Japan and Marxism

In reading Shakespeare's Hamlet, our English class has used a number of critical lenses through which the book can be read. One of them is a Marxist lens. Therefore, today we will look at Marxism and Japan, in timeline format since the end of WWII. See here for more detail.:

Pre-WWII- Japan rapidly develops and passes through the main stages of industrialization

1955-1973- Japan experiences an economic miracle, seeming to indicate capitalism might be the better choice

1973- Japan's Marxist party has significant power in the Diet- it's able to frustrate the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, hold a significant share of seats, and prevent the LDP from rolling through legislation that could've kept the LDP in power indefinitely.

1970s-1980s- Japan shifts to robotics and other high tech industries to avoid trade friction, leaving capital accumulated among the upper classes, translating into starkly little welfare services for Japan's poor

1980s-present- Japan continues to "lose" decades, throwing into question more it's relationship with the US than it's fundamental economics

A marxist reading of Japan would argue that its rapid development probably means it has been ready for a socialist revolution for some time, even as capitalist forces maintain power. It seems as if a capitalist reading would be much more informative, as Japan has been so committed to that system, understanding shortcomings in terms of how they can be fixed instead of why they're inevitable is probably more valuable.

Japan and Valentine's

Will you be mine?

If this were a normal blog, that question would be unsustainable, since I would have too many readers to fulfill the requisite Valentine's Day rites for all of them. However, since there probably are fewer than 15 people who will see this post, and half of them will reject me, I'd only have to buy Valentine's goodies for around 7 people. Does that seem like a lot? Well in Japan, it's the way it goes.

Japanese Valentine's Day customs might seem strange to Americans. In Japan, women are obligated to buy the men in their lives (that's right men, as in lover(s?), family, coworkers, etc.) chocolates. There are even different classes of gifts, luxurious chocolates for the lovers, and less extravagant chocolate for obligatory recipients, like coworkers. From a young age, girls are encouraged to participate and buy goodies for all of the boys in their lives. As they grow older, their mothers stop shopping for them, and they have to make the purchases themselves. Not surprisingly, in high school the number of chocolates one receives becomes a measure of popularity. It's not clear whether this is a sick plot to stage a popularity coup d'etat, by fattening the queen bee.

The whole thing is a commercial affair. Chocolatemakers make huge profits. Other companies, realizing this, decided that they should design a second day to make money off of obligation, I mean love. Accordingly, in the 1980's White Day was created. It started off as a chance for men to reciprocate, but it has gone far past that, as women expect their lovers to buy them clothes and jewelry. The holiday has grown past its purely commercial dimension to have some real meaning in Japan, but it's unlikely any clothes or jewelry companies are complaining.

It seems like Japan's version of this "holiday" would be fun to celebrate. Today, instead of watching people in relationships exchange chocolate and gifts, I would be receiving gifts from all the ladies I know, not just because I'm a lady killer, but also because there are girls who casually know me. The real benefit of Japan's Valentine's/White Days, from the single man's perspective, is that since I'm not in a big-deal relationship, my costs on White Day would be much lower than the average girl's. Although this is an awfully selfish approach to love, since either culture celebrates love, it seems fair to figure out how to get the best deal out of it. (Kidding, kind of)

Even though Japan's Valentine's customs might seem slightly bizarre, it's probably important keep our cultural criticism relative. After all, America is the land of Hallmark holidays. Multiple affairs, whether Valentine's, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Secretary's Day, etc., all exist for almost the sole purpose of allowing companies to make money selling cards and gifts. I have decided to protest them all by never participating. My family doesn't approve. Neither does my secretary. Japan has taken note of this most capitalist of trends, and even one-upped us. We have Valentine's Day, but Japan's White Day doubles the love, and profits. Thank-you-for-the-Valentine's Day-gift gift anyone?

Japan and Hamlet

In English class, we recently started reading Hamlet. Although I can't confirm it, as I today attended my fourth day of class on the beginning of the third week of the semester, I hear it's a decent story. In spite of not having discussed it with peers, I can surmise some of the themes of the play from reading articles about how Hamlet has played in Japan. These themes include corruption, inaction, and duty. Interestingly, these themes have found good reception in postwar Japan, as they relate to the character of Japanese society in light of defeat, rebuilding, and integration into the Western economic system.

In an article about a staging of the show in the 1980's, back when Japan was still relevant to something (joke?), the author discusses the adaptations the playwright made to the show. They include making Shakespeare's story into a play within a play, with an added beginning an ending. The beginning shows a defeated soldier coming home from war and being integrated into his family's acting troupe, which is performing Hamlet, as a lead and highly symbolic character. The rising status of the family and its society becomes clear even as they continue to perform the show, as their outfits become increasingly expensive as Japan redevelops and becomes an economic power. The question posed by the show thereby comes to question the value of this wealth in light of the cultural loss resultant from US influence and reconstruction. This pairs well with the themes of the play. As the article says:

The issues Shakespeare raises - of inaction, resolve, morality, corruption and duty - are those Mr. Fukada applies to Japan today. What is postwar Japan, the production seemed to ask, and where is it headed? The director does not supply any handy answers, but he asks the questions in a pointed way. Hamlet's famous soliloquy, ''To be or not to be,'' is often translated in Japanese as ''To live or die.'' In the translation prepared for this production, the phrase becomes, ''Should we go on as we are?''

The adaptation ends with a reincarnated Hamlet asking the audience if they should "go on as they are," aiming to shake the Japanese of their cultural complacency. Japanese are still struggling with their identity today, both relative to WWII and current military resurgence and in a racial sense. I'm not sure Hamlet helps with the latter, but it certainly provokes questions about the former.

The history of Shakespeare in Japan is also interesting. I will be severely abridging a very complete version of the story.

When Japan was opened by Commodore Perry in the mid-1800's, it led to the introduction of the English language, and English language culture. Shakespeare, of course, is a hallmark of that culture. As the article linked to above explains:

Shakespeare arrived in Japan as part of a flood of Western culture, explaining why Japanese responses to Shakespeare in general, and Hamlet in particular (the play which seemed to afford the best window into the Western mind), have, in complex ways, been bound up with larger questions of national self-identity and Japan's relationship to the West. From the start, Japan's attitude to the West was ambivalent: both fearful and emulative.

Hamlet plays into that history and culture. The play itself has come to speak to the relationship between East, West, and Japan both before and after WWII, as it symbolizes an internal conflict to be true to one's better self, and act accordingly. It's a struggle we all face, but I'd imagine it's harder after you're culturally occupied.