1 definition by Gabriel the Hun
A country on the Northern Hemisphere, located in the Eastest end of the Far East, with about 130 million residents. Like most modern societies, Japan's struggles with its population getting too old, people of high age dominating demographics. The way they solve it can be a guide for now developing countries.
In the past Japan was influenced by China mainly, and since Perry's black ships in the 1850s, there was a growing pressure on the country to match Western customs and expectations, which may have peaked in the decades that followed World War II.
Still its culture's pretty unique, different from even Chinese in many aspects, as Ruth Benedict explained carefully in The Chrysanthemum and The Sword. It's dominated by shame, as opposed to Western cultures which are guided by sin. That is, while before doing something a Westerner would ask himself "Does this make me sin?", a Japanese rather asks "Will other people think this shames me?" This is also why they are so group-centric.
In the past Japan was influenced by China mainly, and since Perry's black ships in the 1850s, there was a growing pressure on the country to match Western customs and expectations, which may have peaked in the decades that followed World War II.
Still its culture's pretty unique, different from even Chinese in many aspects, as Ruth Benedict explained carefully in The Chrysanthemum and The Sword. It's dominated by shame, as opposed to Western cultures which are guided by sin. That is, while before doing something a Westerner would ask himself "Does this make me sin?", a Japanese rather asks "Will other people think this shames me?" This is also why they are so group-centric.
Japan is an island country in East Asia, located in the Pacific Ocean.
The economic miracle achieved by Japan in the second half of the 20th country was the envy of the rest of the world.
The economic miracle achieved by Japan in the second half of the 20th country was the envy of the rest of the world.
by Gabriel the Hun October 14, 2007