Japan Destiny by Albert Axelbank Franklin Watts, Inc. New York 1973

JAPAN DESTINY , BY ALBERT AXELBANK

Albert Axelbank 's 1973 book Japan Destiny is a somewhat wary study of Japan 's culture and status as a world power . Though the author admits Japan has become a peaceful economic giant , he also worries throughout the book that it may return to its old warlike ways

Axelbank , a journalist and professor , wrote the book in 1973 , just as Japanese economic strength was being felt in the United States , where manufacturing was starting to decline . He sees Japan as a rising but not yet dominant world

power , but he believes it may become one . When he asks on a page before the main text , An urgent question in our time is , What road will Japan , a pacifist country today , choose to take tomorrow (n .p , he sets the tone for the book and hints that Japan could possibly return to its aggressive ways

What are the main traits of Japanese culture ? What are their values

According to Axelbank , Japanese culture values emphasizes conformity loyalty , and self-sacrifice for the benefit of the whole . He sums up his beliefs by asking and then answering a question : Does a Japanese really like being a cog in a wheel rather than to enjoy greater freedom as an individual ? The answer : yes (5 . He praises Japan 's lack of selfishness and ability to put the good of the group before that of the individual , but he seems to see an dangerous side of that as well . He sees prejudice in how the Japanese compare themselves to other nations but he adds that this arrogance hides a sense of inferiority to the West , which causes its worker bee ' mentality and makes it identify with the United States and Europe instead of other Asian countries

What role does militarism play in Japanese society

Axelbank believes that militarism is an inherent part of Japanese culture . He describes Japanese society as clannish [and] tribal (13 , with a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism that was then returning . As examples , he mentions the right-wing nationalists who returned to Japanese society after the Allied Occupation ended including the violent Rengo Sekigun group that committed a few terrorist acts shortly before the book was published . Axelbank also discusses writer Yukio Mishima , a nationalist who tried to lead a revolt against the Japanese government but committed suicide when it failed . He does not explain exactly why he believes Japan could return to its violent ways but says , Perhaps one reason is that a third of the nation was born after 1945 and therefore does not know the tragedy of war (41 Also , he worries that if Japan 's economy is isolated by other nations policies , it could become warlike again (However , as of 2006 it has not done this

Why did the author worry that Japan might become warlike again

Though Axelbank seems paranoid , he offers some evidence for worry that Japan may pose a military threat . By 1972 , he says , Japan had the world 's eighth...