Destiny in the Pacific: implications for U.S. policy of rising Japanese nationalism and economic power.

Abstract

The thesis of this paper is that rising Japanese economic power has been reinforced over the last decade by a traditional sense of nationalism and pride in Japan. This swell of sentiment has at its roots the same components which led to the growth of militarism in the 1930' s. This paper examines the growth of modern nationalism in Japan through this century, stressing those components of the culture and the environment which are common to both pre and post -World War II Japan. The clear theme gleaned from Japanese actions in this century is her faith in her own destiny as an international leader. Current U. S. policy with regard to trade and defense toward Japan is too heavy-handed, too likely to produce a backlash of sentiment in Japan in the coming years. The U. S. needs a policy which recognizes the Japanese view of their role in the world but at the same time draws them into a position supportive of U. S. interests in the Pacific and the world. This paper concludes by proposing a new policy for the U. S. which accords best with the cultural, economic, and political developments of modern Japan.