\[I apologize if this is the wrong subreddit to post in\]
I’m trying to collect responses about people’s (hopefully Japanese) perspectives regarding this topic. I do not mean to be rude/inconsiderate by bringing up this sensitive topic, but this is merely for research purposes for my graduation thesis.
So to expand upon my question further, why is it that the Japanese (especially the youths) have become so fascinated/in awe of the U.S., despite the destruction the U.S. inflicted on them during WWII?
I understand the perspective that living in the past won’t change anything, but I’ve never heard any active steps taken by the U.S. itself to prevent such a fatal tragedy from occurring once again/the use of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile Japan is the one who’s taken the stance of ‘a peace promoting country’.
I find it a bit disturbing that the U.S. has never once expressed regret (as far as I know, correct me if I am wrong, please) regarding what happened in Hiroshima/Nagasaki and the catastrophic aftermath that ensued.
I hope to hear what you guys think, thank you very much.
3 comments
Look up the US occupation of Japan.
Also, most young people don’t have strong emotional ties to what happened in WWII.
Big part of it is the economy and diplomacy. Ever wonder why baseball is so popular in Japan?
Westernization happens when a country is exposed to western culture and imports. Most people didn’t even care about Christmas until kfc had a massive advertising campaign.
The ww2 thing is kinda silly, its been so long nobody today has met the relatives lost to the nukes so and there’s not much anti western propaganda like in Europe.
The u.s will never apologize for what they did because they believe that what they did was justified – retaliation for pearl harbour
Even though pearl harbour only held military personnel and 長崎 and 広島 had thousands of innocent people.
That’s not the case. why do some people believe Japan was only Westernized after WWII?
The westernization began with the Meiji Restoration, owing to the fact that Japan was already so westernized in the late 1800s, “Datsu-A Ron,” an ideology at the time of the Meiji Restoration, many people believed Japan should differentiate itself from the rest of Asia and be considered as a “western nation,” and we can say it was pretty much the truth when politically Japan was a fully westernized superpower from the late 1800s to the end of WW2, and played a leading role in the “Eight nation alliance“ invasion of China. Japan was, and continues to be seen by neighboring Asian countries as a “(political)western power” and the only “real” developed nation of Asia.
After WWII, the US occupation had more political and military influences than cultural influences. WWII did not result in much westernization. when Japan has already been considered a westernized country for almost a century.
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Some people mention baseball and Christmas in the comment, which are both very misleading. Baseball was initially introduced to Japan as a school activity in 1872 and gained popularity in the early 1900s (1904-1920), indicating that it was something from the Meiji restoration period and had nothing to do with WW2.
Also, the kfc thing was grossly exaggerated by the media in order for that “strange Japan/only in Japan” type of thing to catch the attention of people in western countries, but it’s really just a marketing thing, some people in Japan do eat kfc during the Christmas season, but it was never truly a “national” thing by any means.
>Christmas was first introduced to Japan during the Sengoku period, or the “Warring States Period” (15th – 17th century). This was a time of social upheaval among Japanese warlords. The missionary Francis Xavier introduced Christianity to Japan. The first Christmas service was held in 1552 and to honor the holiday spirit, donations were given to the less privileged farmers. The Tokugawa Shogunate was a new era of isolation to Japan that led to widespread persecution of Christians for fear that they might attempt to overthrow the new government. This resulted in the crucifixion of 26 Christians and the outward disappearance of public practice of the Christian faith……
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>……The Meiji Restoration restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Christianity was again allowed in Japan in 1873. Christianity at the time meant large lavish parties for visiting foreigners. Santa Claus was introduced a year later.Japanese department stores began putting up Christmas trees in 1904 and a few years later, stores began selling Christmas cakes. By the 1930s, the Christmas shopping season was a much anticipated event.
Yes, Christmas was already a thing in the 17th century and became more culturally influential during the Meiji restoration, and Christmas cake were being sold by department stores (still today) from 1904, that’s decades before WWII and KFC entering the Japanese market, so saying nobody cared about Christmas before KFC is completely false. The real Christmas traditions in Japan that have lasted to this day include Christmas decoration (illumination and charismas trees) in commercial areas and department stores, as well as the Christmas cake. Not KFC.
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So, once again, actual westernization, including baseball and Christmas, occurred mostly after the Meiji restoration. not WWII.