An Introduction to Japanese Society - Essay Example

In the chapter ‘An Introduction to Japanese Society’, the author Yoshio Sugimoto has provided details to get an understanding of the three basic sectors of Japan’s establishment. Defining the importance of business, parliament, and the national bureaucracy in the three-way structure of Japan’s establishment; the author has brought in discussion to determine which sector dominates others and how these sectors are dependent on each other for the constitution of establishment. Bringing together the bureaucracy and Japan’s political circles, this chapter focuses on and highlights their role in the business world. The author has listed the central role that parliaments attain in the establishment and acknowledged familiarity; parliament receives as being the highest decision-making body of the nation. The author explains that initially it was the government sector that worked on the economy’s transformation but the changing government and political parties have enabled bureaucracy to manage a major portion of economics. Politicians of the state favor the development of private companies that will, in turn, support their political activities.

The author has created a very convincing statement for the dominance of bureaucracy by implying the facts like control and regulation; Amakudari and administrative guidance in favor of bureaucracy dominance. The author further argues that national bureaucracy controls and regulates the functioning and production of the business community and strictly holds its authority over private-sector companies in Japan. The dominance of bureaucrats over the private business sector is well-acknowledged. To support this argument regarding bureaucracy's hold on the private sector business world, the author has provided some details of the rights that bureaucracy have, like selection of intelligent graduates from university for their management abilities and incorporating them in govthe ernment sector. By controlling the official’s appointment in government sector, bureaucracy is often believed as real power holder of the nation by many people. The government sector is capable to hold its control over the development of private business sector by managing the activities of production, sales and distribution; but the insight regarding the dominance of bureaucracy over private sectors appears quite appealing. The author adds further weight to the perception of bureaucracy control by exposing the dependency of muncipal governments on the subsidies from natural government as they have restricted rights for imposing taxation on private sector. According to author, such a situation benefits bureaucrats to impede in the government affairs. After the end of their official career, many bureaucrats are known to occupy post in private business - a practise well-known as Amakudari and favor the author’s point regarding the bureaucracy dominace. By accounting administrative guidance, the author has revealed another form of bureaucracy dominace where the practise of dealing between bureaucrats and heads of business world happens behind closed doors in the name of guaidance. The author states that many of the sections in business world are frustrated with increasing authority of bureaucrats, but still other favor the involvment of bureaucacy due to personal initiatives.

The new winning political party has to face several challenges to reform political structure like their minimal dependency on bureaucracy, the circulation of money and proper investment, and the development of an establised local political system to cut down the dominance of bureaucracy. Author also discussed the role of media in changing the public opinion. While listing the process of centralization in media establishment author argues that the use of media is acquiring a position as important as any other sector and therefore, demands link with other sectors of an establishment.