I have decided to self-publish a book with the above title in about six months. Therefore, from now on, most of the articles posted on this blog will be sequels to the article posted today. I don't think that those who read the blog articles need a printed copy, but I would be grateful if you would subscribe and make a donation.
■Modern Japan: Why did it repeatedly rise and fail?
The author has lived for nearly 80 years, and has written numerous articles and essays as a corporate journalist and freelance writer for Japanese newspapers, magazines, online media, government publications, and, in recent years, his own blog. In 1995, he left his corporate job and spent 15 years abroad. However, he was not blessed with the opportunity to publish a book. Perhaps this was due to his lack of talent. In the final stages of his life, as a way of summarizing his life, he decided to self-publish several books, free from the constraints and hassle of commercial publishers. This is the first of these.
As I approach 80, I am concerned about the future of the world, and Japan in particular. Many Japanese today seem to have lost their sense of direction in life, as if they are adrift at sea. I fear they are falling prey to information manipulation by those in power through commercial media and social media. This is why I chose the title "Japan Adrift - From the Meiji Restoration to the Defeat of the United States to 100 Years After the War." Although this is a forecast for the next few decades, more than 100 years after the end of the war , in order to consider the future, it is necessary to at least look back at modern Japan.
I am a member of the so-called baby boomer generation, born just after Japan's defeat in World War II in 1945. From my childhood memories, I vaguely recall images of black markets in the ruins of the war site and disabled veterans begging on street corners playing the accordion. Our generation rose from the depths of poverty to rapid economic growth, Japan as No. 1, the collapse of the bubble economy, and the lost 30 years, all of which were major changes in life that Japanese people had never experienced before.
Japan's 150 years of modern history have been marked by a cycle of "rock bottom, rise, and collapse" repeated both before and after the war. The Meiji Restoration, a coup d'état by low-ranking samurai from Satsuma and Choshu toppled the shogunate, began from the depths of fear, with people declaring, "We cannot allow ourselves to be colonized by the great powers." Aiming to build a powerful military nation, Japan won the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars, which were crucial to its survival, and took advantage of the situation to make huge profits by participating in World War I. Nearly half a century after the Restoration , Japan rose to become one of the world's five great powers, and this success led to the arrogance of being "the only divine nation in the world" (1941 moral education textbook). The subsequent war with the United States brought about a major collapse just 77 years after the Restoration.
Meanwhile, it took just under half a century after Japan's defeat to the United States for the country to reach its unprecedented peak of the bubble economy, a time when Japan was euphoric about having surpassed the United States . This was hailed both at home and abroad as a "Japanese miracle," and corporate warriors, in particular, reveled in the success of the experience. However, America's retaliation against Japan was extremely intense. In the end, Japan was defeated in the economic war against the United States, and the "Lost 30 Years " followed, with 2022 marking the 77th anniversary of the end of the war.
The author has named the 77 years before and after the war the first and second periods of modern Japan, respectively, and the present the third period.
To repeat, in the first period, Japan rose to become a major power in Asia and one of the world's top five powers in about half a century, and in the second period, too, the people of the corporate powers were flattered with "Japan as No. 1" about half a century after the war's defeat, and once again became intoxicated with the experience of success. However, after becoming intoxicated, they lost their way and have since followed the path of decline and collapse.
However, the Japanese people of this second period were liberated, albeit in a roundabout way, from the harsh oppression and human rights violations of the Meiji regime, a modern imperial state. Having gone from subjects to citizens, they enjoyed the liberation , freedom , democracy, and peace bestowed upon them under the American occupation as if they were "gifts from heaven." Since the 1970s, they have taken for granted comfortable, clean living, mass consumption, and overseas travel. This unprecedented good fortune must be emphasized, since most of human history has been a struggle for nameless people against hunger, disease, and disaster.
Although I have digressed somewhat, the purpose of this book is to delve into the causes and background of why the pattern of "rock bottom, rise (success), and collapse" that characterizes modern Japanese history was repeated twice in roughly the same cycle of about 50 years. I hope to identify the causes, explore solutions, and encourage people born after it to seek paths to autonomy and independence.
For the author's concerns and opinions, please refer to his personal blog, Press Activity 1995~ Yasuo Kaji, which he has been running since 2020. A total of nearly 600 essays contain an outline of the opinions expressed in this book.
Some of the author's blog posts are also introduced and quoted in the recently published book "Information Defeat: Rethinking Modern Japanese History (Chikuma Sensho)."
Among the reviews were the following:
"This is an enjoyable book that cites various examples and critiques, interspersed with comments from such figures as Henmi Tsune, Kaji Yasuo, Seki Koya, Matsumoto Seicho, Karel van Wolferen, Edward Said, Hannah Arendt, Targert Murphy, and Chalmers Johnson, to show that Japanese people, who lost their lives by believing only in the "Imperial Headquarters Announcements," are still in a similar state of lack of information. The book criticizes politicians and bureaucrats who are unable to view the current state of "Nichibei" objectively, but the attitude of the media, which does not disclose information fairly, is also problematic."
The names of unknown authors are listed alongside famous writers and great thinkers. Although this is unexpected, I hope that not only the authors of the above works but also the reviewers recognize some value in the arguments of the authors.
■ Pride in "I'm Japanese!" and the new Takaichi administration
As can be seen from the rise of China, India, and the Global South, the global trend is shifting from hegemonism to multipolarity. This suggests that individuals living in the 21st century are living diverse lives based on diverse values. However, the reality of our highly information-driven society is that it is dominated by clever propaganda from those in power, and people are easily manipulated by information.
The spread of values is done artificially. Let me give you an example. Patriotism is a creation of the ruling class and those in power in the "nation-state." They want to protect their existing ruling system and interests, so by instilling patriotism in every corner of society, even the lowest classes, they can unite the people and carry out xenophobic movements and foreign wars. As Marx observed, "The ruling class disguises its own interests as if they were the interests of all people."
Before the war, thorough brainwashing was carried out through the military, educational institutions, pro-war organizations, neighborhood associations, meetings, and the media to prevent people from questioning what a country is "for the sake of the country." Even after the war, propaganda has become even more sophisticated over the past quarter century, and a sense of restorationist patriotism has steadily infiltrated the public without them even realizing it. One wrong step could lead . This was spearheaded by the entrenched conservative base , including the Nippon Kaigi , a supporter of the Liberal Democratic Party that has taken root in every corner of both urban and rural areas , and in October 2025, the far-right Takaichi Sanae established an ultra-conservative government.
In the late 1980s, at the height of Japan's bubble economy, which gave the illusion of becoming number one, Japanese people everywhere, from Europe to Southeast Asia, were proud of themselves. "They dress differently," and "They're so confident," locals unanimously said. Unparalleled high-tech, a strong yen, an overwhelming trade surplus and foreign currency reserves. The majority of those looked up to felt an infinite comfort in being Japanese. One Japanese minority who was critical of this trend sneered, "Everyone is walking around looking like they're saying, 'I'm Japanese!'"
However, as the "lost decade" began to turn into the "lost two decades," the spiritedness of Japanese people walking around towns overseas began to fade and they became more timid. At the same time, within Japan, which had become increasingly inward-looking, violent anti-Chinese and anti-Korean hate speech and xenophobic movements broke out all over the country, and international sporting venues were filled with the Hinomaru flag, the Rising Sun flag, and placards and headbands proclaiming "Japan is amazing." This seemed to be a cry of resentment on the part of the Japanese, who had been toppled from their position as Asia's leading power by the remarkable rise of China, South Korea, and Southeast Asian countries.
Eighteen years have passed since the inauguration of the first Abe Shinzo administration in 2007, which yearned for the prewar Japanese Empire and adopted the catchphrases "Beautiful Japan" and "Restore a Strong Japan ." Sanae Takaichi, a far-right politician who became prime minister on October 21, 2025 , has been mocked as Abe's fraternal twin . The right-wing administration led by Takaichi has been stirring up patriotism with promises to "push Japan to even greater heights" and "return to the top of the world," and has even pledged to officially visit Yasukuni Shrine. The domestic and international climate is clearly different from when the Abe administration was launched, and the United States, the country's overlord, is skillfully manipulating the troublesome, entrenched conservative elements of the Liberal Democratic Party who are haunted by the ghost of Imperial Japan, while ultimately trying to eliminate them.