The Japanese Ethos: A Study of National Character is a seminal work of Yasuoka Masahiro (1898-1983). Published in 1924 despite Yasuoka's dissatisfaction with its shortcomings, the book was kept out of print by Yasuoka until popularity prompted reissuance in 1934 and 1937. In 1924, some 50 years after opening to the world in the Meiji Restoration, Japan was drowning in a flood of Western ideas, and all of Asia was in turmoil. The British-Afghan War had erupted just 5 years before, followed by Gandhi's nationwide "non-cooperation" campaign in India one year later. Yasuoka, still in his 20s, and deeply troubled by Western decadence infecting Japan in this time of crisis, urged development of an independent national character. "Now, before our eyes in Japan, citizens, one and all, are unequivocally conscious of being confronted with a terrible crisis. The time is now for Japan, as a nation, to realize a remarkable development of character." The Japanese Ethos was written to guide Japan to a promising future through the wisdom of ancient teachings. In it, Yasuoka describes a history and tradition nurtured for more than 2000 years. The moral examples depicted are primarily samurai and he discusses in detail the character traits a samurai must cultivate. In later chapters he gives examples of men of great character. Two chapters address kendo (sword fighting), whose spirit "became the foundation of all the arts and letters, and of Eastern thought." The samurai spirit was the leading force for the Meiji Restoration and is the essence of this book. For Japan, which lost much of its culture after World War II, The Japanese Ethos has awakened a nation from slumber. Though written nearly a century ago, it is surprisingly current and makes us ponder what it truly means to be Japanese.

This book, by a distinguished Japanese economist now resident in the West, offers a new interpretation of the current success of the Japanese economy. By placing the rise of Japan in the context of its historical development, Michio Morishima shows how a strongly-held national ethos has interacted with religious, social and technological ideas imported from elsewhere to produce highly distinctive cultural traits. While Professor Morishima traces the roots of modern Japan back as far as the introduction of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism from China in the sixth century, he concentrates his observations on the last 120 years during which Japan has had extensive contacts with the West. He describes the swift rise of Japan to the status of a first-rate power following the Meiji Revolution after 1867, in which Japan broke with a long history of isolationism, and which paved the way for the adoption of Western technology and the creation of a modern Western-style nation state; and a similarly meteoric rise from the devastation of the Second World War to Japan's present position. A range of factors in Japan's economic success are analysed: her characteristic dualistic social structure - corresponding to the divide between large and medium/small enterprises - the relations of government and big business, the poor reception of liberalism and individualism, and the strength of the Japanese nationalism. Throughout, Professor Morishima emphasises the importance of the role played in the creation of Japanese capitalism by ethical doctrines as transformed under Japanese conditions, especially the Japanese Confucian tradition of complete loyalty to the firm and to the state. This account, which makes clear the extent to which the economic rise of Japan is due to factors unique to its historical traditions, will be of interest to a wide general readership as well as to students of Japan and its history.

The values and behaviors of the Japanese businessman--and of the Japanese in general--are quite diverse and keep changing, making it difficult for anyone (including the Japanese themselves) to truly understand why they act the way they do. The Eight Core Values of the Japanese Businessman saves readers time and effort when pursuing business opportunities in Japan because it identifies the core values of the Japanese businessman, ranging from the obvious and public, “Diligence,” to the more private, “Silence as Eloquence” and “Perception of Time.” After identifying these eight core values, Yasutaka Sai explores the history and modern interpretation of each. Based on over 300 Japanese language sources--otherwise unavailable to those who do not read Japanese--The Eight Core Values of the Japanese Businessman reveals the diversity and dynamism of Japanese values and behaviors. This information empowers businesspeople and international business educators to develop solid business relationships with the Japanese. With many years of experience, the author focuses on specific values that are most common among Japanese in the business world. These are not exclusive, but the most prevalent or widely shared values that Western businesspeople are likely to encounter: Japanese diligence, work ethic, and “Gambarism” or persistence group orientation: sense of belonging and participation, spirit of harmony, interpersonal relations aesthetics and perfectionism curiosity and emphasis on innovation respect for form and “Hana Yori Dango” or practicality a mind for competition and outlook on rewards the value of silence as eloquence perception of time As there is no single uniformly accepted source for the values of today's Japanese citizen or business person, Sai's exploration opens a vital window into understanding many Japanese values and behaviors. The Eight Core Values of the Japanese Businessman is vital reading for those with international business concerns--business and management educators, businesspeople interested in how Japanese managers manage and employees work, and practicing managers interested in cross-cultural management issues. It allows readers to develop good relationships with the Japanese based on a realistic understanding of how they think and act, both individually and as members of business organizations.

Examines beliefs and values generally shared by the Japanese and the importance they place on social interactions, relationships, and proper conduct.

By the late twentieth century, Japan had gained worldwide attention as an economic powerhouse. Having miraculously risen from the ashes of World War II, it was seen by many as a country to be admired if not emulated. But by the early 1990s, that bubble burst in spectacular fashion. The Japanese economic miracle was over. In this book, John Lie argues that in many ways the Japan of today has the potential to be even more significant than it was four decades ago. As countries face the prospect of a world with decreasing economic growth and increasing environmental dangers, Japan offers a unique glimpse into what a viable future might look like—one in which people acknowledge the limits of the economy and environment while championing meaningful and sustainable ways of working and living. Beneath and beyond the rhetoric of growth, some Japanese are leading sustainable lives and creating a sustainable society. Though he does not prescribe a one-size-fits-all cure for the world, Lie makes the compelling case that contemporary Japanese society offers a possibility for how other nations might begin to valorize everyday life and cultivate ordinary virtues.

Can traditional Japanese life concepts—like loyalty, harmony, meticulousness—make sense in Western societies? This little book offers readers a provocative tour through seventy-six core life concepts that are at the foundation of Japanese behavior, belief, and beauty. Japaneseness will be of particular interest to students of ethics and humanism as well as those living, working, or traveling in Japan. And it raises an intriguing question: Can traditional Japanese values—like loyalty, meticulousness, sensitivity, reverence, hierarchy, trust, and harmony—make sense in modern Western societies? You are encouraged to think about how Japanese virtues can cultivate inner strength, mindfulness, and long-lasting relationships at your own homes and workplaces.

Bushido: The Soul of Japan written by Inazo Nitobe was one of the first books on samurai ethics that was originally written in English for a Western audience, and has been subsequently translated into many other languages (also Japanese). Nitobe found in Bushido, the Way of the Warrior, the sources of the virtues most admired by his people: rectitude, courage, benevolence, politeness, sincerity, honor, loyalty and self-control, and he uses his deep knowledge of Western culture to draw comparisons with Medieval Chivalry, Philosophy, and Christianity.

The cultural practices and cultural meaning of health care in urban Japan.

This ground-breaking study on the Roman Catholic, Japanese novelist Endo Shusaku (1923-1996) uniquely combines western and Japanese religious, theological and philosophical thought. The author interprets Endo’s central works such as Silence (1966), The Samurai (1980), and Deep River (1996), from a theological point of view as documents of inculturation of Christianity in Japan. Analysing the social and religious context of Japan in a global perspective, the author identifies a central role for koshinto - a traditional Japanese ethos - in Endo's thought on inculturation. Endo’s change from a critical to a positive acceptance of the koshinto tradition partly accounts for his move from a pessimistic attitude of Christian inculturation in his early years to the growing theocentric and pneumatic concerns of his later years. Essential for Western readers.

The Japanese are hard to understand'. So say many people, but what makes this understanding so difficult is the fact that their values are diverse and often polarised. This book entitled The Eight Core Values of the Japanese Businessman brings out some of the most commonly shared values of the Japanese business organisation. Values like group orientation, diligence, perfectionism, curiosity etc. depicts the thinking and behaviour of a Japanese. Further, the book focuses on the customs, and the work ethics of a Japanese management. A number of theories and history of natural disaster have been cited as a principal influence on Japanese values.