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FOREWORD

Michael H. Armacost, President of the Brookings Institution

Ask a Japanese in English to tell you what is special about his or her country, or what' values Japan should share with the world, and he or she may parry the question or express a measure of diffidence. She might suggest the tea ceremony; he might mention diligence or "fighting spirit." Typically Japanese seem uncomfortable explaining their society to outsiders.

Yet it takes little more than a few hours in Japan to recognize this country's special qualities. It is unique not for being an economic powerhouse, which is well known, but in its mood of endeavor, perseverance, and commitment to excellence that is reflected in its approach to business, arts, and sports, as well as its quest for a humane and harmonious society.

What is it about the country that sustains so many traditional arts and crafts? Judo and aikido as well as tea ceremony and Zen meditation, kendo as well as go, Kabuki as well as Noh, ikebana as well as bonsai. A country whose symbol is the immortal Mount Fuji, yet one that prizes ephemeral beauty above all, whether it be in the cherry blossom, the swing of a baseball bat, the vivid impressions of haiku or tartka, the morning dew, or the collision of two sumo giants.

The Japanese people's energy is relentless, yet it is matched by their reverence for delicacy, whether in traditional homes made of paper and wood, in woodblock prints, or in lighter-than-air melodies on traditional instruments like the shamisen and koto.

Ask a Japanese in Japanese what is special about Japan, and he or she will feel much more confident—not least because the language welcomes ambiguity of expression. They are likely to refer to gimu, giri, or wa: duty, responsibility, or cooperation and consideration of others. These treasured values help explain why Japanese streets are so safe, why poverty and social conflicts are relatively rare. At the same time, they also highlight the difficulties the Japanese have sometimes had in coming to grips with the outside world.

This book is designed to help break down Japan's isolation which, while providing the fertile ground for the development of a singular culture, has also complicated its relationships with neighbors, near and more distant.

To live in Japan and observe this society firsthand is to realize that criticisms of Japan are often exaggerated. This nation widely regarded as insular is looking outward, as it has many times in the past. Japanese not only listen to foreign criticisms, but make some of their own, both of their own country and foreign ones too. More and more, the average Japanese supports openness in the economy and genuine cooperation with foreign countries. The word "internationalization," which has caught the fancy of scholars here, has come to embrace all kinds of measures to widen horizons and expand contacts.

There is a much greater effort to try to balance relations with the world, to reach out as well as to take in, Japan is striving to become an import superpower as well as an export titan. This push for balance extends beyond the economic arena. For example, Japan plans to increase dramatically the number of foreign exchange students coming to the archipelago. Moreover, Japan is trying to export its technology as extensively as Japanese companies have absorbed it from abroad. Even on a personal level, it appears that Japanese are striving for greater balance in their lives. Young Japanese are more assertive, more concerned about the quality of family life, and less willing to devote their energies and attention so singlemindedly to their jobs.

Similarly, as the domestic attitude of Japanese changes, so does that of their government, I applaud the Japanese government's desire to be more assertive internationally, and its willingness to begin sharing the political risks as well as the financial costs of international cooperation. The Japanese are merging their self-reliant and harmonious domestic traditions with the universal values of freedom and democracy so that they can confidently play a proper leading role in crafting a peaceful world society.

Boat on the Katsura River, Arashiyama, Kyoto.

A VARIETY OF LANDSCAPE AND CLIMATE

The Japanese archipelago stretches from approximately the 20th to the 45th parallels, comparable to the distance from Cuba to Nova Scotia. With the completion of the 34-mile Seikan Tunnel between Hokkaido and Honshu in 1985 and the 5.6-mile Seto-Ohashi Bridge between Shikoku and Honshu in 1988, the four main islands of Japan became linked by surface transportation.

Largest of these islands is Honshu. With the most temperate climate and the most arable land, Honshu provides three-quarters of Japan's annual rice yield. Honshu has long been the stage for Japan's historical and cultural development, being the site of the ancient capitals of Nara, Kyoto, and Kamakura, as well as Tokyo, the present center of government and business.

With its frigid climate, the northern island of Hok-kaido was the last to be settled, although it was, and remains, home to the indigenous Caucasoid people called Ainu. The Japanese seriously began to colonize Hokkaido only after Russia appeared as a threat in 1860 when Vladivostok was settled. Hokkaido today remains far less populated than the other main islands, and is the only part of Japan with broad vistas of pastureland. As well as scenic beauty, the island is rich in minerals, containing all of Japan's mercury and chrome, three-quarters of its natural gas, and half of its coal.

The westernmost main island of Kyushu has historically been the conduit for influences from abroad, in ancient times from China and Korea, more recently from the West. Mongol armadas attempting to invade Kyushu in the 13th century were blown back by fierce winds that the Japanese called kamikaze, literally "divine winds." During a period of self-imposed isolation, from the mid-17th to the mid-19th centuries, Japan restricted foreign traders to Nagasaki, which became the country's window on the outside world. Known for its beautiful coastline and abundant natural hot springs, Kyushu is also the location of Mount Aso, one of Japan's most active volcanoes.

The smallest of the main islands, Shikoku, lies south of western Honshu, across the Inland Sea. This broad waterway, actually five separate seas linked by channels, stretches more than 300 miles and contains more than 600 small islands. Shikoku is noted for its pilgrimage route to 88 temples associated with Kukai, founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. Over 100,000 people visit Shikoku annually to make this pilgrimage.

To the southwest of Kyushu lie the tropical Ryukyu Islands, of which Okinawa is best known. Another group of islands, the Ogasawara Islands, extends due south of central Honshu and includes the southernmost point of Japan, the island of Okinotorishima.

Japan's nearly 17,000 miles of coastline include navigable gulfs and bays as well as rugged and majestic stretches, such as Iwate Prefecture's Rikuchu coast.