A Look at the ‘Japanese Miracle’
By “Awake!” correspondent in Japan
AN Englishman watches his favorite TV program on a Sony. A Ugandan drives over the dusty road in his Toyota. A store clerk in Indonesia totals up the bill on a Canon. A tourist in Athens takes a picture of the famous Parthenon with a Nikon. In the streets of Brooklyn, a youth wiggles to the thumping beat blasting out from his suitcase-sized portable JVC.
The list can go on and on. These and other once strange-sounding names have practically become household words. They conjure up images of Japanese products that have inundated the world market, so much so that Japanese visitors abroad often complain about the difficulty of finding souvenirs that are not made in Japan.
Just 40 years ago, Japan was struggling to pick itself up from the ruins of World War II. Today it is an economic giant with which the rest of the world must reckon. For example, American steel production has been outstripped by Japan. British motorcycle makers have been left behind by the Japanese. Swiss watches and German cameras have been exposed to the same kind of competition. From automobiles to zippers, a long list of similar Japanese success stories can be recounted. While not immune to the international oil crisis and the recession, Japan, nonetheless, has weathered the storm and emerged as strong as ever. It is no wonder that many have termed it the ‘Japanese miracle.’
Today, visitors to this country of 120 million people are often surprised, even impressed, by the material progress. The people look well dressed, well fed, and prosperous. Most homes, though small, are equipped with color televisions, telephones, air conditioners, and countless laborsaving appliances and electronic gadgets. Major cities are teeming with sparkling, tall, modern buildings and endless streams of well-kept, seemingly brand-new cars.
Progress is not limited to the material sort. Western art, music, and sports have taken the Japanese by storm. The city of Tokyo, for example, boasts eight major symphony orchestras, surpassing even established musical capitals such as Vienna, Paris, and New York. The American game of baseball has now become Japan’s most popular sport, with an estimated 20 million participators in Little League, company, or professional teams throughout the country. Taken as a whole, Japan’s unemployment rate is among the world’s lowest, and its literacy rate is as good as that of any nation.
The paramount question, obviously, is: What is behind the Japanese miracle? The answer is much sought after by leaders in many nations who are eager to put it to use to bolster their sagging productivity and economy. Indeed, it would be most edifying to see what brought about this miracle and what lessons others can learn from it.