CH on JAPAN AND GLOBALIZATION At the Women's University Gumma 2001 Mr. Yasushi Akashi, ____________________ Distinguished citizens of Gunma-ken Ladies and Gentlemen: I must confess I am neither an expert on globalization nor on Japan. But having survived here as an Ambassador for the past three years I have tried to know, understand and appreciate Japan. I have come to admire and respect its strengths as well as acknowledge and sympathize with its weaknesses. So what I have to offer are one man’s views, a man who is a friend of Japan. It is not a judgment on Japan, but a perspective, a friendly perspective nevertheless. The real story is perhaps far more complex than one person’s views can fully portray. Globalization and survival is an interesting subject, but I have a problem with the word “survival”. It indicates certain vulnerability and fragility in the face of a daunting challenge. In my view neither globalization is such an insurmountable challenge nor Japan is weak or vulnerable. It is not within the scope of my speech to outline what is globalization, as it is a very vast field requiring a comprehensive debate of its own. For the purpose of our debate this afternoon, however. I may briefly define it, basically with a view to ensuring that we all know what we are talking about and that it is the same thing and not different things for different people. For this purpose, I would identify three dimensions of globalization - the economic perspective, the information revolution, and the changes in the way we look at the world, that is the political and diplomatic perspective and the way we organize our societies and manage inter-state relations. As far as economic dimension is concerned globalization is perhaps a new name for something very old. It has been going on for years, indeed for decades. The way the world economy has been developing over the years, it was perhaps inevitable that a day would arrive when there would be easier and easier cross border movements of people, goods, services, money, information and other resources on a global scale resulting in a massive and integrated international economic activity, trade and investment and capital flows. After all it was more than 50 years ago that the concept of an international system of free trade was mooted through such ideas as ITO. The information revolution is, however, new and entirely unexpected and has emerged as one of the most significant agents of globalization. It is rapidly changing the way individuals, organizations and governments work in almost every field. It has helped in the spread of knowledge and ideas as well as values. The third dimension, the political and diplomatic is a consequence of the first two. It is derivative. It has helped in the universalization of certain human values, like freedom, democracy and human dignity. In terms of inter-state relations it has had a profound effect. Because of instantaneous communications and global economy, what happens in one corner of the world affects the rest of the world. There are now a whole set of issues facing humanity that can only be tackled on a worldwide basis such as nuclear proliferation, environment, terrorism, population welfare, drugs and international crime. There is also an ever greater concern for humanitarian crisis, and issues relating to “human security”. No wonder the recent tragic incidents in New York and Washington have united almost the whole humanity against terrorism. This will change our concept of principle of non-interference in internal affairs. Furthermore, though not a direct consequence of globalization, the collapse of Soviet Union and the end of Cold War has also changed one international order and accelerated the search for a new one. Now how has Japan faced in this rapidly changing world. As I said, in many ways globalization is a new name for an old phenomenon. In that respect the experience of globalization is not new for Japan. It was during the Meiji era that Japan opened up to the world with the collapse of the old system and adoption of the new one. During the Meiji era, Japan underwent a transformation soon emerging as a powerful nation state and laying strong foundation for its future economic development. After the Second World War Japan experienced another wave of globalization. Free movement of goods, services and technology played an important role in this process. It will be an honest comment to make that Japan owes part of its post war development to a free international trading system. While this early stage of globalization, if it can be so called, helped Japan grow Japan, it however, kept herself relatively isolated from the process of globalization by erecting visible and invisible barriers and building a strong coalition of private and public sector. For 50 years, the world did not come to Japan; Japan went to the world. However, the rapid globalization is now knocking on the doors of Japan so strongly that it cannot be shut out for long. The reasons are complex and neither the time nor the occasion allows me to elaborate but I would be stating the obvious in saying that the very countries Japan helped to develop through ODA, investment, joint venture, out sourcing are now emerging as strong competitors of Japan. Secondly, Japan’s economic difficulties of last one decade have also forced the Japanese to rethink about consumer preferences and Japan is looking for cheaper imports. Foreign direct investment in Japan has increased. Japan continues to deregulate, tariffs are coming down and reforms in the financial sector have started. Restrictions have been relaxed in the retailing sector. There is restructuring of old system of guiding the banks, brokerages and insurance firms. Japanese market is now open to foreign banks, stockbrokers and insurers. Companies are restructuring, public sector corporations are planned to be privatized. So great changes are underway. If they have not a visible impact so far it is because Japan was slow to adapt to the globalization. Many impediments still remain, political, fiscal and economic, specially the problem of bad debts. Old patterns, habits of thought and inherited attitudes are slowly dissolving but new patterns are not forming yet and that is where the problem is. It is thus more than a question of English language, the subject to which I am coming now after briefly treating the two other aspects of globalization which I had mentioned. After all when Japan dominated the world trade the knowledge of English was no better than now. During the two separate development period, that is after the Meiji restoration era and post war development, very few Japanese could speak international languages. Shortage of English speakers compelled the corporate sector to arrange on the job training. Today there is no such training as knowledge of English is a pre-requisite in the Japanese trading companies. Thus while knowledge of English is a very important asset, we have to be clear in our minds that it is not sufficient to help Japan survive or adjust in this era of globalization. Many nations with a very high English speaking population are low on the economic development ladder. At least far as economy is concerned, therefore, problems of Japan are not so related to language directly. What you need is a new pattern of learning, and thinking. And the English language can help bring about this change. English becomes relevant, to which I will soon, as I speak of the information revolution and the other are changes in the international relations. Changes in the international relations require Japan to have a more autonomous and self-reliant foreign policy. In my view neither the Japanese pacifism nor the present constitution are going to remain the same. If history is any guide these constitutional constraints at some point in future will be compromised or relaxed. Meanwhile, Japan is adjusting well to cope with such global problems as poverty, refugees, infectious diseases and issues relating to human security. Now I come to the third and most important dimension, that is the information revolution. Of course, English is becoming more vital than every before because this is the medium of Information Technology which is an instrument of globalization. So by strengthening the knowledge of English you can raise the capability to cope with globalization. Considering the size of Japan’s economy and its economic strength, the knowledge and practice of English I am afraid remains proportionately inferior in Japan. Competitiveness, productivity and speed that have become the hallmark of new economy, reflected as well as affected by the Information Technology, would mean Japan has perhaps to go to a higher level of economic activity rather than restricting itself to the present complex of manufacturing activity. It could venture still to higher technology and perhaps delve into services and becoming a capital center of the world with its huge savings. This would require still higher interaction with the outside world, and learning of higher technology much of which is taught in English language. Globalization is advancing new socio economic values such as transparency, accountability, global competitiveness, a universalistic outlook and practices and emphasis on private initiatives and the independence of private sector, traits that are associated with Western civilization and are discounted in Asian civilization. There are in fact multiple reasons why English language is important for Japan. But I would focus only on two. What strikes a foreigner most about Japan is its uniqueness, specially that of its culture and traditions. But I have often wondered in what sense Japan is unique. The fact is that every culture has its own individuality and in that sense Japan is no different. What we do in Pakistan for example would be as unfamiliar and unique to a Japanese visitor as the Japanese culture is to me. So perhaps it is not the uniqueness of Japan so much that is striking but the seriousness with which Japan is committed to its uniqueness that is unique. Japan’s passionate attachment to its traditions and culture has its strengths and weaknesses. It has provided stability and continuity to the nation depending on the historical circumstances, social conditions and economic realities of the day. But what is good in one set of social conditions and international environment may not be good when the circumstances change. However, the problem is the Japanese system makes the process of change slow and painful. For example, for decades, inspired by Confucianism, the Japanese system was led by the bureaucrats which were men of letters and were regarded as more learned and circumspect than the ordinary people and the public was, therefore, willing to follow them. The politicians had no choice but to acquiesce in this role. It was considered normal for the politicians not to challenge the bureaucrats who defined the national interest and monopolized resource allocations. In this period of enormous economic growth this system worked well. A high economic growth made politicians fulfill many promises. The politics was politics of promises. But with the changing world, specially becoming more competitive, the politics has become a politics of choice, rather than politics of promises. Politicians have to consider different policy options for satisfying public needs and demands. But the transition from the one kind of politics to the other has been slow in Japan. The balance of power is still precarious, slowing down the decision making. That is one problem. Second problem is that the world has become so inter-connected and complex that intelligent understanding of issues requires daily knowledge of what goes in other parts of the world. To this end the knowledge of English becomes very important for politicians, who are to be policy makers and decision makers. Bureaucrats had the knowledge of Engliksh but politicians relatively speaking are not so well versed in English. That is one shortcoming. Japan is a democratic country where the government rules by the consent of the people and there has to be a public discussion of policy options. That is where the language and knowledge of the world is important. However, the main reason why English is important is the information revolution. Information Technology (IT) is basically a communication revolution. There is a world of knowledge at people’s doorsteps now through Internet. What this knowledge can do to ordinary Japanese is to create perhaps greater self-awareness and lexiblity to adapt its cultural traditions and mental attitudes to the needs of the rapidly changing world. It can dissolve some of the patterns of thought and behaviour which are becoming an impediment to innovation and creative thinking and risk taking. To put it very simply, the Cold War era was very stable and matched well with the stability of the Japanese mind, culture and social attitudes. But the post Cold War world and era of globalization is unstable, changing and in a flux. It needs a supple and quickly adaptive mental approach to survive in this era. Knowledge of English will open many horizons to the Japanese not only of technology but more important to that of Western liberal thought focusing on individualism. Japan does not have to become like Europe and America. It can maintain its uniqueness but with more flexible approach. This would not just happen merely with the teaching of English. You have to have across the board change in your bureaucratic system, educational system, political system, the family structure, the way you raise children, the way you teach, and even your economic structures. It is necessary that Japan promote education that fosters free expression and individuality among its children. The students are under much pressure to pass exams. For decades Japan essentially prepared its industrial work force for well-defined roles in an assembly line production pattern. There was role for each human being. Individuality was not encouraged, everybody has to be the same. Conformity, uniformity and equality, were the hallmark of the society. Individuality and dissent has perhaps considered disruptive and destabilizing to the social order. As I said this approach worked well when Japan was far ahead of its competitors. It was only running against itself, but the world has changed or is changing. Japan has reached certain a plateau in economic development and it needs to rise above it and move to new levels of economic achievement. For that you have to think differently, think globally, think internationally and be not so tradition bound. Coming specifically to the teaching of English there are many people in Japan who feel that starting English language from junior high school is too late. Then many people complain that English is being treated not as a language but as a cultural or liberal art subject. To develop the communication skills, you should seriously consider whether to start teaching of English at an earlier stage. Many older people I have talked to complain that when they were learning English the teachers never spoke English, the reason being that they themselves did not know English and were taught like that and the students learnt only that much English which enabled them to pass the exam. Of course, teaching in schools has to be supplemented by practice of the language through reading newspapers, listening to radio, watching television and movies. Japan should also seriously consider introducing English language in its official documents like in Canada where all official documents are in English and French. You can have them in Japanese and English. I would sum up by making the following points: v) Japan is indeed changing, but changing slowly and imperceptibly. The pace of change needs to be quickened. vi) Many of present problems of Japan are economic relating as much to inadequate, and delayed response to globalization, as due to certain structural weaknesses for which reforms are needed. Prime Minister Koizumi seems to be on the right track and I wish him success. vii) Even after the reforms the problem will remain and that is where the subject of survival of an era of globalization becomes relevant. You need an across the board change in the mindset and enhance the adaptability, openness to new ideas and individuality. That is basically a social and cultural issue not so much question of English language but English language can help though it will not be sufficient. viii) And to improve the quality of teaching English you need to emphasize communication skills and communication will improve not only with the improvement of teaching methods but also by introducing English in the society on a wider scale.