In Japan, nationalism has played a significant part in shaping cultural and political ideologies. However, before we dive into the specific effects, it is important to define nationalism and ideology. Ideology is defined as a system of ideas, beliefs, or values, usually focused on political and economic theories. Ideology is inescapable in essence because it is intrinsically connected to every single aspect of our lives whether the intention was there or not. Nationalism is defined as the support of your nation, which manifests through the adoption of your nation’s ideologies. Although these ideas aren’t harmful in moderation, the adoption of extreme nationalistic ideologies can have serious impacts on a country’s society and how it interacts with other countries on the international stage.
Being an island nation, for much of its early history, Japan was isolated from the outside world, especially the Western world which can explain Japan’s reaction to the first American in Japan. The arrival of Matthew Perry in 1853 led to an increase in early cultural nationalistic ideologies as the Japanese felt threatened by foreign encroachment. These ideologies manifested in the Russo-Japanese War where Japan’s mission was to conquer new land to expand the Empire of Japan. These same ideologies manifested in Japan’s actions in World War II, as propaganda and nationalistic pride were essential to Japanese society at the time. Nationalism in Japan declined after their defeat which led to the occupation of Japan by US military forces. However, recent political shifts in Japan have shifted political and cultural nationalism in a dangerous direction.
Firstly, during his time in office, Abe and his party were committed to returning to the prewar order which consist of the worship of the emperor, militarism, and the eradication of Western values and individualistic human rights. His nationalistic agenda was very domestically focused, and he attempted to reinforce Japanese historical traditions and bolster national identity. Of course, the abdication of Emperor Akihito served to revitalize discussions about the role of the Emperor in modern Japan, fueling both royalist sentiments as well as more progressive ideologies about Japan’s need to modernize. Furthermore, the assassination of Abe has yet again refueled discussions of Japanese nationalism as the assailant blamed the Unification of the Church, a political move that was rooted in promoting nationalistic ideologies, for the hardships his mother faced, and assassinated Abe in response to his support of the religious group.
Furthermore, cultural nationalism has played a huge role in Japan’s incredibly high levels of homogeneity caused by their very strict immigration laws. 98.1% of the Japanese population is ethnically Japanese, and, despite its declining population, Japan is still fairly aversed to immigration. These regulations are rooted in nationalistic ideologies and Japan’s incredibly strong sense of national identity, leading to high levels of xenophobia within the Japanese population.
Sources: