Becoming Japanese

Intellectual Traditions and the Shaping of Japanese National Identity

Most people think about things such as sushi, anime, and video games. There are also many cultural stereotypes about Japan. These include the idea that Japan is a homogeneous society, that people are polite, and that harmony between man and nature is valued.

But it is not just Japan. We have stereotypes about all communities that affect our behavior to a greater or lesser extent. They can affect us in good ways (such as hospitality or kindness) or in bad ways (such as hostility or fear). In other words, stereotypes are all around us.

Stereotypes are an interesting phenomenon. They are constructed representations, supported by ideological and political views. Since stereotypes are constructed representations, this means that they have a history. They are born in a particular context, they live, they evolve, and they may disappear. As a result, we can study them historically.

In Japan, there is a field of study that has greatly influenced the way Japan and Japanese people are seen, as well as the way they see their own country and themselves. Specialists call this field of study nihonjinron (日本人論), which literally means “discourse” or “treatise on the Japanese people” and is usually rendered as “discourse” or “treatise on Japaneseness.”

It is a difficult topic to talk about for someone like me who wants to have a nuanced position. It touches on identity representation, politics, and ideology, as well as anthropology, psychology, and cultural history. Moreover, the shadow of nationalism is never far from these discourses on Japaneseness or Japanese uniqueness. However, I will do my best here to provide an overview of how these views were originally constructed.

Japaneseness as a Set of Constructed Views