The second half of this course has focused on the changes in Japanese society from the decades of the 20th century into the first years of the 21st century. We encountered new demography, new economic structures, new political conditions, new social actors, new social behaviors, new sports, and new technologies, among other developments. These changes are not merely transitional. Rather, they are transforming Japanese institutions and life experiences.
Many analysts, many officials, and many ordinary Japanese have used the term “crisis” to characterize these ongoing changes (a “crisis” of education, a “crisis” of aging, a “crisis” of marriage, etc.). As you now know, the Japanese term for crisis, kiki 危機, is a compound of two characters, one of which is used in the word for “danger” (危険) but the other of which is used in the word for “opportunity” (機会). This neatly expresses the dual potential of any crisis as an opportunity for positive change or as a turning point towards decline.
For your third course essay, I would like you to write a synthetic essay that develops your own view of the emerging shape of 21st-century Japan. Try to address the following questions: what are a few of the key features of Japanese society that are emerging in the 21st century, who are some of the most consequential social actors, and what are they doing to bring about significant changes in Japanese life and its institutions? What are the dangers and the opportunities in the current moment of crisis?
In a short essay, you must be selective: pick a couple of institutions (e.g., education, work) or trends (e.g., demography, marriage) or issues (e.g., gender, ethnicity, Tokyo-centrism, technology) that intrigue you and that seem to have real consequences and lessons for where Japan is going. Focus on what you think they are doing to bring about change in Japanese society and what their positive and negative consequences may be.
Be sure to support your essay with materials from the course—the lectures, readings, audio-visuals. We want to know what you think about the present shape of Japan and its prospects and also why you think that.
You will have an opportunity to talk about this essay with Aina or Alyssa in section on December 3, and section writing for December 10 will ask for a sketch of the essay.
The essay should be about 1300-1500 words (roughly 6-8 pages). It will be due on Thursday, December 17 by 5:00 p.m.