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A question: How did the Japanese get over their hurt pride after WWII to become a great nation?

What is it that made the Japanese get over (not as in forget, as it is an unforgettable event for humans) Hiroshima/Nagasaki and become partners with the US within a few decades?

Any good book recommendation on this, to understand the Japanese point-of-view?

boca;588396A question: How did the Japanese get over their hurt pride after WWII to become a great nation?

What is it that made the Japanese get over (not as in forget, as it is an unforgettable event for humans) Hiroshima/Nagasaki and become partners with the US within a few decades?

Any good book recommendation on this, to understand the Japanese point-of-view?

from wiki...
[QUOTE]According to John Dower, in his book Cultures of War, the factors behind the success of the occupation were:
[INDENT] Discipline, moral legitimacy, well-defined and well-articulated objectives, a clear chain of command, tolerance and flexibility in policy formulation and implementation, confidence in the ability of the state to act constructively, the ability to operate abroad free of partisan politics back home, and the existence of a stable, resilient, sophisticated civil society on the receiving end of occupation policies – these political and civic virtues helped make it possible to move decisively during the brief window of a few years when defeated Japan itself was in flux and most receptive to radical change.[SUP][3][/SUP]
[/INDENT]

okonomi;588421from wiki...

so it was summed up as "and the existence of a stable, resilient, sophisticated civil society on the receiving end of occupation policies."

stable and resilient - I don't know how that may play with hurt pride. If anything, the resiliency might boost pride and resistance to occupation and the "sophistication" would help plan the resistance.

A few books I have read, during the earlier days, foreigners (those that sought commerce from the western world) were looked down upon as barbarians, not sophisticated as themselves. If that was the attitude of the Japanese prior to 20th century towards westerners, how would such attitude change to accept being occupied/ruled by US? They seem easy to give up/resign?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_Japan
[QUOTE]The phrase "shikata ga nai", or "nothing can be done about it," was commonly used in both Japanese and American press to encapsulate the Japanese public's resignation to the harsh conditions endured while under occupation.

Am curious to know about the pragmatic side of Japanese people....

Shi kata ga nai -- is also a phrase used by kaishyain (kaishya=company, and 'in=suffix for person), viz. "company employee" when s/he finds policies personally unpalatable.

There is a right wing political party that would (now and then) yell and scream in support for behaving differently as a country - and get a new constitution that establishes Japan as a sovereign nation once again.....i.e., make bombs as a deterrent to the other big power that is not too far away from the shores. History is quoted for how many times the chinese dynasties wanted to invade the islands and how the weather in the sea of Japan prevented the chinese sailing vessels from getting to the shores. Kami=God kaz?inds was supposed to have stopped the ships from coming ashore.

This right wing party flies the prewar Japan flag, and talks a lot on a few Radio Stations. They may even have a Rush Limbaugh of their own. :)

Japanese believe in karma, astrology, palmistry and doing one's duty with as much perfection as one can muster. The dead housewife getting up to make a stirfry dish (movie Tampopo) for her family, and then re-die is not all that inaccurate.

The "mikoshi" is an ornate palanquin, that is brought out (usually once a year) of the temple, or storage, to carry the diety of a festival in a procession through the city/town. Quite a lot of gold filigree (on wood) is done on the palanquin. The palanquin (less ornate versions) was also the traditional conveyance of noble women in old kingdoms. Some mikoshi's would have only one side (front) open, while others may have screens on all sides that may be rolled up to let people view what was in it.

The first time I went to the Kanamara Matsuri (matsuri = festival) I was thoroughly amused when I saw the apparition of the diety in the mikoshi. And the lines of men, one on each side of the palanquin, all loin-cloth-clad, walking on the toes of their Tabi, shouting-out the praise of their diety, carrying the thing along the street, is a fun sight to behold. A couple of serious looking priests, in full regalia of their shrine, shiny top-hat and everything, were waving some thick incense producing sticks at the diety. Fun.. fun ... fun.
[URL="http://www.r2iclubforums.com/forums/showthread.php/34992-Admin-Member-Communications-AMC?p=589617#post589617"]
That recent AMC discussion on the phallus made me think of this festival[/URL]. Kanamara matsuri is not all that much of a rage* within Japan. However, foreigners who come to Japan in Spring time (usually for the cherry blossoms festival in Tokyo), ask about how to get to Kawasaki city (Yes... the same as the motorcycle) for the Kanamara. The local hotel concierge folks has had such a lot of this inquiry that it is not even smirk-worthy anymore.

*There is the old wives tale about how when couple have trouble conceiving, going to the festival, and buying a Talisman from the shrine would get them on the family way... right away.

Kanamara festival collects a lot of money, selling souvenirs to foreigners, phallus-key-chain is a common one, and directs the money at HIV-AIDS research.

P.S. I am happy that wikipedia is not asking for donations anymore. They must've collected enough during the Dec 2014 holiday season, so as to keep going.... :thup:

Happy Hina Matsuri! (Girls Day or Japanese Kolu/Navratri)

We have only the top two dolls. We display the emperor on the right hand side of the empress. Just to send a subtle message to the visitors. The Madrasi sundal (with garbanzo beans and peas) is always a big hit with the girls. It is a cute sight to see little ones in kimono picking off the garbanzo one at a time using a pair of chopsticks, and taking it to the mouth.

At the end of the Hina Matsuri week, there is the White Day --on March 14th, when boys are supposed to buy gifts for the girls who had given them gifts for the valentine's day of Feb 14th.

A new national resident card and number system is underway for Japan.... started out in 4Q last year with some hiccups. Now people who have received the non-photo card are given the option to go and get a photo card at their local municipal locations. Previously residents of a municipality were on the municipality's records, and there was no national coordination of such records. Now everybody has got a 12 digit number. The local FATCA and FBAR compliance would be based on that number. Older people are nervous about the various "big brother" scares, as well as ID-theft scares.

The local FBAR compliance is another new thing; however, it is only for those who had lived abroad, and left un-closed bank accounts in those countries.

Oko, I wanted to know few times but never tried, may be veteran members know about it, you seem to have long number of posts so I presume so.


Are you actually from Japan and living in US? So you are actually going to deal with R2J but not R2I? May I know how and why you are interested in this forum and how it helps your R2J or is it your interest in R2HOME (whereever it is)?


Please don’t take it wrong, I know it’s public forum anyone can join it or leave it, but this is out of sheer curiosity :-)

WglVanitha;625304Oko, I wanted to know few times but never tried, may be veteran members know about it, you seem to have long number of posts so I presume so.

Are you actually from Japan and living in US? So you are actually going to deal with R2J but not R2I? May I know how and why you are interested in this forum and how it helps your R2J or is it your interest in R2HOME (whereever it is)?

Please don’t take it wrong, I know it’s public forum anyone can join it or leave it, but this is out of sheer curiosity :-)

Not at all. Feel free to speculate and triangulate. Here is a good starting point: http://www.r2iclubforums.com/forums/...710#post366710