Japanese Politics: Japan is Rashomon?

Before the horrible events of WWII, Japan or the Land of the Rising Sun was a rich and strong militarist country. But the postwar years, the horrible atrocities that they had done to Asia was simply unforgivable and even now, Japan has never said "sorry", "forgive me", "gomenasai", "moshiwakegozaimasen", "yurushite kudasai" or what ever. They would only visit the Yasukuni Shrine and bow to the people. I will try to explain why they haven't done this simple set of words later as we progress.

Before I discuss, I found it hard to believe that this movie had anything to do with Japanese Politics but my opinion changed soon after. So now I would like everyone to see the movie first before I proceed any further:

*due to long uploading, video temporarily unavailable.

After seeing the movie, I came to a realization that the movie can be related to Japanese politics with a little deep interpretation and imagination. I would explain each line they said or acts they portrayed in the movie that MIGHT relate to Japanese politics.

In the movie, the traveling man was concerned by the two men (priest and woodcutter) on what happened to them. He listened to every story and judged it after he heard each one. In my point of view this act is an act of 'groupism' in Japan were each member of the group would listen and carefully decide on the conclusion. I read in an article that Japan has a high voting rate for subnational elections and this is the fact that Japanese, are concerned for the community in which they dwell in.

The conflict itself for me is portraying the conflict of today's Japanese bureaucracy themselves, they have their own view or opinion in each solution to a problem for their country. I mean there is a clash between the LDP and DPJ. Knowing that they are rival parties creates an unconsenus to the problem or in other words, they are stuck and just beat around the bush. I think that matters in politics is a stuggle of power on WHO gets the last word in running the country.

Another line from the movie that I drew out was that "Women are weak by nature". This shows that coming from history even up to now, in Japan women are looked downed upon by men. It is in their culture that men always get their way. In the woman's story she CANNOT decide for her own to marry the bandit and also, men devalue women when she's been with other men. Even if the women are tormented by their husbands because they couldn't disagree to the man's decision. For us it may be un-gentleman, but it is in their culture. I mean even in the Diet, I believe that there are a few percentage to none of women because women's rights are unequal. Even the family wage concept is still implemented by some companies. Ofcourse, things are different now that women have now some equal rights in their country but not to the extent that they are at the level of Japanese men.

I want to also share that Japan's government is a collection of the greatest minds across the nation because they pass people because of their skill unlike here in the Philippines, the members are somewhat have 'good' connections with the president. Japan has become effective as a nation because the people running the country: the bureaucrats, the politicians and companies all work hard together to develop their country. I think what makes Japan different from us is that Japan loves our country and it is hard to admit that we do not love our own.

Humans are always self-interested. In a reading, there stated that the world is indeed a dog-eat-dog world just like the traveling man said, "If you're not selfish you won't survive". Even the priest lost faith in man after hearing this, since he had a very strong faith in humanity that despite selfish actions of the woodcutter, there is indeed still good in each man and this symbolizes that even the Japanese before did something wrong and couldn't do anything in the past; make amends by giving asia develpment projects, scholarships, and the like just like the woodcutter getting the baby.

Lastly, I think that Japan has a deep history that helped change Japan drastically. One good example that the people wanted change was at the Meiji Restoration. People do need to change and for the better. Now Japan changed again and renounced war as a means. I think the woodcutter in the movie symbolizes Japan; transforming and changing for the future(baby). A new beginning of the day shines and starts from Land of the rising sun.



here are some videos:

Yasukuni
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQVBZ3CcOUE

Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WElLqEDP1Jc