Japanese political culture - Essay Example

Japanese political culture Japan is a country whose political structure is unlike many other democracies in the world. It has an emperor who is a nominal head of state, and a prime minister who heads the government. While the emperor is not an elected leader, the prime ministerial position is elective through party politics. There are three major parties, that is, Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Party of Japan, and Social Democratic Party (Hayes, 2009). The elected leaders constitute the National Diet, which is the parliament in Japan. Additionally, there are two levels of representation, which are the House of Representatives which is a less powerful legislative arm, and the House of Councilors which is the upper chamber. However, in the event of disputes concerning international agreements and national budgets, the House of Representatives can dictate the terms by 67% of its members supporting a motion. The political system is segregated into three major divisions; the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. The legislative arm that is, the national diet supersedes the decisions of any other branch of the government. It is mandated in making constitutional amendments as well as passing the laws that govern the overall functions of the government. For one to be eligible to hold a position in the diet, the minimum age for joining the House of Representatives is 25 years while for joining the House of Councilors id 30 years. Nevertheless, the cabinet of ministers has the powers to dissolve the House of Representatives before their full term, while the house of councilors remains unaffected and can only be dissolved upon completion of its six-year term. In addition to the legislature, the cabinet also has powers to control the entire executive function of the government. It is headed by the prime minister who has the jurisdiction to appoint and dismiss ministers. He state ministers have chosen from the national diet their independence in making decisions is compromised (Shinoda, 2013). However, the Japanese constitution clearly states that cabinet should act autonomously for the purpose of ensuring quality service delivery to all people and not for certain interest groups. Therefore, the jobs of ministers and all other public servants are not affected by changes in political situations. More so, the public service has to be vetted before assuming any responsibilities. Notably, the cabinet has 11 ministers who are deputized by two other officials. To ensure the efficiency of its functions, the prime minister appoints three parliamentary secretaries to each ministry to oversee the technical aspects. The third arm of government in Japan is the judiciary. It consists of 8 high courts, 50 family courts, about 440 summary courts, 50 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court. The Court is the highest court in the land and is the last resort for all legal disputes. The court is headed by a chief judge appointed by the emperor. 14 other judges are appointed by the cabinet from legal practice agencies. Cases are heard in three steps of the trial, that is, two sessions of hearing and decisions, and an appeal. Japanese economic culture The people of Japan have embraced the culture of economic productivity. Their economy is among the most sustainable and greatest in the world, following closely that of the United States and that of China (Flath, 2014). The major sectors that have been covered include fishing, manufacturing, infrastructure, construction, and financial services. Despite technological advancements in Japan, there are shortcomings of a huge public debt with international financiers, problems of frequent deflation, and high aging population due to policies controlling birth. Additionally, there are many natural disasters that threaten infrastructural development, and the over-reliance on exports for economic stimulation slowing the rate of growth. Nonetheless, fishing in Japan produces high income as well as providing a sustainable source of livelihood for most people. More so, fishing is culturally significant since most coastal communities depend on the domestic market for their products. They utilize various fishing methods such as ayu and tenkara. The government of Japan has put in place policies so as to regulate the fishing activities. The policies include integration of research into the industry so as to improve on methods as well as the development of rearing education. Furthermore, there have been international agreements to control trade and conservation of the aquatic resources. From the manufacturing front, there have been many developments on volumes of automobiles and electronic appliances. Since the Meiji era that ended in 1912, the government built a system of corporations popularly known as Zaibatsu, which control huge proportions of mining, chemical, stock exchange, and machinery sectors (Hsu, 1999). To improve the culture of industrialization, the education system has been improved through the introduction of many relevant science courses and foreign languages. Moreover, there have been growing demand cars and electronics, but the labor is expensive. This has led to expanding abroad, partnering with other stable economies in the west as well as developing economies in Africa and parts of Asia. This has consequently resulted in higher revenue and improved diplomatic ties. The infrastructure in Japan is phenomenal. Despite the fact there is a good network of ordinary railway lines, there are advanced rail systems in which high-speed electric trains ferry millions of passengers daily. Furthermore, due to the extensive production of automobiles, the roads are regularly maintained and upgraded to increase the efficiency of testing and general transport. Japan also has advanced sea transport since the series of islands forming Japan have a lot of people. There are also numerous airports that facilitate the international trade and promotion of tourism. To maintain the industrial systems in Japan, the power generation and supply service is deregulated to allow for competition between producers and suppliers. The costs are therefore relatively reduced, thus affordable to most people. The main sources of this electric power include nuclear energy, hydro power, thermal, solar, and wind. In addition to power generation, telecommunications sector is also very well developed. The rate of ownership of personal computers, cellular communication gadgets, and landline (fixed line) telephones is relatively high compared to other developed economies. There is a small piece of arable or inhabitable land in Japan, therefore the population resorts to the industrial and fishing economy. Business Culture Also, business culture in Japan is different from culture from Europe and USA. Most of business people have the perception that the culture in Japan acts as a hindrance from the entry to the business world due to myths associated with its culture. Nonetheless, this concern has been refuted by several companies which had entered the Japanese market such as Yahoo, Tiffany and Co., Mercedes-Benz among others. The most distinct culture is the etiquette portrayed while doing business regarding the manners, politeness and responsiveness while offering services. For instance, when you enter a bar or a restaurant, you must be welcomed by an attendant at the entrance. Other culture associated with business include, first, Japanese must have a business card. One is expected to carry at least 100 for a week which is expected to be distributing to citizens depending on the population you meet with. Secondly, it is not allowed to push flick the card across the table. It is only acceptable to present the card while holding it with both hands. Consequently, the accepting party is also supposed to accept it in both hands accompanied by Thankyou. Additionally, written notes are not allowed on the card as well as playing with it. In addition, the Japanese attire is very crucial while doing business. Men, for instance, are usually allowed to wear a black suit, white shirts, and a subdued tie. Only during the summer that sleeves are allowed.Also, their hairs should be short and properly maintained. Pony tail is only allowed to President of a software, internet, and design. Women, on the other hand, men does not relate well with business women who might be a big case in countries in Europe and USA. However, they are permitted to have short hair or tied back hair, black suit of trouser or skirt. Many of the business women are fashionable and wear Gucci, Chanel or any other fashionable products. Regarding the business meeting, although one must have booked a meeting, you must call before in at least one hour to confirm the attendance. If one realizes that he will be late, it is recommended that you call for one hour earlier. Also, if the meeting will involve the executive it isadvisable you arrive ten minutes earlier and have a well-organized agenda of the meeting. Additionally, many notes in the meeting are written to cross reference in case of questions. Furthermore, there are other personal habits in the culture of business that foreigner views cumbersome to emulate. References Shinoda, T. (2013). Contemporary Japanese Politics: Institutional Changes and Power Shifts. New York: Columbia University Press. Hayes, (2009). Introduction to Japanese Politics. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe Hsu, R. C. (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Japanese Economy. Cambridge: MIT Press Flath, D. (2014). The Japanese Economy. London: OUP Oxford Read More