is working more effectively on the very difficult problem of man's relation to his own society. Now what I am saying here is not that the modern world is perfect but simply that it is a better one. That or one is again in terms of nature of all human goods measurable again in terms of general human well-being. It seems to me that the reason why Japan was able to achieve this modernization and to gain some of the benefits that I have outlined for its people is simply that Japan has been able to operate effectively as a society during this

critical past century. Now it seems to me that the problems of Japan for the next century are not simply the problems of Japan as they were at the beginning of the century. They are in essence the problem of man and the problem of contemporary society. If Japan can contribute to the solution of the problem of war if Japan can contribute somehow someway to a solution of the problem of urban Islam. If Japan can contribute somehow to the solution of this very pressing question of the relationship between man and his natural environment then I think the Japanese will be successfully working out their next century of history and again contributing as much as any nation can to the development of human well-being. You have just heard a broadcast on the topic of Japan a century of change.

The last of a series of 13 programs titled Japan 1868 through 1968 with John M. Markey professor of government and vice dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Massachusetts in Japan 1868 through 968 comes to you from WFC are five College Radio in Amherst Massachusetts. This program was distributed by the national educational radio network.