Japan'S "Adverse Market" Expands "Soft Power"

What is Japan's "soft power"?

Joseph Nai, a professor at Harvard University, put forward the term "soft power" in 1990, meaning that all countries "win what they want through attraction rather than high pressure".

Today, the Japanese have become the best practitioners of soft power. They are trying to influence the world through cultural, social and economic means.

In 1989, the Japanese Sony Corp bought the famous Hollywood production company in Columbia. MITSUBISHI, Japan, bought the property rights of Rockefeller Center, 80%, the landmark building in New York, the United States.

The two pactions immediately caused some unease and anxiety about the "Japanese threat" among some Americans, who feared that Japan was actually occupying the United States.

But nearly 20 years later, Japan has achieved unprecedented success by relying on the low-key rise of soft power.

Watanabe Yasu, author of "soft power", said: "Japan is becoming a member of the international community in a more natural way."

Although the current political situation is unstable and the domestic economy is in recession, Japan has consistently implemented the "soft power" offensive on several routes.

Following Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's announcement of 1 trillion and 500 billion yen in January 31st to help Asia cope with the crisis, Japan has recently launched a new English news channel to promote world understanding of Japan, which will further enhance its international influence.

In order to spread Japanese culture, the Japanese government wants to make the Japanese island a world cultural post. Under its initiative, a new English international news channel NHK World TV was launched in February 2nd.

The channel can be broadcast continuously for 24 hours, and can be viewed through satellite reception, cable TV network rebroadcast and some parts of the broadband Internet (www.nhk.or.jp / hkworld /).

The new channel completely changed the old channel of the same name, and the hourly program was divided into two parts: half hour news (weekend 10 minutes) and half hour fixed social, cultural, economic or scientific programs.

The channel is mainly Japanese, followed by Asia.

Speaking at a press conference held in Tokyo last week, Gao Dao Chao, President of Japan International Broadcasting Corporation, said that "while we are showing Japanese different opinions and tendencies, we hope to promote the world's further understanding of Japan".

He stressed that Japan's diplomatic influence and media visibility are not in line with its second place in the world economy.

The new channel wants to help fill the gap.

The NHK World TV channel covers 80 million families on five continents via satellite and ipTv (interactive network TV), and the channel leader wants to increase this figure to 150 million within 5 years from now.

But Japanese residents could not watch the channel.

In the future, there may be several other languages besides English (Chinese, Arabic, Spanish and French).

The launch of the channel came from the government's wishes, because Japan's voice against Tokyo did not fully turn abroad.

Taro Aso, who is now prime minister, has been severely questioned by her foreign minister in 2006. "Japan's TV diplomacy is not as good as other countries."

He hoped that his country would "be more proactive in promoting Japanese culture" and believed that "creating a news oriented International English channel related to Japan" is very important.

Some foreign observers worry that the NHK World TV channel lacks independence.

However, Takashima Kubo, the purpose of the channel is to "show Japan's due appearance, including all its arguments".

In addition, Takashima Ku emphasized that many Japanese intellectuals and celebrities who are proficient in English can make their own comments on the channel.

"Japan does not have to brag about what it has done.

But our silence and humility make the people of the world do not know what we have done.

Ogata Junko, the 82 year old former High Commissioner for UNHCR, is responsible for the work of Japan's international cooperation agency. She patiently publicized Japan's overseas aid business. The reason why military development was limited to soft power. After the end of World War II, Japan's constitution restricted the country's development of military power. The government then began to enhance its international influence by enhancing its soft power, and tried to use the economic, cultural and foreign aid and other means to carry out the charm offensive in the world.

This financial crisis has provided Japan with a rare opportunity to upgrade its soft power.

The Japanese banks, which just emerged from the 10 year debt crisis, are heavily in flux. They are pouring money into companies such as Morgan and Stanley.

Japan has also launched another wave of investment overseas, opening factories and representative offices from Africa to Asia.

In October last year, the Bank of Japan even invested part of its foreign exchange reserves to finance countries such as Iceland, which were stranded in the financial crisis.

Japan is not just spreading money everywhere.

Japanese congressman Tamura Taro said: "we have the opportunity to help save the entire world and convey a sense of social responsibility to the world."

Taro Aso, Japanese Prime Minister, recently announced at the Davos forum that Japan will provide 1 trillion and 500 billion yen (US $17 billion) to help Asia cope with the financial crisis.

The money will be spent on official development assistance (ODA) in Japan, mainly in the Mekong and South Asia.

He also reiterated Japan's commitment to inject $100 billion into the International Monetary Fund last year.

A survey by the Broadcasting British Corporation (BBC) in 2008 showed that Japan ranked second in the world in the face of a positive global image.

Germany won the first place in Japan, while the United States ranked only seventh.

"Soft power is a very powerful force."

Takenaka Hirahide, Japan's former Minister of economic and fiscal policy, said: "if we have the right political leadership, this strength will become stronger."

The Japanese people have become an important thrust. A considerable number of Japanese who grew up in the age of globalization believe that their country has the responsibility to interact with and assist other countries in the world.

Japanese graduates from many top schools are eager to work overseas.

Japanese professionals working for the United Nations were less than 500 years ago 7 years ago, and now there are nearly 700 people.

Since 1965, the Japan Youth Overseas Cooperation Association has sent more than 30 thousand volunteers to more than 70 countries.

In the field of environmental protection and other fields, it has become an example for other countries. Nowadays, Japan has become an example of global imitation in many fields.

Even where the Japanese aggressors committed cruel war crimes, Japan has received unprecedented attention.

For young people in Vietnam and other developing countries, Japan is a successful example of rapidly pforming from a poor and defeated country to a sophisticated technological innovation country.

These countries are studying how Japan can maintain its cultural identity while realizing this pformation.

Okura Kazuo, director of the Japan International Exchange Foundation, said: "modern Japanese history is to achieve high economic development and democratic prosperity without abandoning cultural identity and tradition."

Ah, from Indonesia, I think that Japan represents one thing: real first-class goods.

Today, he teaches Japanese at the University of North Sumatra. The Japanese course in this university is very popular. Now there are 500 students. They usually like Japanese cars, electronic products and comics.

"Indonesians regard Japan as an example," said Ali Marcia. "They want to know how Japan started to build itself into such an amazing country from nothing."

Environmental protection is the value cherished by Japan as the founding country of the Kyoto protocol.

Many countries are seeking the experience of ecological protection in a country that has become a common practice in environmental protection.

"Japanese business leaders are very concerned about energy efficiency."

"We can help people in developing countries enjoy a good life, but we will do this in a sustainable way," said Ben Xiang long, a special adviser to Japan's International Cooperation Bank.

In order to expand its influence on the global scale, Japan tries to popularize Japanese language, causing people in other countries to have interest in Japanese things.

Today, foreigners are more interested in learning Japanese.

According to the statistics released by the Japanese government, around 3 million people in the world use Japanese as a foreign language in 2006, which is 3 times that of 1990.

"Foreigners have studied Japanese for work and other reasons."

"But today they are learning Japanese because they are interested in Japanese culture," said Dr. Shan Pu Mian, a consultant at Marubeni Institute in Tokyo.

A and Hello Kitty are popular in the world. In order to promote Japanese Teaching in the world, the Japanese Foundation invites 500 foreign teachers from over 50 countries to attend all free training courses in Japan every year.

In addition, the Japanese foundation plans to establish 100 Japanese centers overseas by 2010.

Taro Aso, a 69 year old Japanese Prime Minister, calls himself an Anime fan and appealed to Japan to implement "comic diplomacy".

If you ask Japanese students what wishes they have, they may want to teach themselves a pair of cute cartoon cats, that is, Hello Kitty and robot cat Dora A dream.

In May 2008, Hello Kitty became the Japanese tourism ambassador.

In March 19, 2008, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a special "diplomatic envoy ceremony": the world's famous blue robotic cat Dora A dream formally accepted "appointed" foreign minister Masahiko Komura's "appointment", became the first cartoon ambassador in Japanese history, to undertake the important task of publicizing the Japanese anime culture and improving the external image of the world.

The US media believe that the new identity of Hello Kitty and Dora A dream shows that Japan's overseas influence is closely related to its pop culture.

Hello Kitty is not a native cat.

However, the kitten has become Japan's most successful export product and has become a symbol of opening Japan.

Foreign aid has helped push Japan's values. Over the past 10 years, Japan's overseas aid budget has dropped sharply.

In the early 90s of last century, Japan was the largest donor in the world because of the abundant funds generated by long-term economic prosperity.

Japan is now the fifth largest donor.

As an active advocate of Japan's overseas aid, Asou believes that aid to developing countries is a decent way to export Japanese culture and an important way to disseminate Japanese values.

In August 2008, the Ministry of foreign affairs of Japan called for an increase of 13.6% in foreign aid budget in 2009.

In October 2008, Asou signed a record $4 billion 500 million loan against India, setting the highest record of aid to India.

In the past 5 months, Japan promised to double aid to Africa by 2012.

Of course, Japan's foreign aid is not selfless.

For example, when Japan promised to provide funds for a highway in Africa, Japanese companies intend to profit from these lucrative contracts.

But foreign aid is not just to help Japanese companies get huge profits. Just like some Americans believe that the United States has a duty to spread democracy all over the world, more and more Japanese are eager to sow their ideas in the world.

An important idea is to achieve modernization without losing the root.

Ogata Junko, former High Commissioner for the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees, is responsible for the work of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The agency has become the world's largest bilateral development agency this year with a $10 billion operating fund.

At the age of 82, Xu Fang has been tirelessly promoting Japan's overseas aid business. "Japan is not going to brag about what it has done."

"But our silence and humility make the people of the world do not know what we have done."

The rational understanding of Japan's soft power is the first consideration in the country's foreign exchanges.

As mentioned earlier, Japan's promotion of soft power is ultimately based on its own interests.

One of the most important considerations is that Japan's labor force is becoming increasingly scarce due to the declining birth rate.

To get enough workers and take care of the elderly, this Asian country needs to import more labour from overseas.

Is there any better way to attract skilled skilled migrants to Japan than to arouse their interest in everything in Japan?

Besides, Japanese enterprises are also facing global challenges.

Because there is not enough purchasing power in Japan, these enterprises must expand overseas to maintain growth.

For example, domestic car sales in Japan were not good, and Japan's second largest auto company Honda Corporation opened second factories in Thailand last year.

In addition, Japanese pharmaceutical companies are acquiring competitors from the United States and India.

According to statistics, in the first 10 months of last year, the overseas purchase of Japanese enterprises was 4 times higher than that of the same period last year, and the total amount amounted to 67 billion US dollars.

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