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Todd RutleyShinzo Abe was the Prime Minister of Japan and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006-2007 and from 2012-2020. The LDP is the dominant political party in Japan and has held office in all but 5 years since its 1955 founding.
Abe wanted to revise the Japanese constitution that was imposed on Japan by the US during the post WW2 US occupation. However, he left office in 2020 without achieving any changes.
Why was Article 9 NOT Changed During Shinzo Abe’s Term of Office?
1. Constitutional changes are hard. The 1947 Japan constitution has never been revised, in part, because of the high-level of consensus required to make changes. Constitutional changes require 2/3 support in the Diet and followed by majority public support in a referendum. So, even if the LDP could gain support of 2/3 of the Diet members, it would still have to convince the public to support the change.
2. Public is unlikely to support changes in required referendum. Long-term polling cited below has shown that the majority of Japanese people are opposed to revising the constitution, despite electing the LDP almost continuously since 1955.
3. Japanese people fear war. MIT Professor John Dower says the public is opposed to constitutional changes because of the bad memories of WW2 which saw 66 Japanese cities bombed and destroyed by the US. This traumatic historical experience has made many Japanese people strongly anti-war.
References
John Dower C-Span interview “Post-War Japan: Cultures of Defeat, Cultures of Conflict” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZAFftGl9Kk
Opinion Polling on Article 9 Revision. https://www.cfr.org/japan-constitution/public-attitudes-on-revision
https://www.cfr.org/blog/early-postwar-attitudes-constitutional-revision
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1950_usjapan.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_9_of_the_Japanese_Constitution
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html
Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II Illustrated Edition, John W. Dower
https://verdict.justia.com/2020/09/02/shinzo-abes-biggest-failure-is-his-greatest-legacy
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/japan-article-9-conundrum-rears-its-head-again
Todd RutleyJapanese politicians often visit the Yasukuni shrine on August 15 to commemorate the 2.46 million people that died for Japan from 1868-WW2.
In response, Chinese and Korean media/politicians complain that visiting the shrine is wrong and that Japan has not apologized enough for WW2
Japanese explain that their actions are similar to the war memorial services observed all over the world such as the US Memorial Day and Commonwealth Remembrance Day.
This pattern repeats every year. There is almost no chance that Japanese will stop commemorating their war dead or that others will stop complaining.
This history illustrates the quote cited by Professor Dube: "For architects of citizenship and nationhood, there is no shortage of conflicts and wars from which to build modern myths about submerging individual suffering and loss to greater causes.”
Todd RutleyFYI: The reason I posted about a non-binary Japanese above (Utada), and a trans-male Filipino here, is because it shows the diversity of Asia in a way that open-minded students will appreciate. Hopefully, these positive examples will also teach tolerance to all students. Teachers are now encouraged to use more diverse role models in classes and these real life stories will likely have a positive impression on many students.
Many of you have likely seen the former Filipina star “Charice Pempengo” on Ellen, or Oprah, or performing in concerts with Celine Dion, David Foster and Andrea Bocelli.
Zyrus (Charice) came out as a gay woman in 2013. In 2017, he came out as a transgender male named Jake Zyrus.
Could these life stories of Asian "barrier-breakers" motivate students to want to learn more about East Asia? I hope so.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKJmuViLqgI (singing with Celine Dion)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6stXeMKslGI
Todd RutleyAnother "barrier-breaker" in Japan is an American singer from Pittsbugh whose Japanese stage name is Jero (Jerome White).
Jero sings in the "Enka Style" which he learned from his Japanese grandmother who had married a GI stationed in Japan.
To learn about enka music, start on YouTube where there are hundreds of videos. You can also buy enka music at Amazon.com
Teachers: Can you interest some students to learn more about Asia through music? I think so!
References on Jero and Enka
https://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/-/Artist/A021548.html
http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2012/6/19/enka-singer-jero/
https://www.discogs.com/artist/2863648-Jero-4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jero
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enka
Todd RutleyTeachers: If you liked the "barrier-breaking" stories about Katsura Niyō and Jero the enka singer, you will like the story of Hikaru Utada.
Utada was born in New York to first generation Japanese immigrants.
Her first album was the biggest selling album in Japanese history.
In June 2021, Hikaru Utada came out as non-binary.
The internet reaction to the announcement was huge news in Japan where the idea of non-binary is not well understood or accepted.
“Utada Hikaru coming out as non-binary as a person of influence in Japan is one of the bravest things I’ve seen”.
“Japanese morning TV doing a great job raising LGBTQ awareness. Well done Hikaru Utada for being the catalyst and otsukaresama And before people @ me, yes I know Japan has a long way to go but good to see the effort to try and understand. #Japan.”
Would your students be interested in these barrier-breaking artists?
Could these life stories motivate students to want to learn more about East Asia and especially Japan?
References
https://news.yahoo.com/hikaru-utada-comes-out-as-non-binary-094033795.html
https://www.utadahikaru.jp/en/news/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utada_Hikaru
Todd RutleyUsing Olympics to Teach About East Asia
“The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” Source: https://olympics.com/ioc/beyond-the-games
1. Background on the Western Dominance of the Olympics
The Olympics has been held 52 times since 1896, with 32 events in Europe and 12 in North America. Looking at the attached map you can see how much this “international event” has been dominated by “the West”.
Japan hosted the first Olympics in Asia in 1964. Korea hosted its first Olympics in 1988 and China hosted its first Olympics in 2008. Including 2022, East Asia has hosted the Olympics 8 times.
The fact that East Asia has held this huge event 8 times since 1964 shows how its power has increased – economic power, political power, and “soft power” as the Olympics often increase the international prestige of the host countries.
2. Draft Teaching Ideas
The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing starting February 4 2022. Since students are aware of the Olympics taking place, this might good time to use this event to talk about the Olympics’ positive goals and how the event helps achieve these goals. The attached map of the historical locations of Olympics events might be useful to show the “Western-dominated” aspect of the games as well as the various locations of the games in China, Japan, and Korea.
The Negative Effect of US Boycott on the US-China Relationship?
On 12/6/2021, President Joe Biden announced that the US would impose a “diplomatic boycott” on the Beijing Olympics to prevent US officials from attending the games while allowing US athletes to compete.
In response to the news, Beijing warned it would take "resolute countermeasures" against the Biden administration and stated “The US should stop politicizing sports and hyping up the so-called 'diplomatic boycott' so as not to affect China-US dialogue and cooperation in important areas," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a news conference.
Is the 2021 US boycott a responsible action consistent with the Olympics goals of “building a peaceful and better world” or is the Biden boycott an undiplomatic insult against China that unnecessarily politicizes the games and hurts the US-China relationship overall?
Think about the questions this boycott raises and the lessons from this.
3. NCTAsia has a seminar tiled Beijing on the Eve of the Olympics (1/19/2022 – 2/11/2022)
Course Description: Having hosted its first Olympic Games in Summer 2008, Beijing is gearing up to host its second Olympics in February 2022. This 3-week mini course will dive into history of Beijing, China’s capital for the majority of the last 700 years; analyze contemporary issues around urbanization and social change in the city; and explore the international spectacle of the Olympics as these particular games spark controversy and conversation about China’s rise, human rights, and the global world order.
References
https://nctasia.org/find-a-course/by-course-type/online-seminars-and-workshops/?submit=View
https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/olympic-movement-united-nations-and-pursuit-common-ideals
https://olympics.com/ioc/beyond-the-games
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-12-08/VHJhbnNjcmlwdDYxMDEw/index.html
https://www.spectator.com.au/2021/12/china-is-a-gold-medallist-in-olympic-boycotts/
Background Timeline of Olympics in East Asia
Japan
Japan. 1964 Summer Olympics
Japan. 1972 Winter Olympics
Japan. 1998 Winter Olympics
Japan. 2020 Summer Olympics
Peoples Republic of China (PRC)
China. 2008 Summer Olympics
China. 2022 Winter Olympics
S. Korea
Korea. 1988 Summer Olympics
Korea. 2018 Winter Olympics
History Lesson: US Congress Opposed Beijing as 2000 Olympics Contender
On July 26, 1993, the US Congress passed a resolution opposing the selection of Beijing for the 2020 games. The IOC subsequently selected Australia to host the 2000 summer games. This was the 2nd time Australia hosted the games, which is interesting given that its population in 1993 was only 1.5% the size of China.
1993 Congressional Resolution: “Whereas the International Olympic Committee is now in the process of determining the venue of the Olympic Games in the year 2000; Whereas holding the Olympic games in countries, such as the People's Republic of China, which engage in massive violations of human rights serves to shift the focus from the high ideals behind the Olympic tradition and is counterproductive for the Olympic movement: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives (1) strongly opposes the holding of the Olympic Summer Games in the year 2000 in the city of Beijing or elsewhere in the People's Republic of China; (2) urges the International Olympic Committee representative in the United States to vote against holding the Olympic Summer Games in the year 2000 in the city of Beijing or elsewhere in the People's Republic of China”
https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-resolution/188/textthe House of Representatives, U. S.
Todd RutleyThe 1980s "Japan Threat" and the current "China Threat" highlighted in the PDFs above are only the most recent examples of the 1790-2021 "Timeline of Systemic Racism Against AAPI".
See here: https://exhibits.stanford.edu/riseup/feature/timeline-of-systemic-racism-against-aapi
"The timeline documents several instances of systemic racism against AAPI in the United States.
In knowing the history of how AAPI were treated in this country, we can better understand how we arrived at this point in history."
The Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community includes individuals who are:
Todd RutleyAs we have seen in this course, birthrates have fallen across East Asia since the 1960s and the age 50+ share of the population is therefore rising. As a result, game developers and advertisers that support gaming are now targetting the fast growing older population. Seniors have more time and money than young gamers so it is the biggest market opportunity! East Asian broadband internet speeds are also the worlds fastest and East Asia leads in 5G availability and 6G research. Fast internet connections make advanced gaming and virtual reality possible and fun. This is another area where the East leads the West!
References
'In Korea, You Don't Have to Explain TikTok to Your Grandma' https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/01/style/korea-tiktok-seniors.html
https://www.populationpyramid.net/republic-of-korea/2020/
https://www.populationpyramid.net/japan/2020/
https://www.populationpyramid.net/china/2020/
https://financesonline.com/number-of-gamers-worldwide/
Todd RutleyI will return the form and request CEUs + a certificate of completion.
Thank you!
Todd RutleyFinal Essay Assignment. “Reflect on the seminar experience in a 250-500 word essay. Discuss how you intend to incorporate East Asia into your teaching.”
Attached below is the description and outline of my next course. It shows how I will incorporate the lessons from this class in teaching about East Asia.
This is an adult education class so most lectures include a discussion of China-related current events. Discussing the news encourages students to follow China-related news online. In turn, this increases active engagement in the learning process.
***********************
Course Description: China Politics & Economics to 2049
China has been in the news a lot in recent years but how can we make sense of what is going on? This course will look beyond the headlines to explain the strategies China is following.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has set ambitious national goals for 2049 when China will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. To achieve these goals, he is promoting comprehensive strategies to make China stronger economically, militarily, and politically.
The success of these strategies would make the “China Model” of authoritarian governance more attractive internationally and possibly allow China to become the #1 superpower and global hegemon by 2049. Conversely, the failure of these strategies would undermine China’s authoritarian model of governance and weaken the Communist Party’s monopoly on political power.
Weekly classes will address the following topics as well as current China-related news.
Weekly Lecture Topics
Todd RutleyThe December 4 Seminar asks the following questions:
Densho.org and other sites in the references below provide lesson plans and teaching resources.
From Densho.org: “Densho is a Japanese term meaning “to pass on to the next generation,” or to leave a legacy. The legacy we offer is an American story with ongoing relevance: during World War II, the United States government incarcerated innocent people solely because of their ancestry…Densho collects video oral histories, photos, documents, and other primary source materials regarding Japanese American history, with a focus on the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Densho offers a free digital archive of these primary sources, in addition to an online encyclopedia and curricula, for educational purposes.”
Lesson plans with videos, background, and questions. https://densho.org/teach/
Videos also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DenshoProject
References & Teaching Materials
https://www.youtube.com/user/DenshoProject
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Densho:_The_Japanese_American_Legacy_Project
National Archives Educator Resources: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/japanese-relocation
World War II: Japanese Americans in the US: http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/tps/1900_jp.htm
https://www.loc.gov/search/?in=&q=Japanese+American+Internment&new=true&st=
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/japanese-american-internment-fear-itself
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/ja_internment/index.html
Todd RutleyAre the US & China Destined for War, as Graham Allison asks in his 2017 book? This question often comes up with students exposed to mainstream US media.
My answer is no: This sensational title was designed to sell more books, not to educate people.
A China sage has often said “In presenting the past, and answering today’s questions, students should question and consider the role of contingency/serendipity”. (杜克雷)
Contingency definition: A future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.
Serendipity definition: The occurrence and development of events by chance. Serendipity is the opposite of teleology.
Teleology definition: History can be explained by the end result, and is deterministic, driven by causes towards destiny.
See the attached PDF for a review and critique of the book by Graham Allison.
Todd RutleyThis is a poem about Sino-American relations and perceptions that has been online for a decade. No one is sure who wrote it.
Can you use it in your classes to encourage reflection on Western relations with China? I hope so!
What Do You Really Want from Us?
When we were the Sick Man of Asia, we were called The Yellow Peril.
When we are billed to be the next Superpower, we are called The Threat.
When we closed our doors, you smuggled drugs to open markets.
When we embrace Free Trade, You blame us for taking away your jobs.
When we were falling apart, You marched in your troops and wanted your fair share.
When we tried to put the broken pieces back together again, Free Tibet you screamed, It Was an Invasion!
When tried Communism, you hated us for being Communist.
When we embrace Capitalism, you hate us for being Capitalist.
When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we tried limiting our numbers, you said we abused human rights.
When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your national debts.
When we build our industries, you call us Polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.
When we buy oil, you call it exploitation and genocide.
When you go to war for oil, you call it liberation.
When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you demanded rules of law.
When we uphold law and order against violence, you call it
violating human rights.
When we were silent, you said you wanted us to have free speech.
When we are silent no more, you say we are brainwashed-xenophobes.
“Why do you hate us so much﹖”we asked.
“No,” you answered, “we don’t hate you.”
We don’t hate you either, But, do you understand us?
“Of course we do, ”you said, “We have AFP, CNN and BBC’s ······”
What do you really want from us?
Think hard first, then answer ······ Because you only get so many chances.
Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for This One World.
We want One World, One Dream, and Peace on Earth.
This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of Us.
Todd RutleyIn the video Professor Dube reviewed the US concerns with Japan’s rise in 1980s.
In one of my classes I taught about how the “China Threat” as it is perceived today in popular (non-academic) books is similar to the “Japan Threat” fears of the 1980s and 1990s. This idea is reflected in the attachments.
The reason I teach this idea is that I hope to educate students so that they can think for themselves and not simply get their ideas about Asia from TV or politicians. I also strongly encourage students to read books and to read online news from China to form their own opinions about the world.
Todd RutleyThe reading consists of 5 articles from the leading Chinese media outlets: the CCP newspaper the Global Times and the state newspaper Xinhua. The role of the media outlets is twofold: 1) to present the official party & state views on Chinese news, and; 2) to present the official Chinese reaction to foreign news. As a result, the outlets spend a great amount of effort pointing out the real and alleged prejudices, hypocrisy and errors of foreign critics both in private media and government. Here are some examples of the Chinese viewpoints from the articles.
I recommend that you each read the Chinese media to understand the Chinese perspective.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-01/19/c_135994707.htm
http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctenglish/2018/commentaries/202101/t20210128_800234170.html
