Modern Japan

 

Nationalism and Internationalism

• Political protest drops to minimal levels from regular people and intelligentsia
• End of the Vietnam war
• First recession - mostly due to fuel prices and OPEC
• Continued problems with Russia over disputed islands
• Okinawa returned to Japanese sovereignty
• Yukio Mishima (1925-1970)

The "Economic Miracle"

• Ruled by a single political party
  • strength and stability allowed economic steadiness
• Extensive govt and US investment in production
• Labor Relations
• Manufacturing Automation
• GNP growth twice that of nearest competitor, US
• US encouraged growth as opposition to communist China, but chafed at their success

The Lost Decade

• Heavy speculation
• Overinflated land values/Low interest rates = credit cheap and available
• 1989 - Nikkei had highest index ever (39,000)
• 1991 - Nikkei dives (15,000) and the bubble bursts
• Labor markets change, as old workers are protected but younger ones are not
• Sound familiar?

1995

• Great Hanshin Earthquake
• AUM subway gassing

Outside Sources

Asanuma assasinated

Mishima on Japanese Culture

Mishima on nationalism

Mishima's last moment

Traditional vs. Modern Japan

Japanese Nationalists

2001 article

Earthquake footage