mytest
–HI BLOG. FORWARDING A THOUGHTFUL POST FROM “THE COMMUNITY” MAILING LIST. AUTHOR IS MATT DIOGUARDI. DEBITO IN SAPPORO
On Feb 28, 2007, at 1:12 PM, Kirk Masden wrote:
I don’t know if Abe will be made to regret it but he should be.
Abe’s defense strikes me as more problematic than the original
gaff. Abe is equating homogeneity with getting along well. By this
logic, diversity (more foreigners in Japan, etc) leads to acrimony.
It also implies that whatever peace and good human relations have
characterized Japan thus far have been in spite of minorities such as
Ainu, Okinawans, Koreans, etc. This is a very problematic way for
Japan’s leader to defend a remark.
[Education Minister] Bunmei Ibuki’s comments continue to trouble me.
Some things to think about:
1. I’ve found at least two places where Ibuki specifically basically
says, “though there are exceptions such as the Ainu and the Zainichi
people, Japan is fundamentally, one ethnos, one culture, one ethnic
rulership, one language, one belief system” (As Kirk says above, this
is a very exclusivist attitude. He’s basically *excluding* the Ainu
and the Zainichi from participation in the successes of Japanese
rulership, culture, language, and beliefs.)
2. Ibuki also states in more than one place, practically like a
refrain, that because of the post-war constitution and Fundamental
Law of Education are western they emphasize rights over duty, private
over public. This is one reason why Japanese society is falling into
decadence. The examples given again and again are Livedoor and
Murakami funds. Ibuki will say, of course, rights and privacy are
very important, *but* … then he launchs into the problems they cause.
3. The solution suggested is to revise the constitution and the
Fundamental Law of Education to include more values of the Japanese
ethnos.
Has this not already happened somewhat? Article 2 of the Fundamental
Law of Education has been revised from what was previously an
emphasis on individuality and personal development, to a list of
values that perhaps are intended to reflect the values of the
Japanese ethnos.
So because there is a *perceived* majority, and the *perception* that
the *perceived* majority have certain supposedly *shared* values,
those values must now be imposed on *everyone*?
Good grief!
The one positive element here, is that I am gradually finding very
active and vocal Japanese citizens on the net who see through all
this nonsense. But so far not enough to stop the steamroller …
This is a really terrible price to have to pay for Koizumi’s economic
reforms.
As far as Ibuki’s statements I’ve been blogging some of them here:
http://japan.shadowofiris.com/education/the-ibuki-manifesto/
http://japan.shadowofiris.com/education/education-minister-calls-america-an-artificial-country/
Best,
Matt Dioguardi
ENDS
1 comment on “More on Ibuki “butter” Bunmei from Matt Dioguardi”
–REPLY FROM KIRK MASDEN ON THOUGHT STRANDS RUNNING THROUGH IBUKI’S IDEOLOGY. DEBITO
Hi!
I enjoyed reading Matt’s March 14 post
http://japan.shadowofiris.com/
and thinking about Ibuki’s statement that America is an
“artificial” (_jinkouteki_) nation. This is interesting to think
about because of the values and thought processes that it implies.
I’d like to point out, though, that it is not new. I believe I ran
across it in the old Japanese version of the Fukuzawa list. So, it’s
my impression that it is a common notion in conservative circles in
Japan and not unique to Ibuki.
First, the objective reality that the statement refers to is the
extent to which the US is (and Japan is not) a “nation of
immigrants.” But, of course, calling the the U.S. an “artificial”
nation is not an objective statement. It is a normative one that
implies that there is something “unnatural” and hence undesirable
about the way the U.S. is put together.
“Artificial” in Japanese is made up of two characters: one meaning
“human being” and the other meaning “constructed.” Thus,
“artificial” is literally “man-made.” Now, if Japanese society is
not “man-made” then perhaps we should think about who made it. Does
the assertion that Japan is not a “man-made” nation imply that it is
“god-made”?
Historical research points to the “man-made” nature of nation states
all over the world. The notion that Japan is not “man-made” may be
evidence that reverence for the mythical origins of this country is
still alive, at least at a sub- or semi-conscious level.
Another issue to ponder is the sense in which homogeneity is
“natural” and diversity is “artificial” or “unnatural.” Does
“natural” (the state why may assume to be the antithesis of
“jinkoteki” or “artificial”) mean leaving human beings to behave as
they see fit? If so, it would seem fairly easy to point to
situations in which human beings “naturally” elected to form diverse
societies or cross ethnic boundaries. Conversely, “man-made” means
are often required to prevent ethnic groups from co-mingling. In the
Edo period “sakoku” was an “artificial” means employed to control the
natural impulse of human beings to travel. In modern times, how can
one argue implementing laws preventing immigration and thus
preserving relative homogeneity is more “natural” than allowing human
beings to move freely?
Perhaps it is thought that laws are needed to prevent “unnatural”
acts. The U.S. has a history of anti-miscegenation laws. It was
thought that it was “unnatural” for persons of different “races” to
marry. Is the U.S. an “artifical” nation in the sense that it has
not followed the “natural” path of segregation by race?
The more one thinks about it, the more problematic the notion that
diversity is “artificial” and homogeneity is “natural” becomes. I
doubt, however, that many conservative Japanese have even considered
the implications of this “artificial” vs. “natural” creed; to most of
them, I think that the validity of the “US is artificial” statement
is too obvious to even warrant consideration.
Finally, I think there are important connections between the “US =
artificial” thought process and other statements Ibuki and has made
but I’ll save comments on those connections for later.
Kirk Masden
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