Modern Japan: Origins of the Mind

The book takes a fresh look at modern Japan, and does not treat the Japanese as enigmatic or mysterious people; their ways of thinking and their culture can be explained by an honest appraisal of their history and of the norms that have shaped this history. This book not only reveals the mentality and national character of modern Japanese people but also attempts to explore and analyze the roots of their mannerisms. Everyone knows that the Japanese are generally more polite than other nationalities, but why is this so? Why do they embrace a relaxed attitude when being served by others? Surely, there must be specific reasons to account for these observations. Delving into the social values of the Japanese, why do they value loyalty and commitment so much? How long have they been upholding these virtues? Why, when interrogated by the police, even without being beaten or tortured, do they easily confess guilt for crimes that they have not committed? What are the reasons for such behaviors? All these questions and more are answered in this engaging and illuminating book.

Contents:

• The Outside World and Japanese Creativity
• Perception of the World and Nature
• Everything Has Its Own Kata
• How They Do It
• Cultural Rituality and Group Behavior
• Japanese Service: Simply the Best
• Motives and Consequences of Incredible Service
• Wildlife: Natural and Cultivated
• Educational Values
• Reluctant Workaholics
• The Unpretentious Joy of Being a Group Member
• Humans Judging Humans
• Enacting Law and Justice
• Preventing Crime and Educating People
• Romanticizing Suicide
• Body Language

Readership: People — such as business people, workers in the hospitality and tourism industries, educators, tourists and governmental officials who regularly interact with the Japanese.
Key Features:

• Written by an experienced scholar, with an MA in Japanese linguistics and a PhD in Japanese history, who has studied the Japanese language and culture for 39 years
• Targeted at general audience and the language is accessible to all adult readers
• Consists of numerous examples from modern Japanese life to illustrate the “power influence” of national traditions