Postwar Japan

I. After the occupation

A. recovery in the '50s

national income up 8.3% per year

per capita income up 7.21% per year

prewar status achieved: 1953

"Made in Japan" = cheap

pollution and safety scandals

B. booming along in the '60s

U.S. postwar loans repaid

"Made in Japan" = quality

the new middle class

ratifying the constitution

the Kishi riots, 1960

pacifism and Article 9

court cases

the Tokyo Olympics, 1964

C. becoming a superpower in the '70s and 80's?

restoration of political credibility

Japan as Number One, The Japan that can Say "No"

bursting bubbles

D. stagnation in the '90s

political upheavals

consensus decision-making

II. How did Japan do it?

A. government planning

trade unions and lockouts in the '50s

government backing

company unions

Japan, Inc., risk-taking, and long-range planning

MITI and research coordination

"economic imperialism"

Asia and Latin America

reparations in the '60s

economic aid and self-interest

cheap, educated labor

consumerism and protectionism

B. non-governmental planning

dumping?

the dual economy

subsidiary industries

lower salaries and benefits

women and temporary workers

warehousing and rapid turn-over

traditional and service industries

lack of global responsibilities

Article 9 and Asia's WWII memories

leadership in Asia?

C. corporate policies

permanent [more or less] employment

training programs and pay-off

job security and office politics

job security and risk-taking

people who sit by the window

promotion [more or less] by seniority

titles, salaries and bonuses

personal talent, mavericks, and group effort

benefit programs: total embrace

housing

marriage, honeymoon, and holidays

education

III. Life as a salaryman

A. they're not all salarymen

salarywomen

working class families

traditional artisans

service industries

artists and others who live on the fringes

B. life at the office

6 day weeks, 12 hour days

getting older, working harder

retirement at 55 or 60

the question of efficiency

C. after-hours and on days off

company socializing

company affairs

drinking: in vino veritas means "it doesn't count"

bars, bar hostesses, and official mistresses

love hotels and unofficial whoopee

D. family relations

one-day fathers and husbands [mothers and wives]

job transfers, education, and separations

low divorce rates

family disgrace and the kids

"in name only" marriages

retirement divorces

rebellion in the ranks