Advertisement
Japan National Diet Building: A Symbol of Japanese Democracy
Introduction:
Have you ever wondered about the heart of Japanese democracy? The place where laws are debated, passed, and ultimately shape the nation’s destiny? This is the Japan National Diet Building, a majestic structure standing proudly in the heart of Tokyo. This post delves deep into the history, architecture, and significance of this iconic landmark, offering a comprehensive look at its role in Japan’s political landscape and its fascinating architectural features. We’ll explore its design, its symbolism, and its ongoing importance in modern Japan, providing you with a rich and informative understanding of this vital institution.
1. A Glimpse into History: From Meiji Restoration to Modern Japan
The National Diet Building wasn't always the imposing structure we see today. Its story is inextricably linked to Japan’s modernization and its journey towards a constitutional monarchy. The initial Diet building, constructed in the late 19th century, reflected the nascent parliamentary system. However, the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 significantly damaged the original structure, highlighting the need for a more resilient and symbolically powerful building. The current building, completed in 1936, reflects the architectural style and aspirations of pre-war Japan. Its design consciously mirrored the grandeur of other national parliaments worldwide, aiming to project an image of strength and stability. The post-war period saw the Diet building continue its crucial role, adapting to the evolving political landscape of a nation rebuilding itself. This historical perspective is critical to understanding the building's significance beyond its architectural merits.
2. Architectural Marvel: A Blend of Western and Japanese Styles
The architecture of the National Diet Building is a fascinating blend of Western and Japanese aesthetics. While undeniably influenced by Western neoclassical styles – evident in the symmetrical facade, grand columns, and imposing dome – the architects cleverly incorporated traditional Japanese elements. The use of natural materials, such as granite and bronze, reflects a respect for Japanese craftsmanship. The meticulous detailing and the overall sense of harmony showcase a balance between the modern and the traditional, creating a unique architectural identity. The building’s imposing presence conveys both authority and a sense of national unity. Observing the building, one can readily appreciate the skillful fusion of styles that resulted in this iconic landmark.
3. Inside the Building: A Tour of the Legislative Chambers and Public Areas
Beyond its external grandeur, the interior of the National Diet Building is equally impressive. The House of Representatives and the House of Councillors each possess their own distinct chambers, reflecting the bicameral nature of the Japanese legislature. These chambers are designed to facilitate debate and deliberation, showcasing careful consideration of acoustics and seating arrangements. While access to the chambers themselves might be limited to members of the Diet and authorized personnel, public areas are open for tours, offering a glimpse into the heart of Japanese democracy. These tours often highlight significant architectural features, historical artifacts, and artworks, allowing visitors to appreciate the building's rich history and cultural significance.
4. Symbolism and National Identity: More Than Just a Building
The Japan National Diet Building transcends its function as a legislative center; it serves as a powerful symbol of Japanese democracy and national identity. Its design, location, and overall presence communicate the nation’s aspirations for stability, progress, and participatory governance. The building itself has become a representation of the nation’s commitment to democratic principles, serving as a visual anchor for the political system. Its prominent location in Tokyo reinforces its importance as a central pillar of Japanese society. The building stands as a testament to the nation's journey toward a modern democratic state.
5. The Diet in Action: Understanding the Legislative Process
The National Diet Building is not merely a static structure; it's the dynamic heart of Japan's legislative process. Understanding the role of the Diet – its composition, its powers, and its procedures – is crucial to grasping the building’s significance. The building witnesses the lively debates, the intricate negotiations, and the ultimate passage of laws that shape Japanese society. Observing the workings of the Diet within its walls provides a tangible understanding of how laws are made and how Japan’s governance functions. By understanding the legislative processes, one can appreciate the building's pivotal role in the country’s political landscape.
Article Outline:
Title: Understanding the Japan National Diet Building: History, Architecture, and Significance
Introduction: Hook, overview of topics covered.
Chapter 1: Historical context – from Meiji era to present.
Chapter 2: Architectural features – blending of styles and symbolism.
Chapter 3: Interior spaces – chambers, public areas, and tours.
Chapter 4: Symbolism and national identity – representing Japanese democracy.
Chapter 5: The Diet in action – understanding the legislative process.
Conclusion: Summarizing the importance of the building.
(Detailed explanation of each chapter is provided above in the main article body.)
9 Unique FAQs:
1. What is the significance of the dome on the Japan National Diet Building? The dome symbolizes the aspirations of the nation and its democratic ideals.
2. Are tours of the Japan National Diet Building available to the public? Yes, guided tours are often available, though reservations may be required.
3. What architectural styles are incorporated into the building's design? It blends neoclassical Western styles with elements of traditional Japanese architecture.
4. What is the role of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors? They are the two houses of Japan's bicameral legislature.
5. When was the current Japan National Diet Building constructed? The current building was completed in 1936.
6. How did the Great Kanto Earthquake impact the Diet Building? The 1923 earthquake severely damaged the original building, leading to the construction of the current structure.
7. What materials were primarily used in the construction of the building? Granite and bronze were prominently featured.
8. What is the importance of the Diet Building in relation to Japanese national identity? It serves as a powerful symbol of democracy and national unity.
9. Can I access the legislative chambers during a public tour? Access to the actual chambers is usually restricted; tours focus on public areas.
9 Related Articles:
1. The History of Japanese Parliamentarism: Explores the evolution of Japan's political system.
2. Japanese Political Parties and Their Ideologies: Details the major political players in Japan.
3. The Role of the Emperor in Modern Japan: Explains the Emperor's constitutional position.
4. Tokyo's Architectural Landmarks: A broader look at Tokyo's iconic buildings.
5. Japanese Government Structure and Functions: An overview of the Japanese governmental system.
6. Visiting Tokyo: A Tourist's Guide: Includes the National Diet Building in a broader travel itinerary.
7. Modern Japanese Architecture: Focuses on post-war architectural trends in Japan.
8. The Influence of Western Architecture on Japan: Explores historical cross-cultural influences.
9. Significant Events in Japanese History: Includes the impact of events on the Diet Building's history.
| japan national diet building: The Oxford Handbook of Japanese Politics Robert J. Pekkanen, Saadia Pekkanen, 2021-10-25 Book Abstract and Keywords: The study of Japanese politics has flourished over the past several decades. This Handbook provides a state-of-the-field overview for students and researchers of Japanese. The volume also serves to introduce Japanese politics to readers less familiar with Japan. In addition, the volume has a theme of evaluating Japan's democracy. Taken as a whole, the volume provides a positive evaluation of the state of Japan's democracy. The volume is divided into two parts, roughly corresponding to domestic Japanese politics and Japan's international politics. Within the domestic politics part, there are four distinct sections: Domestic Political Actors and Institutions, covering the Japanese Constitution, electoral systems, prime minister, Diet, bureaucracy, judiciary, and local government; Political Parties and Coalitions, covering the Liberal Democratic Party, coalition government, Kōmeitō, and the political opposition; Policymaking and the Public, covering the policymaking process, public opinion, civil society, and populism; and, Political Economy and Social Policy, covering industrial, energy, social welfare, agricultural, monetary, and immigration policies, as well as social inequality. In the international relations part, there are four sections: International Relations Frameworks, covering grand strategy, international organizations, and international status; International Political Economy, covering trade, finance, foreign direct investment, the environment, economic regionalism, and the linkage between security and economics; International Security, covering remilitarization, global and regional security multilateralism, nuclear nonproliferation, naval power, space security, and cybersecurity; and, Foreign Relations covering Japan's relations with the United States, China, South Korea, ASEAN, India, the European Union, and Russia. Keywords: international relations, comparative politics, democracy, international order, alliances, space security, elections, Liberal Democratic Party, multilateralism, remilitarization, international organizations, populism, civil society, coalitions, political parties, trade, finance monetary policy, foreign direct investment, cybersecurity-- |
| japan national diet building: The Government of Japan Ardath Burks, 2010-10-18 This book takes a clear look at the course of the economic and political developments in Japan since the Second World War and in particular trends in government and politics since the peace treaty of 1952. It examines the disagreements within the country over re-armament and security; over neutralism versus commitment in the Cold War; over conflicting loyalties to an Asian or a European way of life; and over meeting the rising economic and social expectations of the new middle class. |
| japan national diet building: Archives, Documentation, and Institutions of Social Memory Francis Xavier Blouin, William G. Rosenberg, 2007-08-02 Essays exploring the importance of archives as artifacts of culture |
| japan national diet building: The Japanese Low FODMAP Diet Manual Mami Nakamura, Yoshiharu Uno, 2019-02-13 Before World War II, Japanese people ate an abundance of rice and fish. Now, however, many of them are eating wheat instead of rice. Most Japanese are lactose intolerant, but they consume milk and yoghurt every day. Furthermore, fructose in fruits has been increased by breeding improvement, and oligosaccharides and sorbitol have been added to processed food made in Japan. Do these high-FODMAPs cause disease? Specifically, have they contributed to the rapid rise of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease in Japan? This book is the English version of a Japanese publication from 2016 which explored the causes of this rise in IBS in Japan. It shows that the disease can be improved by a strict diet based on a deep understanding of the patient and their diet. |
| japan national diet building: The Japanese Diet And The U.s. Congress Francis Valeo, Charles E Morrison, 2019-07-11 The Japanese Diet and the U.S. Congress have in common many of the characteristics of democratic institutions, similarities that can be seen in the way the two legislative bodies are constituted, in what they do, and in how they do it. At the same time, there are disparities that stem from each nation's unique cultural background and political experiences. Both the similarities and the differences are treated in this unique study. The authors, well-known japanese and U.S. scholars, illuminate significant factors that not only underlie the differing roles of the Diet and the Congress in the two governments and the style of each government, but also help shape the nature of the interaction between japan and the U.S. |
| japan national diet building: Historical Dictionary of Postwar Japan William D. Hoover, 2011-03-18 The Historical Dictionary of Historical Dictionary of Postwar Japan relates the history of postwar Japan through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, events, places, organizations. |
| japan national diet building: Japan Report , 1979 |
| japan national diet building: Historical Dictionary of Tokyo Roman Cybriwsky, 2011-02-18 Tokyo is Japan's largest city and its capital. It is also one of the largest cities in the world and a major center of global economic influence. The origins of human settlement in what is today Tokyo are lost in prehistory. The city started out quite modestly as a small castle town of Edo in 1457, then the center of the Tokugawa shogunate from 1603-1868, the rapidly modernizing and Westernizing capital of the nation during the Meiji Period (1868-1912), and the capital of a prosperous nation and growing empire thereafter. Tokyo was utterly devastated during World War II, but this was not the first time Tokyo had to start seemingly from new. Due to many fires and earthquakes, the city has constantly rebuilt itself and today it outdoes all its previous emanations by far. The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Tokyo is a much-needed reference source on the city. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 600 cross-referenced dictionary entries on people, places, events, and other terminology about the city of Tokyo. This book is a must for anyone interested in Japan and Tokyo. |
| japan national diet building: Japan , |
| japan national diet building: Japan at the Crossroads Nick Kapur, 2018-08-06 In spring of 1960, Japan’s government passed Anpo, a revision of the postwar treaty that allows the United States to maintain a military presence in Japan. This move triggered the largest popular backlash in the nation’s modern history. These protests, Nick Kapur argues in Japan at the Crossroads, changed the evolution of Japan’s politics and culture, along with its global role. The yearlong protests of 1960 reached a climax in June, when thousands of activists stormed Japan’s National Legislature, precipitating a battle with police and yakuza thugs. Hundreds were injured and a young woman was killed. With the nation’s cohesion at stake, the Japanese government acted quickly to quell tensions and limit the recurrence of violent demonstrations. A visit by President Eisenhower was canceled and the Japanese prime minister resigned. But the rupture had long-lasting consequences that went far beyond politics and diplomacy. Kapur traces the currents of reaction and revolution that propelled Japanese democracy, labor relations, social movements, the arts, and literature in complex, often contradictory directions. His analysis helps resolve Japan’s essential paradox as a nation that is both innovative and regressive, flexible and resistant, wildly imaginative yet simultaneously wedded to tradition. As Kapur makes clear, the rest of the world cannot understand contemporary Japan and the distinct impression it has made on global politics, economics, and culture without appreciating the critical role of the “revolutionless” revolution of 1960—turbulent events that released long-buried liberal tensions while bolstering Japan’s conservative status quo. |
| japan national diet building: Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science Allen Kent, 1986-09-23 The Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science provides an outstanding resource in 33 published volumes with 2 helpful indexes. This thorough reference set--written by 1300 eminent, international experts--offers librarians, information/computer scientists, bibliographers, documentalists, systems analysts, and students, convenient access to the techniques and tools of both library and information science. Impeccably researched, cross referenced, alphabetized by subject, and generously illustrated, the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science integrates the essential theoretical and practical information accumulating in this rapidly growing field. |
| japan national diet building: Institute of Pacific Relations United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws, 1952 Investigates alleged communist control of the publications and international information exchange programs of the Institute of Pacific Relations. Also investigates alleged communist attempts to influence U.S. Far East policy. Includes discussion of Communist Party activities in Nazi Germany. |
| japan national diet building: Institute of Pacific Relations United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary, 1951 |
| japan national diet building: Hearings, Reports and Prints of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary, 1952 |
| japan national diet building: Bodies of Memory Yoshikuni Igarashi, 2012-01-09 Japan and the United States became close political allies so quickly after the end of World War II, that it seemed as though the two countries had easily forgotten the war they had fought. Here Yoshikuni Igarashi offers a provocative look at how Japanese postwar society struggled to understand its war loss and the resulting national trauma, even as forces within the society sought to suppress these memories. Igarashi argues that Japan's nationhood survived the war's destruction in part through a popular culture that expressed memories of loss and devastation more readily than political discourse ever could. He shows how the desire to represent the past motivated Japan's cultural productions in the first twenty-five years of the postwar period. Japanese war experiences were often described through narrative devices that downplayed the war's disruptive effects on Japan's history. Rather than treat these narratives as obstacles to historical inquiry, Igarashi reads them along with counter-narratives that attempted to register the original impact of the war. He traces the tensions between remembering and forgetting by focusing on the body as the central site for Japan's production of the past. This approach leads to fascinating discussions of such diverse topics as the use of the atomic bomb, hygiene policies under the U.S. occupation, the monstrous body of Godzilla, the first Western professional wrestling matches in Japan, the transformation of Tokyo and the athletic body for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and the writer Yukio Mishima's dramatic suicide, while providing a fresh critical perspective on the war legacy of Japan. |
| japan national diet building: Hearings United States. Congress Senate, 1952 |
| japan national diet building: Japan Stephanie E. Butler, Alexis C. Kelly, 2009 A guide to sights, festivals, hotels, shops, and restaurants in Japan includes information about local transportation, currency, and customs |
| japan national diet building: Marathon Japan Thomas R. H. Havens, 2015-02-28 Japanese have been fervid long-distance runners for many centuries. Today, on a per capita basis, at least as many Japanese residents complete marathons each year as in the United States or any other country. Marathon Japan is the first comprehensive English-language chronicle of the history of this important part of Japanese sports culture. It traces the development of distance racing beginning with the Stockholm Olympics of 1912, when the Japanese government used athletics, and above all the marathon, as a means to continue its late nineteenth-century project of winning the respect of Western countries and achieving parity with the world powers. The marathon soon became the first event in a Western-derived sport in which Japanese proved consistently superior to athletes from other countries. During the 1920s and 1930s, Japanese runners regularly produced the fastest times in the world, and twice in the period after World War Two—in the 1960s and late 1970s–1980s—Japanese men again dominated world marathoning. Japanese women likewise emerged as some of the world's fastest in the 1990s and early 2000s. Meanwhile the general public took up distance running with enthusiasm, starting in the 1960s and continuing unabated today, symbolized most recently by massive open-entry marathons in Tokyo, Osaka, and other Japanese cities comparable in scale and challenge to major world races in Boston, New York, Chicago, London, and Berlin. In this book, Thomas Havens analyzes the origins, development, and significance of Japan's century-long excellence in marathons and long-distance relays (ekiden), as well as the reasons for the explosive growth of distance racing among ordinary citizens in more recent decades. He reveals the key role of commercial media companies in promoting sports, especially marathons and ekidens, from the 1910s to today and explains how running became a consumer commodity beginning in the 1970s as Japanese society matured into an age of capitalist affluence. What comes to light as well are the relentlessly nationalistic goals underlying government policies toward sports—above all marathons, where Japanese have been so successful—throughout the modern era. The public craze for distance racing, both watching and running, has created a shared citizenship of civic participation among young and old, male and female, persons of every social background and level of education. The combination of speedy elite athletes and huge numbers of general-citizen runners means that Japan today is truly a marathon nation. Marathon Japan will appeal to Japan specialists interested in modern cultural and social history. It will engage recreational runners in Japan and abroad as well as anyone interested in the history of sports. |
| japan national diet building: Architecture and Identity Peter Herrle, Erik Wegerhoff, 2008 This book brings together complex fields of knowledge and globally splintered discourses on a subject that is experienced not only by scholars, but in the everyday lives of people around the world. There is a common complaint about the loss of identity which, to a substantial degree, is being associated with the built environment in cities and specifically with their architecture. Architecture and Identity takes a global, multidisciplinary look on how identities in contemporary architecture are constructed. The general hypothesis underlying this book is that in a globalized world identity in architecture cannot be easily derived from distinct indigenous patterns. The book presents forty contributions from various disciplines aiming to destroy the myth of an inheritable or otherwise prefabricated identity. Some authors dismantle constructs of identity that have long been considered as solid and unbreakable while others meticulously unravel the construction process of identities in |
| japan national diet building: The Residues, Part One Stephen Barber, 2020-12-01 Beginning in 1993 with Artaud: Blows and Bombs, Stephen Barber has quietly, independently forged one of the most singular and enriching bodies of work in contemporary writing. -David Peace Over the three decades since 1990, Stephen Barber has written many essays and experimental writings around film and digital arts. For the first time, this collection in two parts assembles all of those writings, many otherwise unavailable, over seventy in all. Many of those writings explore unknown elements of vital bodies of work that remain inspirational for contemporary art, writing and film. Others interrogate the transmutations of cities - especially those of Europe and of Japan - across those three decades, anatomizing their urban futures. These writings are often residues from, or accompaniments to, Stephen Barber’s thirty books, short writings which possess their own distinctive and accumulating presence, and can display the interrogative resilience to explore preoccupations with greater intensity and pointedness than an entire book. THE RESIDUES, PART ONE collects 38 writings on subjects including Antonin Artaud, Jean Genet, Tatsumi Hijikata, Pierre Guyotat, and Friedrich Nietzsche. |
| japan national diet building: Exporting Japanese Aesthetics Tets Kimura, Jennifer Harris, 2020-05-04 Exporting Japanese Aesthetics brings together historical and contemporary case studies addressing the evolution of international impacts and influences of Japanese culture and aesthetics. The volume draws on a wide range of examples from a multidisciplinary team of scholars exploring transnational, regional and global contexts. Studies include the impact of traditional Japanese theatre and art through to the global popularity of contemporary anime and manga. Under the banner of soft power or Cool Japan, cultural commodities that originate in Japan have manifested new meanings outside Japan. By (re)mapping meanings of selected Japanese cultural forms, this volume offers an in-depth examination of how various aspects of Japanese aesthetics have evolved as exportable commodities, the motivations behind this diffusion, and the extent to which the process of diffusion has been the result of strategic planning. Each chapter presents a case study that explores perspectives that situate Japanese aesthetics within a wide-ranging field of inquiry including performance, tourism, and visual arts, as well as providing historical contexts. The importance of interrogating the export of Japanese aesthetics is validated at the highest levels of government, which formed the Office of Cool Japan in 2010, and which perhaps originated in the 19th century at governmentally endorsed cultural courts at world fairs. Increased international consumption of contemporary Japanese culture provides a much needed boost to Japans weakening economy. The case studies are timely and topical. As host of the 2020/2021 Tokyo Olympic Games and the 2025 Osaka Expo, Cool Japan will be under special scrutiny. |
| japan national diet building: Japan in Upheaval Dagfinn Gatu, 2022-04-21 This book examines the widespread protests which took place in Japan in 1960 against the renewal of the US-Japan Security Treaty and assesses their far-reaching impact. It emphasizes the scale of the protests, at the climax of which hundreds of thousands of protestors surrounded Japan's National Diet building on nearly a daily basis, and large protests took place in other cities and towns all across Japan. It considers the results of the protests, which included the cancellation of President Eisenhower’s state visit and Prime Minister Kishi’s removal from office, and argues that although the protests apparently failed in that the Security Treaty was renewed and the Liberal Democratic Party remained in power, nevertheless the protests brought about subtle lasting changes in Japan: they revealed many latent societal and political tensions, and they compelled the ruling establishment to reshape itself, having to take seriously non-militarization and the need to listen to the people. The events are analysed in terms of social movement dynamics, with comparative references to the Western European protests of 1968. |
| japan national diet building: The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force Robert D. Eldridge, Paul Midford, 2017-01-21 Based on extensive Japanese-language materials, this book is the first to examine the development of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force. It addresses: how the GSDF was able to emerge as the post-war successor of the Imperial Japanese Army despite Japan’s anti-militarist constitution; how the GSDF, despite the public skepticism and even hostility that greeted its creation, built domestic and international legitimacy; and how the GSDF has responded to changes in international and domestic environments. This path-breaking study of the world’s third-largest-economic power’s ground army is timely for two reasons. First, the resurgence of tensions in Northeast Asia over territorial disputes, and the emphasis recent Japanese governments have placed on using the GSDF for defending Japan’s outlying islands is driving media coverage and specialist interest in the GSDF. Second, the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami has focused global attention on the GSDF as Japan’s lead disaster relief organization. This highly informative and thoroughly researched book provides insight for policy makers and academics interested in Japanese foreign and defense policies. |
| japan national diet building: The Cherry Tree Weeps for Me James Mikel Wilson, 2024-10-31 The Cherry Tree Weeps for Me: A Quest for The Dawn of Peace chronicles one man’s lifelong pursuit of peace before and after the Pacific War. Takashi Komatsu’s incredible story is told alongside Japan’s pre- and post-WWII history and the country’s remarkable rebirth as a vibrant democratic global economic powerhouse. Komatsu’s journey—from an unsettled youth, to the refuge of New York City’s YMCA as a new immigrant, to the delivery of Harvard’s 1911 commencement address—proves that real life can be stranger than fiction. The Cherry Tree Weeps for Me traces Komatsu's extraordinary life as he rose to the head of a large shipping company in Japan, befriended the heir to the last shogunate and the US Ambassador, and became a respected international businessman and statesman. Risking incarceration and assassination, Komatsu made choices that defied military rulers and right-wing extremists as they edged Japan toward war and devoured a democracy. Within days of the war’s end, inconceivable events led General MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Occupation Forces, to seek Komatsu's aid to help rebuild Japan and restore amity with the United States. Repairing friendship between the two countries was complex and daunting. Komatsu went far beyond forging relationships with US presidents, ambassadors, scholars, philanthropists, and leaders in the public and private sectors of both Japan and the United States. His legacy is a powerful reminder of the importance of tenacity, empathy, and understanding in international affairs. If you enjoy books like Malcolm Gladwell’s The Bomber Mafia, you’ll love The Cherry Tree Weeps for Me. Find out what transpired after the devastation and one man’s unsung influence that restored a stolen democracy. Book Review 1: “Wilson takes us on a wonderful deep dive into Takashi Komatsu's incredible life and dedication to peace and friendship between the US and Japan. In the years following the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, Komatsu played a pivotal role in fostering cultural exchange and understanding between the US and Japan, including his work with John D. Rockefeller III to bring the Shofuso House to life (First exhibited at MoMA in New York City and now permanently displayed in Philadelphia).” -- Alan Wilkis Artist (Big Data), Music Producer, and Composer for Film and TV Book Review 2: With the skill of a seasoned storyteller, Wilson paints a vivid portrait of a man who straddled two worlds; from Takashi Komatsu's beginnings as a twelve-year-old boy venturing overseas to seek his destiny, to his pivotal role in shaping Japanese-American relations in the wake of World War II. -- Monte Francis Multiple Emmy Award-winning journalist and news presenter, France 24; Author of Ice and Bone and By Their Father’s Hand Book Review 3: “Wilson tells the story not only of the unsung hero, Takashi Komatsu, who was educated at my alma mater, but of the history of the relationship between Japan and the United States. He ties together these threads and alerts us to the incredible coincidences. These included living next door to a curious younger boy in Monmouth, Illinois, who would later become responsible for one-half of the US occupation of Japan and, by happenstance, cross paths with Komatsu in Tokyo after 35 years of separation. They would collaborate to begin reconstruction, and their sons would become Monmouth College classmates after the war.” -- Dan Cotter Member of the Board of Trustees of Monmouth College. 2024-25 President of the National Board of Bar Presidents. Author “The Chief Justices – The Seventeen Men of the Center Seat, Their Courts, and Their Times.” Book Review 4: “Unearthing the obscure life of an unsung hero, Wilson’s newest book masterfully unravels how Komatsu emerges as a catalyst for unity and prosperity in post-WWII Japan. It provokes introspection on the age-old quandary of ‘what next’ after conflict termination. Perhaps Wilson employs Komatsu’s character and actions to inspire Americans during this time of extreme political divisiveness and mistrust. Will we forsake revenge and retribution by uniting to fortify peace, democracy, and prosperity? If so, who will emerge as our Komatsu? -- Colonel Kay A. Smith Colonel, USAF (Retired) Book Review 5: Wilson’s new book helps readers understand how Takashi Komatsu was influenced by his mentors in the US and Japan. These influences played a major role in his ability to form alliances and work as a catalyst to building the Japanese economy and the strong economic ties between Japan and the US. -- Gary Randazzo Sr. Lecturer, C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston; Former EVP and General Manager, San Francisco Chronicle and Senior Vice President Houston Chronicle Book Review 6: “When conflicts end, like the current Russian-Ukrainian War, who will be the artists of peace to bring warring partners past the residual anger to cooperation and perhaps friendship? Komatsu was such a man, and his impact seems incomprehensible.” -- Dr. Stan S. Katz Former San Diego World Affairs Council Board Member. Author “The Art of Diplomacy.” Book Review 7: “I was blown away by the volume of Wilson’s research on Japan's geopolitical history and the details of Takashi Komatsu’s life—particularly how they intersected with important global events. Komatsu’s influence on the early years of Japan’s post-WWII recovery and renewed friendship with the US is still felt today, as evidenced by their strong strategic and economic alliances. Wilson’s book illustrates that real life can be as captivating as fiction.” -- Jeff Rankin Retired Editor and Historian, Monmouth College |
| japan national diet building: Encyclopedia of Library History Wayne A. Wiegand, Donald G. Jr. Davis, 2015-01-28 First Published in 1994. This book focuses on the historical development of the library as an institution. Its contents assume no single theoretical foundation or philosophical perspective but instead reflect the richly diverse opinions of its many contributors. This text is intended to serve as a reference tool for undergraduate and graduate students interested in library history, for library school educators whose teaching requires knowledge of the historical development of library institutions, services, and user groups, and for practicing library professionals. |
| japan national diet building: Transnational Encounters between Germany and Korea Joanne Miyang Cho, Lee M. Roberts, 2017-10-15 This book examines the history of the German-Korean relationship from the late nineteenth to the twenty-first century, focusing on the nations’ varied encounters with each other during the last years of the Yi dynasty, the Japanese occupation of Korea, the Cold War, and the post-Cold War era. With essays from a range of internationally respected scholars, this collection moves between history, diplomacy, politics, education, migration, literature, cinema, and architecture to uncover historical and cultural intersections between Germany and Korea. Each nation has navigated the challenges of modernity in different ways, and yet traditional East-West dichotomies belie the deeper affinities between them. This book points to those affinities, focusing in particular on the past and present internal divisions that perhaps make Germany and Korea as similar as Germany and Japan. |
| japan national diet building: Tokyo a Cultural Guide John H. Martin, Phyllis G. Martin, 2012-10-16 This useful Tokyo travel guide presents fourteen original walking tours that unlock some of Tokyo’s secrets and mysteries. Although Tokyo today is a sprawling urban patchwork of towns and wards, each of the city’s districts retains a unique charm and character. Discover, in a series of linked, engaging half-day excursions, the stories behind places like Hibiya's Hall of the Cry of the Stag and Flying Head of Marunouchi. Visit the sites where the Forty-Seven Ronin, the last Samurai General Nogi, and Yukio Mishima committed ritual Seppuku. In the sumo district see where the wrestlers fight, train and live, and just a bit farther on, the massive Thunder Gate of Senso-ji Temple. John and Phyllis Martin have visited Tokyo numerous times and know the city intimately. With detailed directions and maps, they introduce the background, the legends, and the sights that bring old Edo alive. |
| japan national diet building: Japanese Constitutional Revisionism and Civic Activism Helen Hardacre, Timothy S. George, Keigo Komamura, Franziska Seraphim, 2021-06-01 Since the adoption of the 1947 Constitution of Japan, the document has become a contested symbol of contrasting visions of Japan. Japanese Constitutional Revisionism and Civic Activism is a volume which examines the history of Japan’s constitutional debates, key legal decisions and interpretations, the history and variety of activism, and activists’ ties to party politics and to fellow activists overseas. |
| japan national diet building: Architecture History, Theory and Preservation Arleen Pabón-Charneco, 2020-11-29 Architecture History, Theory and Preservation critically explores the historic development, theoretical underpinnings and conservation practices of architecture. Complete with 170 full color images, this volume presents architectural and urban examples, from Prehistory to the Middle Ages, chronologically and thematically examining contextual issues that provide each period with distinctive expressions. The special features, structural systems, materials and construction technologies are analyzed, as well as how the international community deals with the task of interpreting and preserving certain historic properties. This publication provides professors and students of architecture, art history, historic preservation and related fields with an integrated view of architecture using historical, theoretical and conservation perspectives. As an architect, architectural historian and preservationist herself, Dr Pabón-Charneco weaves a field of relationships regarding each building, creating a silent yet empowering bridge between past and present. |
| japan national diet building: Japan's Aging Peace Tom Phuong Le, 2021-06-22 Since the end of World War II, Japan has not sought to remilitarize, and its postwar constitution commits to renouncing aggressive warfare. Yet many inside and outside Japan have asked whether the country should or will return to commanding armed forces amid an increasingly challenging regional and global context and as domestic politics have shifted in favor of demonstrations of national strength. Tom Phuong Le offers a novel explanation of Japan’s reluctance to remilitarize that foregrounds the relationship between demographics and security. Japan’s Aging Peace demonstrates how changing perceptions of security across generations have culminated in a culture of antimilitarism that constrains the government’s efforts to pursue a more martial foreign policy. Le challenges a simple opposition between militarism and pacifism, arguing that Japanese security discourse should be understood in terms of “multiple militarisms,” which can legitimate choices such as the mobilization of the Japan Self-Defense Forces for peacekeeping operations and humanitarian relief missions. Le highlights how factors that are not typically linked to security policy, such as aging and declining populations and gender inequality, have played crucial roles. He contends that the case of Japan challenges the presumption in international relations scholarship that states must pursue the use of force or be punished, showing how widespread normative beliefs have restrained Japanese policy makers. Drawing on interviews with policy makers, military personnel, atomic bomb survivors, museum coordinators, grassroots activists, and other stakeholders, as well as analysis of peace museums and social movements, Japan’s Aging Peace provides new insights for scholars of Asian politics, international relations, and Japanese foreign policy. |
| japan national diet building: The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism Sidney Xu Lu, 2019-07-25 Shows how Japanese anxiety about overpopulation was used to justify expansion, blurring lines between migration and settler colonialism. This title is also available as Open Access. |
| japan national diet building: Modernization of Japan Gbingba Gbosoe, 2006-09 The Japanese are a diligent people, constantly working to ensure institutional success. The Japanese have an innate ability to copy foreigners. In their effort to build a strong country, the Japanese sought knowledge from abroad; and perfected these learnings in order to effect rapid national development. In their quest for progress, the Japanese have cherished the trait of national self-reliance. Until the Jeiji Restoration, Japan had pursued a national policy of seclusion that forbade almost all contact with the outside world. The nineteenth century was one of exploration and imperialism for most of the world. The Japanese would not be left alone, merely because they wanted to pursue a national policy of autarchy. European powers began establishing commercial relations with Japan. In 1953, a commodore in the US Navy visited Japan with the aim of opening trade contacts. After years of negotiations, treaties were signed authorizing an opening of a few ports to foreign trade. Simultaneously, Japan embarked on a policy of expansion in China and Korea due to its need for fertile soil and natural resources. This policy led to war with China in and with Russia. |
| japan national diet building: Japan Nicholas Bornoff, Perrin Lindelauf, 2022-09-13T00:00:00+02:00 Inspiring photography, insider tips, cultural interpretation, and expert advice are hallmarks of these bestselling travel guides, ensuring a more authentic, enriching experience of the destination. In Japan, spring bursts onto the scene with the splendor of blooming cherry trees (sakura), the symbol of life. This is the most popular season for visitors, who enjoy the tranquility of the Zen gardens, however, the narrow archipelago of Japan offers considerable cultural and geographical variety, with interesting attractions and places to visit throughout the seasons. Attractions range from the snowcapped volcano of Mount Fuji to tropical atolls and the frenzied metropoles of Tokyo and Kyoto--the imperative experiences of Japan could fill an entire lifetime. National Geographic brings all the aspects of the culture, history, and traditions of the places to visit. Walking itineraries, with maps, include Shibuya-ku, Ueno, Hakodate, Hagi and the route from Magome to Tsumago. Among the excursions, there are visits to the wonderful Japanese gardens, to the Peace Park in Hiroshima and to the national parks of Akan and Kushiro-Shitsugen. It is possible to follow the pilgrim paths of Kumano Kodo or take whale-watching trips along the coasts. The travel advice for the eight main islands and regions includes the most interesting cities, towns, and regions of Japan, helping visitors discover one of the most famous and complex tourist destinations of Asia. |
| japan national diet building: Industrial Development in Postwar Japan Hirohisa Kohama, 2007-10-04 Structured into sub-sector by sub-sector analyses, this book provides a clear and accessible examination of industrial development, without over-generalizing or being weighed down by historical details. Written by an authority in the area of development economics it explores the companies and the individuals that have pushed Japan's economy forward |
| japan national diet building: Drinking Japan Chris Bunting, 2014-01-14 Drinking Japan the first practical Japan travel guide in English, to depict Japan's bars and alcoholic beverages. Author Chris Bunting goes to tremendous lengths to present Japan's best bars and alcoholic drinks. You will be prepared for your trip with detailed profiles of Japans finest sake, shochu, awamori, beers, wines and Japanese whiskies. This book tells you where to find each one, which brands are best and which to avoid. A trip to Japan is not complete without experiencing its famous nightlife. From bright lights of Ginza to the quiet street corners of Kyoto. Drinking Japan provides reviews of 122 bars in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Hiroshima extending further afield. More than 120 of the country's best bars are featured in richly illustrated reviews, with menu tips, directions and language help. If you are drinking in Japan, most likely it is going to be a thrilling night. Japan is home to some of the world's most extraordinary alcoholic beverages as well as the most appealing bar scenes. This book will prepare you and your friends with the tips and tricks you need when navigating through cool Japan bar scenes and nightlife. |
| japan national diet building: Seoul's Historic Walks in Sketches Janghee Lee, 2018-08-16 Seoul is a rapidly changing city, the epitome of the latest trends and technology. But looking closely in between the skyscrapers, there lie hints that reveal an alternate story, a story of a 600-year-old capital city. Seoul’s Historic Walks in Sketches discovers and brings to life these stories. From the Joseon era’s palaces and fortresses to modern skyscrapers of glass and steel built on historic sites, the author’s pencil sketches bring forth a new dimension of Seoul. Accompanying the illustrations are his insightful, witty commentaries on local history that go a long way in presenting readers with a captivating view of the unknown city, a city almost exotic in its mystery. A city, its architecture and its history: 15 must-see attractions in old town Seoul Through the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), Japanese colonial rule, the Korean War, industrialization, and democratization movements, countless stories of the changing times have been engraved in the nooks and crannies of Seoul. This book is a retrospect of the forgotten city of Hanyang (old Seoul), reviving the history once lived within the four ancient great gates. Many of the places covered in this book are among Seoul’s most famous landmarks and popular tourist attractions, yet the sagas unraveled at each destination impart an unconventional perspective. The author’s remarkably discerning eye notices and depicts the minute details most would miss around the city. For those unmoved by the textbook photographs and dry histories of existing guides to Seoul, this book’s intimate charm is sure to please. The ever-changing city of Seoul: Sites and stories unfamiliar even to locals It would be an understatement to say that this book is only dedicated to tracking down the historical traces of Seoul. As the author says, “Seoul isn’t an antique—it’s an ever-changing organism.” He discusses the recent changes that have proven significant to the city and introduces hidden attractions around the city, from an ecological park on a skyscraper rooftop to evidence of historical figures cleverly hidden in amongst the buildings. Seoul Historic Walks in Sketches contains extraordinary and unmatched insight into the city. |
| japan national diet building: The Department of State Bulletin , 1984 The official monthly record of United States foreign policy. |
| japan national diet building: Fodor's 25 Best: Tokyo Martin Gostelow, 2012-06-26 An innovative combination that incorporates a compact-sized travel guide with a convenient fold-out map provides in-depth coverage of the great cities of the world, featuring capsule reviews of recommended hotels, restaurants, shops and nightlife options, as well as handy travel tips, fun facts, the 25 best things to see and do, Web sites, service information and other useful sections. |
| japan national diet building: Japanese Cybercultures Nanette Gottlieb, Mark McLelland, 2003-08-29 Japan is rightly regarded as one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, yet the development and deployment of Internet technology in Japan has taken a different trajectory compared with Western nations. This is the first book to look at the specific dynamics of Japanese Internet use. It examines the crucial questions: * how the Japanese are using the Internet: from the prevalence of access via portable devices, to the fashion culture of mobile phones * how Japan's cute culture has colonized cyberspace * the role of the Internet in different musical subcultures * how different men's and women's groups have embraced technology to highlight problems of harassment and bullying * the social, cultural and political impacts of the Internet on Japanese society * how marginalized groups in Japanese society - gay men, those living with AIDS, members of new religious groups and Japan's hereditary sub-caste, the Burakumin - are challenging the mainstream by using the Internet. Examined from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives, using a broad range of case-studies, this is an exciting and genuinely cutting-edge book which breaks new ground in Japanese studies and will be of value to anyone interested in Japanese culture, the Internet and cyberculture. |
| japan national diet building: Japanese Modern Architecture 1920-2015 Ari Seligmann, 2016-11-30 Japanese Modern Architecture 1920-2015 uses a series of thematic lenses to explain the rich history of Japanese architectural developments from the 1920s foundation of modern architecture to contemporary permutations of modern and post-modern architecture. The book introduces the diversity of Japanese architecture and traces the evolution of Japanese architecture in the context of domestic and international developments. It examines the relationship between architecture and nature, and explores various approaches to craft and material. Finally, this new book considers tensions between refinement and ostentation in architectural expression. Of interest to students of architecture, and anyone with an interest in Japanese post-war culture and superbly illustrated with 95 colour images. |
