2003  February

*Before Japanese Renaissance [030203-28]

The crisis of nation comes from outer power. However, in most cases, it is only appearance. Usually the crisis is a result of inner decadence. Rather, a closed society cannot change by itself and demands others for its reformation. Both the inner social stability and outer stimulation are necessary for maintenance of society. A extreme stable society, which depends usually on closed system, should decline due to over specialized organizations. Now Japanese society faces this crisis.

Always a social reformation appears accompany with the revival of traditional spirit. However, it does not mean only a revival of what had existed. As new wine demands new sack, a reformation is requested by novel social situations, most of which caused by encountering with others. Usually, we usually find the decline of traditional spirit facing others people, and seek solutions of problem in our history.

Now the decline of Japan is so serious that should be called suffering from ‘the disease unto death’. It is true that Japanese people had ridden over many crises in their history like Meiji Restoration. However, this crisis is radically different from such ones. If there was this kind of crisis in the history, it will be found in Yayoi epoch when lots of immigrants invaded into Japan. In the crises such as Meiji and the devastation after the World War 2, they can solve it only by accepting foreigner civilization. But, the crises both in Yayoi and now force them to coexist foreigner people.

Therefore, Japanese people must research their own tradition more radically than when they revived Japanese Emperor system in Meiji Restoration.

Usually reformations accompany with denial of former age. In the case of Meiji Restoration, this denial sacrificed the tradition of Buddhism with that of Shintoism. The people who widely excited at nationalism caused by foreigner powers broke Buddhism sites. At that moment, Japanese beautiful tradition for coexistence was damaged at the cost of the establishment of nationalism. For example, Usa Hachiman, which has deep authority in the history of Shinto, had been located under usual a little big shrine, because the god of Hachiman is the first god to accept Buddhism. Unfortunately, Meiji government forged Japanese tradition and made up National Shintoism.

Now it is difficult to find true Japanese tradition in Japanese society. Not only Meiji Restoration but also other historical changing after that spoiled Japanese original tradition. For example, after the World War 2, the social confusion and extreme left-wing movement covered good tradition that had been taken over since Meiji period. Actually, in the branch of philosophy, only a few people researched their own thought constructed as before the War, and philosophical academism have fallen into philology. Also, during 80’s bubble age, Japanese virtue to make something with patience has been lost considerably.

As the result, it become difficult to find in Japanese leaders excellent people who have enough intelligent ability to judge human talents. On the other hand, the virtue of usual people is limited in the spirit of obedience. Now the proportion of salaried workers in Japan is about 70%, and what they are demanded is to be a good servant. However, who give them order? Always the tops of organization are office workers who had experienced the age of good servant. As the phrase ‘Good player will not be good team manager’ shows, they do not have the sense to decide where their organizations go. Only the people who manage their own business can find what they should do enough.

The incompetent of leaders and extreme obedience in usual people are the result of the time when people need not ask what they should do. With enormous economic growth, to consider something deeply is despised, and their estimation depends on how much they work. The people who can work for already decided purposes without the sense of shame or sin have been obtain good position in their organizations. In Japan, this tendency had been accelerated by lifetime employment. During about 50 years after World War 2, Japanese excellent tradition succeeded from Meiji period has been damaged, and remains only among few people who have not been influenced so much by Japanese Kaisha society.

It does not mean that there are few people who can reform Japanese society. Rather, it is easy to find such people. The problem is there remains little possibility to accept reformers in this society. For the realization of reformation, it is firstly necessary for society to elect and adapt them into their system. However, how it is hard for Japanese people! They oft blame the responsibility of Japanese banks for this recession, but only few people demands the retirements of top managers of banks and the publication of the sum income of bank clerks. Both leaders and usual people in democratic system do not have idea and courage what they should do.

Here is the reason why I insist that new managers will enter Japanese society from other Asian countries. They know very well why Japanese recession is prolonged so much. Most of Japanese people may not like the coexistence with foreigner people, but it is already the decided destiny of Japan. The problem is whether Japanese people maintain and revive their own tradition in these circumstances.

It is sure that there is serious danger in coexisting foreigner people. Especially, our history tells us many races disappeared by invading other people, when the race had fallen. However, it is also true that some country like Rome developed accepting other people and kept long prosperity. Now, U.S. is the example of prosperity introducing other people into herself, and she creates high-leveled technology and the national superiority to other countries. From the age of immigrants of England, Holland or French people, to the age of Latin, Slav and Asian people such as Chinese and Indian, immigrated people have created and supported in developing field. It is reported that for foreigner people, especially Arabian and Muslim, U.S. is not comfortable country to live, but if this country cannot find new leading immigrant, she will fall soon.

In the case of Japan, it is said that Japanese people have accepted foreigner civilization, but not foreigners themselves. It is correct during historical ages. However, there was period when many other people intruded Japan and, even partly, they swept native inhabitants. That is Yayoi period. In this period, about two thousand years ago, many people intruded Japanese Islands. West half of Japan, especially Kansai district, they swept native Japanese who is called Joumon-jin (Joumon-people). Because of deep forest in middle Japan, they could not invade east side, and little by little fused native Japanese. As the result, the invading made stand out the line to divide between west and east Japan, though it had existed since Joumon Period. Even now, the type of Japanese people is divided Joumon-jin and new Yayoi-jin.

The necessary thing for coexistence is to establish the fair rule to live together and to find the merit by coexisting. In Yayoi period, new invaders, Yayoi-jin (people), killed Joumon-jin, and extended the field for their agriculture. However, they could not reclaim forest without aid of Joumon-jins. Both people mixed blood little by little, recognize each other what they can do. Yayoi-jin introduced new civilization, especially in the branch of agriculture, and Joumon-jin transmitted them traditional skill to live in Japan islands with their own spirit. In the end, in spite of civilized power of Yayoi-jin, Joumon-jin amalgamated with Yayoi-jin, and established the proto type of Japanese culture.

How the scale of this amalgamation was large is found in the history of Japanese language. In Kansai district, once the number of Japanese vowel had been doubled. Now Japanese has only 5 vowels, but in those days doubled vowels had been used in this area. The change of pronunciation is rare in language history. It shows how many people invaded in Kansai district. Japanese history has two other ages that experienced important change; about 500 years ago that is called the Warning States period and Meiji period. However, there is little change in Japanese pronunciation. Japanese has introduced many words and new writing system like Kanji, but its foundation has not changed since Yayoi period.

Even if many foreigners come into Japan, especially from Asian countries, the proportion of their population will not be so much. However, they will occupy important role in Japanese society. What I fear is Japanese society become hierarchical and new people form others occupy upper class. It is true that there are many Japanese who lost the will to contribute to their own society, and it is also true that the competitive rule is necessary for Japanese prosperity. But, even so, future ruling people of Japanese society should not be occupied limited in new people. Human should find their own position according to their own ability and effort beyond the division of native or foreigner.

In this sense, Japanese tradition of mixture of Shintoism and Buddhism suggests us important possibility for Japanese future. Shintoism is Japanese native tradition, but Buddhism is the culture brought by foreigner people. In the history of their mixture, sometimes it is said that India Buddhas reincarnated Japanese gods, and other ones insisted that India Buddhas are originally Japanese gods. It is possible to find the emotion of nationalism in this tradition, but Japanese simple reverence for the nature enabled to fused native and foreigner traditions.

When different races merge with each other after hard struggle, the idea of <<one --- many>> plays very important role. Different elements can find their own positions only in unified One. Each element has its own role as one of many, when they find the whole One. The Japanese word, SUMIWAKE (finding each habitat for coexistence), shows wisdom for coexistence according to one of many in the whole One. The mixture of gods in Shintoism and Buddhas is a product of this ideal. Usually, in Japan, the variety of individual ones stands out more than unified One. It constructs Japanese tradition of polytheism.

On the other hand, in continent including Europe, the idea of the whole One has played more important role than many. In the case of Japan, once imported beings cannot go out except getting back their original places. Japan is located on the end of lands, and the people who once settle down here must figure out how to coexist other people. Therefore, the Japan islands themselves are the whole, and the people who live there must consider what they should do in limited place. However, in continent, migrations of races are too frequent and intense. One race can go into and out one place often. Immigrant in Japan, which is surrounded with the sea, is static. But, in continent, it is dynamic and harsh. Therefore, people should found the whole One in continent.

Already now the geographical world of humankind is the earth itself. As Japanese people called their islands TENKA (the heaven and earth, that is to say the world), all people should recognize living in one world together. Each people is one of many, but not the whole to rule others. In this sense, the tradition of polytheism in Japan can contribute to construct new consciousness of ‘we are ones of many’.

However, it is also necessary for Japanese people to recognize that their TENKA is not already limited their islands. Without recognition that there is One beyond their islands and it is very difficult to avoid coexisting other people, Japanese tradition of polytheism will be meaningless.

The most unfortunate thing for Japanese Renaissance in this sense is Japanese people have lost the religious sense since they had abandoned the tradition of mixture of Shintoism and Buddhism. The new object to worship is nation, and the dogma of nationalism took the place of true faith. The age of idle worship is continued even now. After the worship of nation, the worship of Kaisha occupied the place, and with the decline of Japanese economy, the indifference, apathetic and irresponsibility rule this country. The sense of religion tells us not only the Supreme Being beyond ourselves, but also teaches us the way to coexist other people beyond our consciousness limited in their own community. There is no true religious teaching that does not hope peace. When Japanese people deserted the coexistence of Shintoism and Buddhism, they lost the clue to live with others peacefully.

In Japanese society, it is rare to hear someone’s words to pray Divinity. There are many objects to worship in Japan, such as traditional gods and Buddhas. However, it is exceptional to hear the words thanking beneficiation given by Divinity, though the words to thank other people such as parents, teachers and Seken (social world). How many people know Buddhism determination to which his/her filmily belong? Funeral ceremonies are unique chance to meet Buddhism tradition in Japan.

Zen Buddhism is very famous as Japanese Buddhism for foreigners. However, it is only a one side of Japanese Buddhism. It is impossible to recognize Japanese Buddhism without understanding Jodo-kyo (Jodo Buddhism). Jodo-kyo insists the aspect that Divine Activity enables our life. The Buddha, Amida, represents the working of life and the divine power of the world. We cannot live separated from others. Our usual life depends on the effort of others and natural beneficiation. That should be called the love or mercy of God in Christianity or Islam. In Zen Buddhism, this divine power is found in ourselves, but in Jodo-kyo, seek beyond ourselves. In Japanese, the way of speaking ‘sasete itadaki masu (let or allow to do something)’ is very usual. This expression is used when Japanese people have something obligation for others, and originally it represents some will to accept his duty as a leading by Buddha. Any way, our life cannot be without the relation of inner and outer beings. Zen focuses on the inner aspect, and Jodo on outer aspect.

Unfortunately, the tradition of Jodo Buddhism has been lost since Meiji period with the tradition of the mixture of Shintoism and Buddhism. For modern people, the teaching of Jodo Buddhism seems too weak and spiritless. According to the doctrine of  Jodo Buddhism, we can be saved, only if a one time we recite the name of Amida Buddha. This teaching comes from the serious awareness of our own sin and incompetence to Divinity, but modern people, whose virtue is their own effort and success, despite this teaching that demands us human modesty. As the result, modern Japanese people fall into idle worship to their organizations such as nation and Kaisha, and lose the sense to coexist other people. How Japanese people are arrogant is clear, if you see what Japanese people, who are a member of organization like Japanese army and Kaisha, did to native people abroad. I did not deny bad influence of isolationism during Edo period. But the recent decline seems to be caused by Japanese arrogance after Meiji period.

The immediate reason why Japanese recession prolongs so long should be attributed to the incompetence of top managers including political leaders. Introducing competitive principle will easily solve this problem. However, it brings able people from other lands, especially in the branch of economy. Can Japanese people accept the coexistence with them? The incompetence of Japanese leaders comes from their arrogance, but the people who support them are ignorance. The true problem is located in the latter, who are good only at obeying. Both are content with what they are and lose the sense of tradition, which should lead them their future. Japanese leaders represent their arrogance, and other people their ignorance. But they have same root that should be called the lost of traditional faith.

The tradition of mixture of Shintoism and Buddhism tells us Japanese flexibility and tolerance for their future. Also Jodo-kyo teaches us the mind of thanking for others including the nature. Before Japanese Renaissance, they must be aware of their idle worshipping.