3. Tension and tense: Japan and Japanese

By SHIN-ICHI TERASHIMA

For Westerners, things that happened in the past indeed happened in the past, and the future is undoubtedly the future.  This is not true for the Japanese, however, due to the ambiguity of Japanese grammar; Their language cannot make exact sentences in past or future tenses.  In which case, things happen in this country that are simply incomprehensible to Westerners.

The Japanese write about the past in the real (present) tense, and their ideas about the past are inevitably disturbed by their notions of reality. For the Japanese, it is much too confusing to think about things, future or past, from the realm of the concrete present.  Moreover, without unambiguous sentences, it is difficult to think clearly and logically.  Consequently, the Japanese opt neither to learn from the past analytically, nor prepare for the future systematically with all the disenabling consequences that that has for nurturing successful higher education in this country.  As a result, forgetting the past is seen in Japan as a virtue, while lack of preparation for tomorrow is a traditional and fashionable Japanese attitude.

Furthermore, the Japanese are neither conscious of their will, nor aware of the will of others, let alone God's will.  Here, thinking based on "yononaka wa," or the "good of society," replaces one's will or ideas.  Basing one's thinking on the "ideal collective" grants an individual autonomy (a disorganized status), which means they are not under the control of a leader.  When ignoring the will of the leader, people usually say that they have interpreted the leader's will for themselves.  Thus, Japanese leaders have no power to impose their own will, and forever suffer from a sense of inability to communicate their ideas to subordinates.  Thus and so, it seems only natural that the Japanese worry that terrible events from the past will be repeated.  Grasping one's will is the premise for effective leadership.  With this in mind, the Japanese mentality dictates that no one individual can take responsibility for his or her society.  Instead, the Japanese have no more resistance to hierarchical drive than a twelve-year-old child.

During the last war, Japan and its people were driven in the name of Emperor Hirohito, and after the war, by the name of the supreme commander Douglas MacArthur.  The effectiveness of a superior according to the Japanese mentality is often expressed thus: his name alone was enough to calm a crying child.  It seems natural for the Japanese to long for the image of a Japan that can defy a superior country, or for the character of people who can say no to their superiors.  In a hierarchical society, it is difficult for one to grasp the status commensurate with one's role.

Kimigayo and Hinomaru (the de jure national anthem and flag) are still unresolved problems for Japan, and serve as symbols of the traditional Japanese mentality.  Japanese leaders have ordered their use for ceremonies in schools, while other Japanese have protested. The Japanese have always had a love-hate relationship with Kimigayo and the Hinomaru.  One high school principal, caught in the midst of such tension, committed suicide in order to end his anxiety.  In Japanese minds, the past and present are such a crude amalgamation that people feel menaced and confused, becoming irrational and despondent about a so-called allergic reaction to their own realities.

Teachers' unions consider Kimigayo and Hinomaru cultural remnants of Japan's militarism and wartime imperial system.  Of special concern are the words of Kimigayo.  Japan is an old country.  Old countries have old anthems, like Great Britain's "God Save the Queen."  The reason today's Japanese hate these cultural remnants so much is the strong emotion attached to past hardships in which the Japanese mind was sensitized to the superior/inferior principle.  By suppressing individual wills for the good of all, it is hard to identify strategic failures, that is, failures in plans for the future.  Consequently, how to avoid militarism and the next war becomes a serious problem for the Japanese. "They have peace, so why worry?" The danger has not evaporated. Just imagine a mammoth oil tanker under full steam but without a captain.

People are now demanding that the use of Kimigayo and the Hinomaru be voluntary.  They want to think consistently with the "yononaka wa" notion. According to their custom, consensus ritually asks people for uniformity through suppression of individuality.  Traditionally speaking, this is both a stressless and stressful situation for the Japanese.  Historically, they could not refuse a superior, and they believe this inability to say no to be the reason for their hardships.  This practice is not limited to wartime; rather, it is mirrored in their peaceful daily lives.  This confusion about reality also triggers awareness of their hidden self-hatred: the superior-inferior relationship. This is their ever-unchanging mentality.  Simple discussion will not solve this problem unless it draws people's attention to their denied hatred of the Japanese mentality.

If they were rational, the result would be quite different.  If Kimigayo and the Hinomaru are unsuitable, change them.  Yet, what are the viable alternatives? Currently, there are no new designs for a flag, or new melodies or words for an anthem.  One opinion is that it is not necessary for Japan to have a national anthem or flag.  However, no one has pressed that issue, further instilling the lack of will in the Japanese mentality. 

The 21st Century is one of globalization.  English is a powerful lever for that purpose.  So, the Japanese must become accustomed to it and to a different way of thinking.  For them, it is not merely a foreign language but a new system of thought for grasping the world. They must catch up with the rest of the world and its trends.

University of The Ryukyus “Nakayukui,” No. 105, September 30, 1999

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