The Japan That Can Say No

"The Japan That Can Say No: Why Japan Will Be First Among Equals" (「NO」と言える日本 "No" to Ieru Nihon)[1] is a 1989 essay originally co-authored by Shintaro Ishihara, the then Minister of Transport and leading LDP figure who would become governor of Tokyo (1999-2012); and Sony co-founder and chairman Akio Morita, in the climate of Japan's economic rise. It was famous for its critical examination of United States business practices, and for advocating Japan's taking a more independent stance on many issues, from business to foreign affairs.[2]

The title refers to the authors' vision—Ishihara's in particular—of a Japanese government that is more than a mere "yes man" to the United States. Many unauthorized translations were made and circulated in the United States. The authorized 1991 Simon & Schuster English translation by Frank Baldwin (out of print) did not include the essays by Morita. The book caused controversy in the United States, and Morita distanced himself from the book.[3]

The book inspired the similarly themed China Can Say No, a collection of essays published in 1996.

Points asserted

The work alternates between essays written by Ishihara and Morita. The essays were based on various speeches given in the past. In general, Ishihara's essays argue that Japan is a world power to be respected, and that Japanese need to assert themselves more when dealing with the U.S. Morita's essays focus more on the tragic flaws of U.S. companies that will eventually lead to America's decline, and what Japan can do to improve its image and position.

Here is a sampling of points they make:

Ishihara's assertions

Japanese superiority

Japanese assertiveness

American prejudice

Morita's assertions

It is not unusual that Morita, who lived in New York for some time and was one of the most successful and famous businessmen in Japanese history, would have many opinions on U.S. business culture.

American business

Japan's image and position

Reception

Daniel W. Drezner of Foreign Policy ranked the book as one of the ten worst books about foreign policy, writing "Shintaro argued that Japan was destined to become the next great superpower. Whoops.".[4]

See also

References

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