"CASTRATION"THE MAJOR GOAL OF JAPANESE EDUCATION, ANDITS RELATIONSHIP TO GOVERNMENT DEREGULATION
By Masao Miyamoto M.D.
From the Annals of Anthroculture: http://www.nancho.net/anthcult/castr eg.html
[Bracketed notes by WilliamBanzai7] [WB7: Although the theme of this speech is bureauracy, deregulation and protecting the status quo through educational indoctrination, Zero Hedge readers will find the speech useful in interpreting the public statements made by the bureaucrats involved in the Fukushima disaster. While this speech was made over a decade ago, I am not aware of any major tectonic shift in the behavior and prominance of the bureaucratic elite in Japan. Naturally the advent of the internet has brought new pressures to bear on the old order. But my own observation is that the growing influence of China may have hardened the defensive mindset. As I have said previously, I believe the events unfolding in Tokyo and Fukushima could herald a major systemic unraveling.]
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is my first opportunity to speak in England, and I am very excited about this experience. I have strong respect for the British for their ability to embrace change yet at the same time place importance on tradition. Japan also places importance on tradition, but one of the significant differences between Japan and England is that the Japanese psychological setting has not changed for at least the last 400 years. Let me be more concrete. Henry VIII distanced England from the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, which from a psychological point of view brought change to individuals. England, as a country, was able to become independent. Later, John Locke spread the philosophy of freedom, which had a strong political impact not only in Britain, but also on the formation of the American and French constitutions. Individuals such as Henry VIII and John Locke who emphasized the importance of independence and freedom never appeared in Japan. On the contrary Japanese society, particularly for the last 400 years appreciated people who valued the status
quo. Therefore it is fair to say that although Japanese society underwent significant changes in the last 100 years, they were only surface changes and the internal core retains its tradition of feudalism. 'The concept of freedom has never been a part of Japanese society. I cannot tell you what one book does. "Straitjacket Society ", the book describing the Japanese bureaucracy has changed my life completely. Now I am asked to speak by many different organizations both in Japan and abroad, which I never expected three years ago when I first published this book. [WB7: The book is available on Amazon used.] Through giving these speeches I have noticed something interesting, and that is that there is a significant gap between the places where I speak in Japan and the places where I speak in foreign countries. When I am invited to speak in Japan it is usually to small groups who are interested in changing Japanese society, yet they are on the fringe and so they have no power towards the bureaucracy. Yet in foreign countries I am often invited by major universities, research institutes or government organizations, where their opinion can easily be heard by the current administration. So the question is why is there such a big gap. It is because Japan as a system is ambivalent about embracing the concept of freedom.
In Japan, to be true to yourself, to be original, to be creative, to be independent is not perceived positively. In essence being free as an individual is a foreign idea for many Japanese.
[WB7: My emphasis] 30 years ago I was fascinated by the music of the Beatles. They revolutionized the world of POP music. The reason why their music has reached to that level was because of their originality; Richard Branson, the owner of the Virgin group, brought about a change. in the music and aviation industries. People can now fly with more comfort and less expense and purchase CD's for less money than before. What the Beatles and Richard Branson have in common is their ability to challenge the system. When you think about Japan, is there any one individual or group who is
equivalent. The answer is no, because the Japanese educational system discourages. people from challenging the preexisting order. [WB7: There are many creative individuals in Japan. But they exist external to the system of Japan Inc. You can find them all over Web 2.0]
The topic of my speech today will focus on deregulation.
Since deregulation is connected with challenging the existing order and more importantly, the concept of freedom, and the concept of freedom has been regulated under the Japanese educational system, what I would like to do is to point out the goals of the Ministry of Education and how this conflicts with deregulation.
[WB7: The culture divergences between the concept of deregulation in Japan as compared to the US, are fascinating. We are not talking here about Greenspan’s brand of deregulation which resulted in a kind of self regulatory corruption.] Before going into the main subject I would briefly like to mention why I am here today speaking to you. In 1986 when I returned to Japan, I assumed the position of Deputy Director of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. For those of you not aware of my background, let me familiarize you with my battle with the Japanese bureaucracy. It all started with my taking a two-week vacation to go to Europe three years after returning to Japan. This action was perceived as foreign, and in the beginning my superiors tried to talk me out of taking a long vacation. I refused to comply. Given that Japan is a hierarchical society with a kind of militaristic structure, not complying with my superiors gave them the impression that I was a rebellious misfit. However, my superiors and colleagues tried to rationalize my behavior by saying that I had been in America for too long. 'They tried to persuade me that since I was now back in Japan, I should alter my behavior and embrace the philosophy of sacrifice. I was also subtly threatened that if my behavior did not change, I would be subjected to a transfer to the Division of Quarantine, which is a dead end job for a career bureaucrat. Two years after this vacation incident I wrote an article for Monthly Asahi, a