Japan's political trust deficit

Abstract

This introductory article to the special issue on ‘Trust and Mistrust in Contemporary Japan’ lays out key trust concepts used in social science research. It then turns towards the Japanese case, summarizing important research on the notion of trust and Japanese politics and society, according to which trust levels are comparatively low. The subsequent part provides an overview on the case studies that scrutinize issues related to political trust in particular. As the contributions invariably point to low levels of political trust, we finally reflect on problems in Japan's politics in relation to the notion of trust.     

Party politics,elections and (mis-)trust in Japan

Abstract

Trust matters profoundly for many dimensions of political life. In this article we focus on political trust: how the trust or mistrust citizens have toward the political process, politicians and government affects politics. Prior research has shown that political trust influences such crucial dimensions of politics as the basic legitimacy of government, political participation, voting behavior, compliance with government, and reform orientation. In this article, we seek to answer three major questions. First, is political trust declining in Japan? Second, we are interested in exploring the determinants of trust and distrust in politics: why do people lose trust in politics? What kinds of voters lose political trust? Third, we explore the consequences: what happens when people lose trust in government and politics.     

Multiculturalism and trust in Japan: educational policies and schooling practices

Abstract

Japan's foreign population is growing, and policy-makers need to address the manifold challenges of an emerging multicultural society. Most importantly, this concerns the task to prevent societal frictions from occurring. This article puts Japan's preparedness to face the challenge of trust-building between members of different ethnic groups to test. The realm of educational policies and schooling practices will stand at the center of interest. It will be argued that the Japanese approach of an integration policy, with its strong focus on the concept of multiculturalism on a national level of policy-making, falls short of creating opportunities for trust-learning among the members of the societal majority and various minority groups. On a subnational level, however, e.g. in Kanagawa Prefecture, some best-practice examples of trust-learning across ethnic boundaries can nevertheless be identified, and may serve as starting points for future policy reforms.     

The trust deficit in Sino-Japanese relations

Abstract

Recent years have seen a deterioration in political relations between China and Japan, in particular over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands and history-related problems. Commentators have noted an attendant decline in trust between the two sides and have stressed the need for confidence-building measures in order to address the trust deficit. This article explores the origins of declining trust between the Chinese and Japanese leaderships. It argues that attempts to build a friendly and trusting relationship in the early post-war and post-normalisation periods began to fail in the 1980s, and have been in a gradual state of decline ever since. Using the concepts of trust and friendship, the article suggests that the lack of trust properties such as empathy, bonding, reliability and predictability have contributed to the deterioration of trust at both elite and popular levels.     

Terrorism and trust

Trust enables us to simplify and understand complicated realities and orientate ourselves in them, which we do through symbolic systems, including myth and religion. Terrorism results when those systems generate extreme distrust, especially between ethnic or religious groups. Within nation-states pre-conditions of trust include normative coherence, stability, openness and accountability. In international relations these pre-conditions are more difficult to establish. But it is still possible. The process usually includes reaction to a crisis, the creation of good personal relationships between leaders, mutual concessions, well-documented agreements with provision for verification, and opportunities for populations to get to know each other.     

世界粮食危机与中国粮食安全

世界粮食危机预示着高粮价时代的到来,各国开始重新审视自己的粮食安全。全球人口膨胀和消费需求不断增加打破了供需之间的平衡,而美国推行的生物燃料政策和美元霸权进一步加剧了这种不平衡。因此,美国要为世界粮食危机的加剧负主要责任,但美国同时也是世界粮食危机的最大受益者,国际粮价的高涨体现了美国粮食武器的威力。面对形势严重的世界粮食危机,中国应该保证自给自足,高度重视粮食安全,力保粮食主权,实现经济和社会的可持续发展。     

Addressing the Allied POW Issue in Japan: The Case of POW Research Network Japan

Since the mid-1990s the Japanese government has pursued reconciliation initiatives aimed at fostering understanding between Japan and former POWs. Nevertheless, the POW issue remains relatively unknown in Japan. This article describes the profile and activities of the POW Research Network Japan (POW kenkyūkai), a civil society group consisting of professional and shimin (citizen/non-professional) researchers as well as concerned citizens investigating the subject of Allied POWs in Japan. The article explores how POWRNJ participated in and contributed to the contestation of memory of the Asia-Pacific War (1931–1945) during the last decade. It describes the manner in which the group promoted its views and strived to achieve its goals. On the basis of these findings, the article identifies the kind of roles the group played, and how it mattered in the debates on Japan's wartime past.     

国内关于澳大利亚与日本关系的研究述论

近年来,我国学术界日益重视澳大利亚的外交政策和对外关系方面的研究,对澳大利亚与日本关系的研究也取得了较为丰富的研究成果,但也存在研究起步晚、层次低、研究领域狭窄、科研队伍不强等问题。本文通过对近年来我国学术界关于澳大利亚与日本关系的研究进行回顾和评析,并提出了加强相关研究的建议。     

日本的王希天研究

日本的关东大地震虐杀华工案和"王希天事件"的研究,始于20世纪60年代。当时,日本政府曾极力掩盖虐杀中国劳工的真相,严格控制封锁相关的档案资料,致使这一事件的真相迟迟不能大白于天下。中日邦交正常化以来,日本国内具有正义感的专家学者,在反思日本军国主义侵略中国罪行的同时,开始了对关东大地震前后虐杀王希天及滞日华工个案的研究,先后出版了一些具有史实意义和学术价值的著述,为国内的王希天研究提供了有益的助力。     

论1990年以来越南与日本的经济关系

自20世纪90年代以来，越南与日本的经济关系快速发展，其主要体现在两国的贸易、日本对越南的投资以及日对越ODA为主的经济援助等方面。两国经济关系的快速发展，反映了两国在追求各自国家利益上的一致。一方面，越南为发展国内经济，争取更大的国际市场、国外投资以及外国经济援助，积极同日本发展经济关系；另一方面，日本为逐步扩大对越的影响力，通过贸易、投资以及经济援助等方式推进对越经济外交政策。     

朝日“绑架问题”上的日本外交方针分析

朝日"绑架问题"历经小泉内阁、安倍内阁、福田内阁,已成为朝日邦交正常化的重大悬案之一。针对日益僵化的"绑架问题",小泉内阁以"绑架问题不解决,日朝邦交不会正常化"为基本原则,回避历史问题,企图完全以"对话和压力"的外交方针来解决"绑架问题"。而安倍内阁则继承和"发扬"小泉的上述方针,一味地强调以"压力"来解决"绑架问题"。福田当选日本首相以后,多次表示一揽子解决日朝间的历史问题和"绑架问题"的意愿。     

韩日间贸易长期不平衡的原因和解决方法

韩日建交以来,韩日间的贸易始终韩方逆差,一次也未出现顺差。其原因是多方面的,但其根本性的原因是韩国产业结构依赖于日本。核心技术、核心零部件依赖于日本,是结构性的。韩国为了摆脱对日贸易长期处于逆差的局面,应增强商品品质的竞争力、零部件的竞争力、开拓中间市场、继续维持和扩大对日出口良好品种的市场、努力扩大发达工业国市场、维持适合韩国国情的汇率水平、努力使日本缓和非贸易壁垒和积极吸引日本企业的投资等。     

中日交涉与张群对日外交策略

中日交涉自“九.一八”开始就以各种途径、不同形式在进行,张群因早年留日,与日本渊源较深,为蒋介石所倚重,负责调整中日关系。华北事变后的中日交涉,是抗战正式爆发前中日间最后的较量,张群在与日方的周旋与应对中,实施了一系列积极的外交策略。     

日韩产业政策立法的演进及启示

日本、韩国经济迅速发展,产业政策法对两国经济的发展起着很重要的作用,本文通过以演进历史为视角对两国的产业政策立法进行深入的分析,寻找其演进的规律,发现两国产业政策立法完善;注重发展中小企业;灵活运用反垄断法;关心产业政策法内部结构的协调;随着经济高速发展,更加关注产业技术立法,产业组织法等等,这些都可以作为中国产业政策立法的经验。     

论马来西亚与日本经济关系的新发展

马来西亚独立后,日本就一直是马来西亚重要的经济伙伴。战后很长一段时间,马来西亚对日本的开放程度和日本在马来西亚经济的影响力,是东盟乃至亚洲地区其他国家所不及的。日本和马来西亚经济关系的深化,既为马来西亚经济增长提供强大的动力,也增加了马来西亚对日本的依赖。21世纪初,马来西亚和日本的经济关系将以贸易和投资为主体,全力拓展其他经济领域的全方面合作,发展紧密的经济伙伴关系。     

日本幕末开国对策探析

19世纪中叶,德川幕府统治下的日本面临着欧美列强的军事威胁和外交压力,处于开国抑或攘夷的十字路口。通过考察欧美国家对日本的冲击以及日美交涉过程,可以看出,开国与开港给日本带来了积极的影响,但由于不平等条约的签定,尽管近代日本并未遭遇中国那种割地赔款的命运,却使近代日本具有了殖民地的特征。     

日本中小企业全球化经营的新趋势及其对我国的启示

中小企业在日本经济发展过程中一直扮演重要的角色。进入20世纪90年代以后,随着经济全球化和信息全球化趋势的日益加强,日本中小企业对外直接投资模式出现了新的发展变化,其在投资规模、投资地区结构、投资方式以及信息技术利用等方面都呈现出新的特征。研究日本中小企业全球化经营新特点和发展趋势,对我国中小企业如何开展对外投资具有重要的启示。     

日本进口市场开放评析

从日本通商政策和主要进口限制措施的演变来看,日本的市场开放过程时时处处体现出开放中求保护的原则,并且政府以大量的行政规制措施保证贯彻这一原则。这在某种程度上削弱了日本进口市场开放的真实程度。因此,对日本政府而言,进一步提高市场开放度的突破口,是改变衰退和落后的产业保护政策及真正缓和行政规制。     

日本发展循环经济的成功经验及对我国的启示

我国建立资源节约型国民经济体系和资源节约型社会,实现可持续发展和小康社会的宏伟目标离不开循环经济的发展。从国际循环经济发展来看,日本的经验值得借鉴。日本出于实现经济可持续发展、保持国际竞争力、赢得市场的战略动机,从法律体系、政策扶持、微观运行体系和促进公众参与等方面大力促进循环经济的发展,其成功经验值得我国借鉴。由此得到启示,我国应从建立法律体系、实施有力政策、推进企业化和提高公民意识四个方面入手来发展循环经济。