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Japan in the modern world is something of a phoenix. Rising from the ashes of its defeat at the end of World War II, it has become the second largest economy in the entire world.
A rocky set of islands, Japan has long survived off of the surrounding oceans for its food. Dependence on foreign trade has been an economic problem for decades, as Japan is poor in many resources necessary to any country, and has been in such a state for hundreds of years. Unlike most countries as old as Japan (thousands of years) there has only been one unbroken dynasty of rulers since the countries’ founding. However, these Emperors were often figureheads for military generals who held the real power. In 1639, the country’s leader sealed off Japan almost entirely from the outside world. Japan was eventually forced to open up to foreign trade the mid 19th century. Finding itself at an immense technological disadvantage, Japan industrialized at a speed almost unbelievable.
However, finding it lacked the resources necessary to hold it’s own against other nations, it began a series of conquests of neighboring territories, which eventually blossomed into World War II. After the war, Japan found itself in a similar predicament: Beaten by the U.S., it was once again at a technological disadvantage, and needed to industrialize. Once again, this feat was accomplished with more alacrity than was ever thought possible, and Japan, eschewing warfare, became one of the most economically powerful countries in the world. Since the early 90s, however, it has been trying to recover from the first major recession in decades. Though all can agree Japan’s economy became a foundationless bubble that eventually busted, not all are sure of how to revitalize its economy. The current Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi became elected on a platform of structural reform of the government, which has always been closely linked to the economy. It is said this may finally bring about an end to the recession, but people around the world are wondering if this is the truth, or is simply another campaign promise that remains unfulfilled. |
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