Japan's Economic Miracle: How the Nation Revived After World War II

Japan’s Economic “Miracle”

The conventions of a society provide the way said society will act and be. These conventions structure the framework that a society is based on, and therefore is the foundation for the roles that people play in their context. Understanding the different types of roles from culture to culture, as well as why those roles came to exist, is important in order to observe, analyze, and comment on any particular country and its various phenomenons. With this in mind, careful consideration can be brought to the idea of the Japan’s Economic “Miracle” in the years following World War II. An unprecedented and unexpected historical occurrence, the surge forward of Japan’s economy in the second half of the 20th century baffled the rest of the world. While many have pondered over what exactly enhanced this jolt and come up with many answers with economic, statistical, and mathematical evidence as support for their theories, conclusions can also be derived from the speculation of Japanese society and culture. Business strategies aside, people will behave a certain way based on their socialization, and this in turn has great responsibility for the course and actions of larger entities, such as an economic system. As a study from an American standpoint, the success of the “Miracle” is also made clear when comparisons are made between the two countries and their people. The differences between Japanese mindsets and American ideals relate directly to the idea of the Economic “Miracle,” the bewilderment that its development provoked, and the following studies of its creation thereof. The attempt by other nations to understand this event speaks to the complexity of its nature and the intrigue it was met with. However, the key to comprehending Japan’s Economic Miracle is to gain a thorough grasp on the roles that people play within the society. It is the accepting essence of the Japanese to carry out given roles that creates the framework for the success of the country’s economic advancement.

In the United States, there is the ideal of the “American Dream.” A concept since the country’s creation in the 18th century, it holds that people are self-made individuals, and with determination, hard work, and perseverance, you can attain any goal that you set your mind to. While this has been a fantastic motivator for over two centuries, it is cause for some of the more prevalent selfishness that can be seen in America. People are typically less willing to help others, especially if it means sacrificing their own gains. There is an unrivaled hunger for success, material items, status, wealth, and overall good fortune in this country. Less inclination for group work exists, and therefore team efforts are usually lost among the rat race for the ultimate life to be had. In America, a social role or place is what you make of it. If you are born poor, it is an opportunity for you to build yourself up from the bottom. If you are born rich, you can work hard to remain so, or fall from grace due to laziness. The world is our oyster, and carpe diem is our mantra. Even though this mindset is all about self determination, there is a fair amount of outwardly projected blame when things go wrong. If a job is lost, it is because the company failed to see the worker’s potential (from the worker’s standpoint). If someone else got a promotion over you, it was because they had an unfair advantage. This does not always ring true by any means, but there are frequent and abundant instances of skepticism towards others’ successes, as well as overall self-centeredness in the aspect of the economy and social structure. It is because of our perception of roles being movable and changeable that hinders the country as a whole to come together for a common goal. This is not the case in other countries, particularly in Japan.

The country in consideration is somewhat special. While there is the idea of distinct and important roles in society in other nations and traditions, it is a particularly strong mindset in eastern Asia. Japan is no exception. In nearly direct opposition with the idea of the American Dream, there is the idea that as a society there is a common goal and a way to better the whole rather than just the individual. This concept does not refer to a solid policy that is enforced economically or politically. Instead it is simply a way that people orient their lives. In a business setting, this idea promotes the inner workings of a well-oiled system that runs smoothly and efficiently. People, instead of working against each other in direct competition, work in harmony with each other, in community and cooperation for an outcome that benefits everybody involved. In this sense, workers accept their designated roles, whatever it may be, and carry it out based on the group and not the individual. A custodial worker, for instance, in an American ideal setting, might target places to clean that will reach the eyes and knowledge of important people. Selective cleaning will cause this custodial worker to move up the occupation latter. But less of the area will actually be clean. In a Japan ideal setting, the same worker will accept the responsibility of creating a clean work environment for his/her coworkers. Instead of their own direct gain, they will think of how their actions will determine the ability of others, and therefore will act in a way that yields a beneficial environment for everyone.

This ideal can be seen when studying the mechanisms of Japan after World War II, during the years of its recovery and redevelopment. In particular, it could be determined as a deciding factor in the experiment and ultimate failure that was NUMMI. Standing for New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated, this company was a joint effort between General Motors and Toyota. The goal was to combine two successful (for different reasons) systems and create a hybrid system that was across the board unrivaled. Toyota, and Japanese workers in general, were known globally to have strong work ethics and good flow within the professional environment. At the time, on the other hand, General Motors and American car manufacturing as a whole was the best in the world. Their products were unmatched in quality, durability, and strength. It was the American efficiency that needed work. So NUMMI sought to create the mother of all car manufacturers. However, after years of attempting the combination, it seemed that Americans could not take to the idea. Instead of the experiment proving a success, the Japanese used their intelligence to pick up on the quality of the American products. They in turn brought this missing aspect home to their factories, and with their already solid work efficiency, emerged eventually as the top brand of car distributors in the world.

This example highlights the fact that Japan is so culturally displaced from America that coexisting in a work environment proved impossible. The system, instead of turning homogenous like it was supposed to, proved to be difficult. While an in-depth study has not been considered in this instance, it can be inferred that the work ethics and customs of the two cultures did not mix in an efficient and harmonious way. Instead of benefiting both countries and being a learning experience, it benefitted Japan solely and gave them a boost in their continued efforts to rebuild and advance in the shadow cast by World War II. Because of this, Japan’s companies today are the leading car manufacturers, while American car production has seen a distinct decline since the time of NUMMI.

There are various specific and laid out examples of this in Japan Inc. by Shotaro Ishinomori. The first one I will discuss is the secretary, Miss Amamiya. This character has, despite my more feminist tendencies, a role as a support system, a guide, and a stabilizing force in the office. If this story was told from the American perspective, this character would have independent agendas throughout the story. She would be driven to get ahead herself, not necessarily in a schemey sort of manner, but she would be looking out for herself. Because this story is set in Japan, she is a puzzle piece in a greater picture. She knows and understands how she fits into the structure, and she accepts her duties and carries them out to the T. This character has no intention of getting ahead herself; instead, the purpose that she concerns herself with is the goal of the company and her boss. Had she been less willing to be supportive in the company’s endeavors, the effect would be negative against the company. This is a prime example of where Japanese loyalties lie in business. The duty is not self-promotion, it is corporate preservation.

Another example extracted from Japan Inc. is the wise old character of Mr. Akiyama. His place in the story is noteworthy because of the potential action he could have taken. Throughout the book he offers his sentiments and advice to Kuda, always giving his best effort to provide guidance and reassurance. Being a man of experience, it seems that all of his interludes in the story foreshadow history repeating itself. Mr. Akiyama speaks from direct memories and events that he participated in, all the time providing direct parallels to Kuda’s situation. This almost provides a dual example for this argument. Akiyama recounts of the past provide the reader with the image of a man who worked for his company. He did not work in or at a company, he worked to build his company, to see it grow. There was acceptance from him that he was a part of the gears and knobs that made it all work. And then there is the present example that he provides. No longer a day to day businessman, Akiyama accepts his role as guide to Kuda. There are surely times where reminiscing reminds him of the joy he got out of his work. But there is no attempt from him to insert himself directly into the action of the current industry. He knew that his time was gone and his importance had shifted.

Most important in Japan Inc. is the part that Kuda plays. Our protagonist, Kuda represents the good-natured and honest business workings of Japan. He strives to meet company goals while also avoiding corruption, lay-offs, and any damage that was avoidable to the business. Kuda could be like his counterpart (we will get to Tsugawa later) and seek selfish things by dishonest means, but he is not like this. Kuda is a grand protagonist because he works and worries in a way that exemplifies utter dedication to the good of the industry. He wants to see his country grow strong, and he believes that businesses like his are the mediums for the betterment of the country. Even when trying to improve things, it is never solely for himself. Kuda recognizes the part he plays in his society as well as his company. He never strays from the idea that his role is important. If he were to fall flat, then the business would have suffered; this is why he never lets that happen.

The last example is a counter-example in truth. The antagonist of the story, Tsugawa, is everything that the Japanese ideal is not. Throughout the story, Tsugawa is characterized as selfish, sketchy, and dishonest. He makes moves to get ahead. While he does tend to work to benefit the company as well, there is always a backhanded motive to his motions. This is the type of thing that would be incredibly common in a narrative told from the American perspective. People trying to get ahead, to gain for themselves, at the cost of others and the sacrifice of the overall good of the company is exactly what this story would be told like from the Western point of view. Because this is told in a Japanese context, Tsugawa is out of place and therefore stands out as the obvious bad guy. He comes off as tricky and false, which is why he is easy to dislike upon reading the story.

The point of Japan Inc. is to relay in an easy-to-understand fashion the difficulties and intricacies that Japan went through during its 20th century economic development and catch-up. It portrays this by presenting a cast of characters that, based on who they are, work well together, or come up against each other. While this is a classic tale of competition and overcoming obstacles, it is also cleverly told within the historical context of the mid-to-late 20th century in Japan. Understanding that the characters that are considered good in this graphic novel are the ones that work towards the goals of the company is important. They, while they surely have their own private interests, keep work at work and dedicate themselves to the efforts of the group. It is a refreshing story that promotes the idea of working together and succeeding because of it.

Japan’s Economic Miracle of the 20th century could likely be blamed on many things. I submit that one of the greatest, and certainly a significant, cause of the Economic Miracle is the group (as opposed to individual) mentality of the Japanese businessmen and workers of the time. The conventions of Japanese society hold that the betterment of the whole is the ultimate goal. This is not to say that people in Japan do not have their own desires that they work towards achieving. But beyond their self interests, there is an awareness of the group and the country. Keeping this in mind is what gives Japanese workers such an admirable work ethic and determination. This is a concept and way of life that is seriously lacking in the United States, to a fault. There is an idea that blame can be shed on others in America. People lack the awareness of their actions and do not take into consideration their effects on other people. In Japan this is how life is lived. People understand their role, accept it, and work in that context. The group effort comes from understanding the ways that different roles fit together and work toward the common goal. If everyone in the world could live like this, it would be an overall better place.