Countering Stereotypes about Japan: Examples from Academia and Business

Professor Bruce Aronson (Hitotsubashi University)

Abstract

Is Japan unique? Even now we regularly encounter efforts by both academic generalists and popular writers to find the “essence” of Japan. Popular perceptions of Japan tend to include a preoccupation with cultural explanations and a violent swing of exaggerated views concerning Japan’s early postwar “success” and subsequent “failure.”

Stereotypes about Japan cause real harm. In the academic world, extensive research by specialists has generally failed to dispel the popular notion that a harmonious Japanese culture opposes the use of legal means to settle disputes. Business-related examples include exaggerated notions of cultural aspects of commercial relationships with Japanese companies and evaluation of Japan’s reform efforts such as the “Big Bang” financial deregulation and Abenomics. Stereotypes overwhelming careful analysis lead to both misunderstandings and lost opportunities.

To avoid such harmful stereotypes, this lecture instead proposes that we treat Japan as a “normal” country—i.e., use the same research and analytical methodologies that are utilized for any country without resorting to essentialist cultural arguments. Of course, Japan, like every country, has distinguishing local features and context; those with expertise and experience in Japan can contribute to the understanding of Japan by supplying the context within which society operates.

As Professor Beasley often emphasized, it is incumbent upon academics and other experts on Japan to communicate regularly with the general public to contribute to a deeper understanding of Japan.

Speaker Biography

Professor Aronson was a corporate partner at the law firm of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP in New York, and  has been Professor of Business Law at Hitotsubashi University since 2013. He has also engaged in research and teaching at a number of U.S. law schools including Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Boston University, the University of Washington at Seattle, and Georgetown University. His experience in Japan includes research at the University of Tokyo (Fulbright, 2000-2002, 2004), the Bank of Japan (2010), and Waseda University (Fulbright, 2011-2013). His main area of research is comparative corporate governance with a focus on Japan. He also acts as an advisor to the law firm of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. Professor Aronson is admitted to practice in New York.

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