[Angela Chong]

I was also surprised that they rely on imports for their oil supply and it made more sense that so many Japanese vehilces have hybrid models sooner than our domestic vehicles. It made me wonder what percentage of the vehicles in Japan use alternative fuel or hybrid type models? It also makes sense why so many rely on mass transit, because fuel costs must be very high in Japan. Along with the fact that there are so many people, I'm sure traffic would be a nightmare. 

[Angela Chong]

Near the end of Saori Katada's session I found it interesting how Japan deals with immigrants. Due to declining population I would think that at some point they will become more open to immigration. Katada mentioned that ELD programs like we have and supports for non English speaking school aged children doesn't exist like we have here in the United States. She mentioned that children of immigrants who are born in Japan have an easier time, but since Japanese is very difficult for people to learn it's difficult for children who come later. The discussion of trash and that Japanese people don't think foreigners can learn the system, and don't do very well when they try. While Japan has done very well since WWII, it seems that they are needing to make another change and shift which may very well mean being more open to immigration. This would mean several things need to adjust though. Not only the education system but attitudes of the Japanese people towards people coming and making Japan their home. 

[Angela Chong]

There wasn't any discussion at all of divorce in the sessions and I wonder if it's not very common? Since husbands tend to work a lot and the wife tends to the home and the children, perhaps they simply coexist and don't find it to be necessary? I'm sure it depends on how much support a woman would receive if she divorces her husband? You're right that divorce is somewhat of a privilege that we in the United States are used to, but it's not the case everywhere. I would think if it does happen that women retain custody of the children, simply becuase they are the primary caregivers. 

[Angela Chong]

I found the discussion of Japan after WWII and the tremendous growth that took place in part because the government and business were working towards the same goals to be very interesting. The idea that the businesses would look to the governemnt for direction is quite different from the US way of doing things. Entrepreneurship is not very common in Japan, and there is a significant reliance on the government to guide business even today. Having the two aligned to the same goals does make reaching those goals more likely, but in terms of today's issues in Japan I wonder how this arrangement will continue? I was surprised to learn that Japan has borrowed 2 1/2 times their GDP, a figure that seems unsustainable. I wonder if this concerns the Japanese people? I know there is discussion of the aging population and what will happen in the future, but to have so much borrowed I don't know what will be done to solve this? I am concerned about our own dept in the US, and seeing what happened to Greece recently, it's scary to wonder how it will continue? 

[Angela Chong]

I was also thinking of the children after what they lived through during WWII. Especially those that were taken from the cities during the war. In our other Monday night session Samuel Yamashita mentioned that older kids would take food from the younger and they would cry themselves to sleep. I can't imagine that it was as simple as going back home after, if they had a home and family to return to. There really wasn't much discussion of the effects on those children, and you know they dealt with issues after the fact. I wonder if there aren't diaries of these kids, where they processed what they couldn't talk about?

[Angela Chong]

I was surprised at the depth of meaning of the creature Gojire, the original 1954 Japanese movie that becomes Godzilla when it comes to the US. I have found my husband watching old movies, and never took the time to realize that this monster is the result of US testing and is the symbol of the destruction caused by the Atomic Bombs. I talked with him and he was well aware of the storyline, as he watched Japanese TV as a kid when he visited his grandparents in Hawaii. I had an entirely different appreciation for creative way that the original filmaker found a way to tell the story and jave the Japanese people be victorious in the end against it. While I realize that since the Japan lost the war they didn't really have the freedom to be angry at the United States, but I'm still surprised there wasn't more outcry. I've seen some documentaries, obviously done later, but it seems it was safer to do in the form of a fictitious monster like Godzilla after the war. 

[Angela Chong]

Japan's eventual growth after WWII was significantly influenced by the control the US had in Japan post WWII. The fact that Japan was no longer allowed to spend on military meant that they ended up investing in their own economy and benefitted by the protection of the US military bases. What started off as a punishment in the end helps Japan get back on it's feet and then eventually surpasses the United States and becomes an economic rival. By valuing the Yen as the US did, Japan is able to compete internantionally, to the point where the US realizes they now have a competitor internationally. Once Japan is a threat one of the ways the US tries to deal with it is to devalue the Yen, without letting Japan know. I found a comment made in our session regarding US attitudes towards Japanese products at the time as inferrior quite interesting, just as the US is currently trying to do with Chinese goods. Looking back at the history with Japan and then today the economic competition with China, makes me wonder what other messages the American public is being fed, as a way of influences what we consume more. In our household we only own Japanese vehicles, whereas in other parts of the country it's more likely to be domestic vehicles. I'm sure some of that has to do with the location of the auto industry and the factory locations. Still, even if Japan is a rival, the US benefits by having positive relationship with a strong economic power in East Asia. 

[Angela Chong]

Fukuzawa Yukichi's "Leaving Asia," made it very clear that he felt Japan was superior to Korea and China. He mentions the ancient "old" ways that Korea and China held onto, instead of beinga advanced and scientific. Fukuzawa associated Japan with western countries and felt that "Leaving Asia" explained departing from the old ways. As explained in the intro above it, it is further justification for colonization. Viewing the people inhabiting land and resources that you want to take as your own is easier if you think of those people as lower than you. He describes them as cruel, uneducated, and ignorant. Prior to beginning this seminar I didn't fully understand the conflict and hierarchy that people in East Asian countries can currently have and previously had for one another. The more I learn, the more I can see why and that unfortunately race supremacy exhists in places other than the United States. 

[Angela Chong]

During the lecture last night the most impactful thing that I realized is how perspective shapes what day event occurs. December 7th 1941 is a day that Americans remember the Pearl Harbor attacks, but in Japan it was December 8th. I have talked about this with 3 people since last night and continues to be on my mind since last night. It's made me contemplate what else I have never considered because of where I reside on the globe and the culture that I am part of. Wondered if others in our seminar have had similar "ah-ha" moments in the 5 sessions we've had so far?

[Angela Chong]

This also struck me as well. Having learned and taught about Pearl Harbor from a U.S. perspective it was sobering to see that Japan's agression was in some ways influenced by the actions of the United States. Similar to a child who is bullied on the playground learning that if you can gain strength and power by bullying, you won't be pushed around. While it's a simplified example, I think in some ways it's part of why Japan chose to strike the U.S. They knew that eventually there would be a conflict and chose to strike hard and first.

[Angela Chong]

I also didn't know much about Japan leading up to WW2, except from a United States perspective. I've taught World History and mentioned that the U.S. didn't like Japan being in China, but wasn't aware of all the steps that were taken by the U.S. to get Japan to comply. I appreciated how Mr. Yamashita made it come to live through his presentation last night. Putting myself into the shoes and having the perspective of someone who was Japanese makes Pearl Harbor have a different meaning. The sense that finally Japan is standing up for themselves and are not going to let the United States push them around. 

Taking it back a bit to the modernization of Japan, it's surprising how deliberate they were about deciding what to use from "The West" and places that had modernized already. This was not an overnight process, but a calculated concious effort to not only bring Japan into the modern era, but to incorporate the ancient within the new. The Confucian idea of a kingly government returning to the past and that returning of the old was part of the modernization. Finding a way to give the Japanese people a way to validate a complete shift in culture, calendar, economic system, and even foods they consumed. I'm impressed with the thoughtfulness and time that was taken to bring about modernization and that the whole system didn't completely fall apart.

 

 

 

[Angela Chong]

I had mentioned this in an earlier post, and your above most reminds me that the more you try to control someone it prompts them to fight harder to break free. Looking at what's going on in Hong Kong the actions of the Chinese government seem to be spawning more rebellion. I can imagine that due to the amount of people who live in China the government doesn't want others getting the idea that revolution should be attempted and/or successful. 

[Angela Chong]

You brought up the idea that if the Chinese monarchy reformed their government and empowered citizens to have a "stake in their government," perhaps they could have avoided revolution. It made me wonder if that could have been the case? There were countries and Empires with an abslute monarchy that were able to transition to a consitituional monarchy, letting go of some power and satisfying some of the desires of the revolutionairies. Not letting go of absolute power does't seem to have served any monarchy very well, and loosening the reigns seems better than being completley overthrown. During the lecture my impression of the revolutionaires in China were wreckless, but as I read the documents after class I saw something completely different. I think my view of revolutionairies in China were influenced by Mao's version of having young people destroy all the old, but revolution isn't always about destruction. In the case of revolutionairies against an absolute monarchy it may be the only option if they aren't willing to give up power. 

[Angela Chong]

I was also thinking of the various levels of control with regard to the different management styles with Imerialism in World History. So much of WOrld History is European centered, I discussed how the French wanted those they controlled to become French, but even they didn't make their subjects change their names. While I tried to include places in the world that aren't often the focus, like Asia, the focus tended to be more on Southeast Asia. Including background on Japan will definitely help students understand it existed before the attack on Pearl Harbor. It makes it even more impactful the change that happened for Japan after World War II.

The impact of Imperialism and Colonization are still felt today. I discuss this a lot in Ethnic Studies. We're starting a Unit on Colonialism/Colonization next week. I remind them regularly that the only reason we speak English or Spanish in this part of the world is colonization. Since I taught World History last year and now am going back to Ethnic Studies it's helps me focus things a bit more and prepare them for those major themes next year. 

[Angela Chong]

Something else I often forget to include is the mercator projection distortion. Discussion of the impression that those places further from the equater are larger than they are often give residents of those places a distorted perspective of significance in relation to the rest of the world. Including the pictures from last week showing relative land mass of areas of East Asia to places in the United States would provide an extension of those comparisons. As a high school teacher I forget that it's been a while since maps were discussed and often Social Studies gets pushed aside in elementary school when there is such importance placed on Language Arts and Math. During class the comparison of East Asia population to land area compared to places in the United States would also be helpful for students to understand that smaller land area doesn't necessarily mean less population. Again the 6 to 8 people on a newspaper comes to mind. Anything to help them see the world from a perspective other than their own. To understand that the way they experience the world is different from the way others live. 

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