Where are Japan's Patriots?
For whatever reason, one of the themes of Japanese society is that its citizens don't show much in the way of patriotism. Loving one's country is something that most Americans take for granted, and I found it puzzling when I went to Japan and found it populated with people who were pretty ho-hum on the subject of their own country, despite its many impressive achievements in the world today. This is understandable to a certain extent, since it was an abundance of nationalistic fervor that caused so much pain and suffering in the last century, and many Japanese wouldn't feel comfortable expressing too much love for their country in any visible form. This means that the only active "patriots" in Japan are, sadly, those annoying right-wingers who drive around in loudspeaker trucks blasting revisionist speeches about World War II and singer Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi's famous song "Japan! Where are you going? Japan! What are you doing?" (oddly, sung in English). It's embarrassing, but to wear a Japanese flag on your clothing essentially identifies you as someone who shares the views of these extreme groups. Personally I'd like to see normal Japanese start some kind of "take back the Japanese flag from nationalist crazies" campaign, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.
Are Japan's nutty right-wingers the only patriots in the country?
posted by Peter in Japan at 4:52 PM
23 Comments:
It's the same in Sweden, but we weren't in the war..
8:38 PM
I've noticed that, even though Dems and Repubs coulden't be farther in opinion from each other, it all comes down to what we assume is in the best interest of our nation...(our blue side obviously being the ones who prefer us to actually work with the rest of the world as opposed to the increasingly disdained red side who prefers "traditionalist values"aka misplaced arrogance and xenophobia)
From what i hear, most types like the latter in Japan come from their red base, similar to the US's red base. From your experience, is this true? Or is it divided evenly across the board?
9:03 PM
Moccor, interesting. Do you guys do 2 years of service in the military? I often think japan needs that...
Inu, interesting comment. One thing to note is that almost no one in japan is from this extreme right wing, they're just the fringe of the fringe.
10:05 PM
That is a very interesting comment indeed inu, considering republicans and democrats are then by your definition xenophobs considering both their support bases are against Illegal immigration, neither side has a problem with legal migrants and both sides are for immigration reform, just that neither support base wants amnesty for illegal immigrants in the reform bill. The truth of the matter is that the democrats and republicans are both misplaced arrogant parties and both parties need to be voted out of offices at every level of government. It's time new parties replace the old.
2:27 AM
Osn't it really only America that does that whole mega-patriotic thing?
2:34 AM
Peter, 1 year of service. But not everyone is doing it, the military budget is shrinking :P
Today I saw a big black car with the Japanese flag, playing some music. :P
7:35 PM
In Germany it's nearly the same. Or was, until the soccer championship in 2006. Americans probably wouldn't believe the discussions that followed on whether it was okay to show the German flag or not...
I don't like patriotism in general and I really can't understand how especially Americans can be proud of their country, seeing what aweful things the U.S. (and in previous form, the settlers) did in world history. How can one even be proud of a country's achievings? Most of the time you don't really contribute anyway.
I think that some people somehow need to be a part of something bigger because they just can't stand to be only individuals. It reminds me of how some religious people rather want to submit to a God than carrying the responsibility for their own lifes. Patriotism and nationalism are forms of compensation for a lack of own positive traits and talent, in my opinion.
8:58 PM
I remember standing in Hiroshima when one of these trucks passed blaring loud music and a yelling guy with a megaphone on top. Instead of ignoring it we opted to cheer at them, clap and dance. This was not appreciated by them, or anyone else for that matter.
We were pretty drunk though.
10:26 PM
Otacon, thanks for the comments. Americans have a kind of "national self-delusion and selective memory" ability that's important, and which all countries have to a degree. How could a Japanese/German/Italian/American get out of bed if they contemplated the worst things their country had done in history all the time? We also have a lot of mechanisms to make us "feel good" to be Americans, including the Fourth of July, not one but two days to remember our soldiers (Veterans Day to remember living ones, and Memorial Day to remember ones who died), and places like Arlington National Cemetary, which no American can avoid looking at without a deep feeling of pride. Also, pictures like this full us with pride.
That being said, smart or more critically-minded people (which may or may not mean people who live in bluer-tinged states rather than redder-tinged ones, just sayin') know there is some dishonesty involved with the whole thing, with calculated comments or actions by politicians who want us to feel a certain way, just as happens in most religions. As Obi Wan said, many of the truths we cling to depend on our point of view. ^_^
10:30 PM
And Sebastian, yes, I've had some fun with those guys. When they play the Yamato theme song (which is quite right-wing when you think about it -- Japan/Earth being bombed by an enemy who was caucasian in the first episode, then made blue in later episodes, who need to travel to Iscandar/Canada to get a magic weapon that will remove the radiation from the Gamilon Planet Bombs/Atomic bombs) I sing along loudly and wave, which is not their intention.
10:35 PM
@ Otacon
I don't like patriotism in general and I really can't understand how especially Americans can be proud of their country, seeing what aweful things the U.S. (and in previous form, the settlers) did in world history. How can one even be proud of a country's achievings? Most of the time you don't really contribute anyway.
So, let me get this straight. We're supposed to hang our heads in shame for bad things we Americans alive today didn't do and be indifferent to those things that Americans before us have done?
Look, I don't know if it's out of some desire to not be "racist" or whatever, or because equality of outcome has not been achieved, but you're wrong -- America is, in fact, worth defending. The rights we Americans enjoy may have been adapted partially from England, but they were born and blended right here in a unique way. When America erred (Slavery! Jim Crow!), several citizens rose to the challenge, asserting that the right that make us American can be enjoyed by all.
And that is but one part of the larger whole: our liberal democracy's ability to allow for adaptation and change toward a well-understood goal; a "more perfect union," not a perfect union, and certainly not this mythical castle in the sky.
Take it or leave it. I know I won't change your mind about America or Americans, but the opportunities that even the poorest among us have here (otherwise we wouldn't have so many immigrants) are not just some tokens let through the door. I know that excessive pride of place makes certain people feel bad -- I mean, you made me feel bad, but I don't see it as some crime against humanity -- but I'd much rather stand for something than fall for anything, even if that "something" happens to be a certain wealthy country on the Western Hemisphere.
Call it "black-and-white" thinking (funny how all this shades-of-gray talk is only ever directed at us), but I don't consider theocracies and authoritarian regimes the equivalent of America.
3:49 AM
The business with the national flag being co-opted by extremists has also happened in Britain -- with the exception of events involving the Royal Family, the Union Jack is too closely associated with the BNP (the We're Evil Racists And We Don't Care Who Knows It Party) for most people to feel comfortable with it.
4:21 AM
@Rawle: "America is, in fact, worth defending."
I don't really see where anyone said anything about being worth defending... but oh well.
The way I see it and which is also my own opinion, Otacon meant something like this [watch out, interpretation ahead!]:
1. There's no point in being 'proud' of anything you didn't accomplish yourself. thus, being "proud" of the country you were [coincidentally] born in doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
2. If you insist on being connected with whatever deeds 'your' country 'did' [actually, a country can't really act on its own in the first place... but I digress], you have to equally acknowledge the 'good' and the 'bad' ones.
3. If you do that, the USA [and most other states as well, for that matter] don't look so good anymore.
4. Even if you stick to present-day politics, I don't think the USA look all too pretty [...or most other countries, for that matter].
5. "We're supposed to hang our heads in shame for bad things we Americans alive today didn't do and be indifferent to those things that Americans before us have done?"
I think there's no point in feeling either good or bad about other persons' actions; may it be in present or past. And who cares about their nationalities anyway? They're just a random fact, after all. It feels like I should feel somehow 'connected' to all people with blue eyes, or blonde hair. Doesn't make any more sense to me.
6:11 AM
Katherine, I didn't know that. I thought all y'all had over there were Torries and Round-Heads. ^_^. So it's yet another case of Japan and the UK mirroring each other (calling a car hood a bonnet and a toilet a W.C., colonizing the country to the east of you etc.)
(heh, if I ever offend any of our British readers I apologize. Actually I am half Brit myself, my father coming from Chipping Camden.)
6:14 AM
@ yuri:
Why do you insist on drawing equivalences where they don't exist? Because doing otherwise would be "discriminatory"? (You see, I actually am an American, and this America is not just some piece of real estate, so yes, I feel connected to other Americans.)
There's no point in being 'proud' of anything you didn't accomplish yourself.
You use this as a point to curse my patriotism, yet heckling America is okay? The ways of America are not the ways of the world; same with the ways of the European Union. Therefore, this sort of "detachment" simply isn't realistic.
If you [equally acknowledge the good and bad acts of your country], the USA [and most other states as well, for that matter] don't look so good anymore.
No, that means your country isn't Utopia. Do not compare countries to hypothetical perfection.
It feels like I should feel somehow 'connected' to all people with blue eyes, or blonde hair. Doesn't make any more sense to me.
America is not a blood-and-soil concept. How else do you think we can handle all these immigrants?
//
Look, I know that American patriotism is seen by the elite set as evil. But remember this: not everyone in the world thinks as we Anglophones* do -- hell, between Anglophones, we don't think alike or see the world the same way.
* I would say "Americans," but I'm pretty certain that a good number of the users here are not.
P.S.: Peter, I'm not here to troll your site, nor am I going to start talking crap about Japan to prove my 100% AMERICANNESS. I just needed to respond to this idea that Americans are horrible, horrible people because we see our country as worth celebrating.
8:17 AM
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9:24 AM
I have to say that Yuri did a very good job in covering what I wanted to say. Arigatou.
@rawle:
No one here intends to offend you or Americans in general. I have been to the U.S. as an exchange student for about a month last year and I liked the people as well as the country. I can also see what great achievements America had in the past and find it reasonably for people to embrace these good parts. Still, I think it can get quite dangerous and peace-threatening if people think only in categories of countries, religions, race or whatever else there is, and tend to prefer being a part of those rather than being independent individuals. Because, as a person who knows about the German history, I know where those priorities can lead to in the worst case.
Sorry @ Peter for having caused all this. Keep up the good work! I really thought that Japanese people were more patriotic, having in mind the kind of history books they use in school...
9:28 AM
@Rawle: "Why do you insist on drawing equivalences where they don't exist?"
Well, to my mind, country borders are pretty much arbitrary, human-induced things that mean nothing... of course they sort of make you part of a culture. However, even that is to no extent a personal choice [unless you really choose to migrate somewhere in particular].
"You use this as a point to curse my patriotism, yet heckling America is okay?"
Just when exactly did I write this?
"America is not a blood-and-soil concept. How else do you think we can handle all these immigrants?"
It was an EXAMPLE of something that I have coincidentally acquired by birth that other people share as well, JUST LIKE MY NATIONATILITY. Thus, being SIMILARY RANDOM as nationality. It was in no way supposed to say that it has anything to do with genetics.
Perhaps I didn't get my point across correctly in that case.
"Look, I know that American patriotism is seen by the elite set as evil."
Apparently, you must have misunderstood me all over. I don't think it's "evil" [nor am I part of any sort of "elite"], I only find it pointless.
I get the impression you're feeling too easily attacked personally just because someone opposes your world view.
@Otacon: Dou itashimashite~
3:20 PM
"Inu, interesting comment. One thing to note is that almost no one in japan is from this extreme right wing, they're just the fringe of the fringe."
@pete - Ah yes i must have gotten confused somewhere along the line..the "red base" and "blue base" analogy was probably erroneous then since..as you said the nationalistic flair is different there, its less about having different nationalistic values and more about how those who happen to be nationalistic express it.
@Nollving - Both the blue parties, and red parties are not perfect, nobody can deny that..they both have their flaws. However in this day and age, every like minded person knows that being a democrat is atleast going in the interests of the world in a positive way.
Whereas the hard lining republicans are all about saying no to anything democrats put out, having poliical scandal every other week, and prefer to be war mongers who consider themselves higher than every other country because of their war power or supposed "moral standing". With the GOP's 20% approval rating at the moment, even i shouldn't have to tell you right now, the democrats and moderates are the best chance..we had the other side of the coin as the face of America for 8 years and we know how it turned out, time to turn the page.
8:19 PM
@ yuri
Then let us agree to disagree, as Otacon has. If this continues, someone's gonna call someone "Hitler." No point sniping at each other like this.
9:42 PM
@Rawle: Agreed.
9:56 PM
Actually, it's the same here in Sweden, since being a patriot here = racism...unfortunately. If you ever see anyone with a Swedish flag you can be pretty sure that the person isn't foreigner-friendly. It's a shame, we should all be able to be proud of our countries, without being accused of being racists etc.
8:39 PM
I'm not sure about Katherine's experiences, but mine are a little different.
The BNP (and, before them, the National Front), football hooligans, and skinheads in general made the English flag (cross of St George - red, axis-aligned, on a white background) and, to a lesser extent, the Union Jack unacceptable throughout the '80s.
In the mid-'90s, with Cool Brittania - bands like Oasis and Blur garnering international fame - the Union Jack became acceptable as a symbol of Britain - along with "Big Ben" and red double-decker busses. Tourists bought souvenirs covered in them. Billie Piper wore a flag t-shirt on Doctor Who.
More recently, particularly '04/'05 onwards, there's been a push to legitimise St George's day (April 23rd) as something worthwhile. It's come from the pubs and breweries, along with sporting successes, and people are starting to feel that maybe it's nothing to be ashamed of. I concur.
Let's hope that Peter's "lag" theory is right and that Japan soon starts to reclaim its national identity in the same way...
4:53 AM
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