Article assessible at: https://zenbird.media/happiness-in-leftovers-fuku-gohan-project-reduces-local-food-loss/

The article introduces us to an open-air market event in central Tokyo and the unique efforts that go into reducing food waste. While vendors of the event, ‘Hama-cho Marche’, are encouraged to ‘bring plenty of food’ (Shizume, 2019) to satisfy customers’ needs, they face the problem of food wastage from leftover products. With the help of organisers at Tokyo Good Manners Project Association and the local community, they came up with the idea of ‘Fuku Gohan Project’ to cut down on the wastage by 1) reselling leftover food at nearby companies, 2) selling meals made from leftover products in local restaurants and 3) using unsold fruits to create fruit spas in a public bath. Such efforts are considered ‘green’ as it is environmentally friendly and promotes sustainability.

Right at the start, the concept of mottainai was mentioned. The popular Japanese term can be roughly translated to ‘wasteful’ or ‘don’t waste unnecessarily’ (Iwatsuki, 2008). The author also mentioned ‘respect’, casting the Japanese and their awareness of (as well as their actions against) such problems in a positive light. However, as this project is an individualised case, it is unlikely to be replicated throughout Japan and the effectiveness is limited.

It ends on an optimistic note hoping consumers will become more aware through proper education and thus will be more proactive in reducing personal waste. However, an article from The Japan Times sheds light to the contradictory behaviour of Japanese (Kalland & Asquith, 1997) when it comes to food wastage. According to a recent survey by the Consumer Affairs Agency, 70% of respondents claimed that they were aware of food wastage and made efforts to reduce waste (The Japan Times, 2019). But interestingly, they also displayed evidence that they were not taking concrete steps to deal with the problem (The Japan Times, 2019).

This is consistent with Kalland and Asquith’s argument (1997), where throughout the article, they discussed the contradictory discourse on Japanese and their love for nature and environment. For example, their pursue of love and harmony for nature versus their over exploitation and pollution of the land (Kalland & Asquith, 1997). And similarly, we see such contradictions in this article where they believe and advocate for a certain idea when the reality is much different. It serve to show that even Japanese themselves are sometimes deluded with the optimistic belief on how environmentally friendly they are. However, this is not an attempt to undermine Japan’s efforts in reducing waste, but a reminder to judge the actual effectiveness of their efforts with a pinch of salt.

(406 words)

References:

Iwatsuki, K. (2008). Harmonious co-existence between nature and mankind: An ideal lifestyle for sustainability carried out in the traditional Japanese spirit. Humans And Nature, 19, 6-7. Retrieved from https://www.hitohaku.jp/publication/HN19-1.pdf

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. (1997). Japanese Perceptions of Nature: Ideals and Illusions. In A. Kalland & P. Asquith, Japanese Images of Nature. Richmond, UK: Curzon.

Shizume, C. (2019). Happiness in leftovers! “Fuku Gohan Project” reduces local food loss | Sustainability from Japan – Zenbird. Retrieved 16 February 2020, from https://zenbird.media/happiness-in-leftovers-fuku-gohan-project-reduces-local-food-loss/

The Japan Times. (2019). Addressing the nation’s food waste problem. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/05/26/editorials/addressing-nations-food-waste-problem/#.Xkmv8GgzY2x

Japan Resumes Commercial Whaling. But Is There an Appetite for It?

Article summary:

This article writes about how Japan has resumed commercial whaling after 30 years after its exit from the International Whaling Commission. While most of the rest of the world finds this act controversial, Japan has defended whaling as part of its culture and that this activity holds cultural significance to them. Individuals are said to have “mixed feelings” towards it due to the conflict between seeing whales as ‘wildlife’, and consuming whale meat as part of their culture. Whale meat is commonly remembered by Japanese as a childhood food, a “cheaper option” in the post-war era when it was served in school lunches. 

While the Japanese government has been providing the whaling industry with subsidies to keep it alive, the year-on-year whaling limit has been reduced. In addition to the dwindling demand and only approximately 300 people employed in the industry, anti-whaling groups believe that the industry will not survive. However, those in the industry believe that they have a chance of survival as producers scramble to find more sources of profits for the industry. 

Representation of Japan and the environment:

Through this article one is able to clearly see that Japan prioritises the preservation of their culture over the preservation of the environment since the main argument put forth by the Japanese government against IWC’s restrictions was that whaling is a huge part of the Japanese culture. In fact, the importance of culture to Japanese has kept the whaling industry alive as it encourages the government to provide the industry with annual subsidies, and also prevents those who see whales as wildlife from rejecting whaling.

However, the article also notes that anti-whaling organisations believe that if economically, whaling becomes more implausible, the whaling industry will die down as the government will ultimately reduce the subsidies provided to it. This hence, shows that if the environmentally-friendly agenda aligns with the priorities of the economy, Japan could potentially work towards it, regardless of the existence of culture. This might be too simplistic as the authors more realistically noted in the beginning of the article that “whaling has long been about more than economics” (Dooley & Ueno, 2019). 

How anti-whaling is ‘green’

Anti-whaling is seen as green as it is about preserving the biodiversity of the ocean and keeping it clean while maintaining a balance in its ecosystem as oceans are a huge part of our environment. ‘Green’ is beyond greenery that we see and also encompasses non-green parts of nature and wildlife. As whales are huge mammals in the oceans, excessive whaling can lead to potential extinction of whale species and cause disruption to the ecosystem. Whaling also leads to pollution in the ocean due to the large fishing ships used and these ships also degrade the habitats of the whales (IWC, n.d.). Hence, the agenda to push for a stop of whaling in Japan has established itself to be a ‘green’ one.

Satoumi and the sustainability of whales

Whaling had been conducted along the coastal areas of Japan before Japan joined the IWC and could only whale near Antarctica. These areas then become satoumi, coastal areas where their populations sought to whale sustainably as the whale population were the means of their livelihood – a form of human intervention in the nearby seas where they got what they needed for sustenance (Knight, 2010). Hence, with the lifting of the ban on whaling, whalers can legally continue their 400-year tradition of catching the animal of great cultural significance. While Kalland and Asquith mentioned that Japan’s love for nature is restricted to certain aesthetics or cultural appeal, we believe that Japan’s love does not akin to preservation and instead, leads to exactly such prevasion in their desire to exploit and consume it.

In addition, the reading on sustainable development by Kirby further emphasises that Japan makes choices when it comes to sustainability (Kirby, 2011). Despite Japan caving in to international pressures, gaiatsu, for many environmental issues, whaling was not one of them. While Kirby’s chapter did not address the reason behind Japan’s peculiar stubbornness over whaling, by explaining the cultural role of whale meat and whaling in the Japanese society, this article has provided insights on what made whaling so special that Japan has actively challenged the gaiatsu.

Whaling is not the only activity which shows the significance of culture on the fate of animals in Japan. The culture of fear of bears have made bear culling acceptable for decades and only in recent times when bears are accepted to be cute and harmless that they have been established as the victim (Knight, 2000). However, there is still an urban-rural divide on how bears are perceived, and this divide also exists for whaling since those in urban areas see whales as wildlife while those who catch whales see them as a village culture. Therefore, since the issue of whaling in Japan is multi-faceted, it is no wonder government policies have not taken huge leaps.

794 words

Dooley, B., & Ueno, H. (2019, July 1). Japan Resumes Commercial Whaling. But Is There an Appetite for It? Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/01/business/japan-commercial-whaling.html

IWC. (n.d.). Environmental effects. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://iwc.int/environment

Kirby, P. W. (2011). Troubled natures: waste, environment, Japan. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

Knight, C. (2010). The Discourse of “Encultured Nature”in Japan: The Concept ofSatoyamaand its Role in 21st-Century Nature Conservation. Asian Studies Review, 34(4), 421–441. doi: 10.1080/10357823.2010.527920

Knight, J. (2000). Natural enemies: people-wildlife conflicts in anthropological perspective. London: Routledge.

Climate crisis: Renewables

This article by Alex Martin discusses Japan’s green shift towards renewable energy sources following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Drawing attention to the Fukushima Prefecture, the article looks at the environmental, cultural and future concerns that may arise from this shift. The nuclear disaster which happened on March 11, 2011, was one of the most devastating nuclear disasters the world has seen. With aftereffects still being felt today, many communities and municipal governments in Japan are looking rampantly towards reducing their dependence on nuclear power and switching to alternative renewable sources of energy. The article highlights how one community, Ōtama, located just 60 kilometres west of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, saw the rapid construction of solar farms by developers as a result of the feed-in tariff system issued by the government. Under this system, electricity is bought by power suppliers from the producers at a fixed rate, which may bring higher profits for the producers.

With Fukushima at the forefront of alternative energy research and initiatives, “the prefecture has set an ambitious goal of powering 100 percent of the region with renewable energy by 2040, compared to around 40 percent today” (Martin, 2019), which is a huge step for Japan in terms of renewable energy sources. A publication written by the Government of Japan, dedicates an entire section on creating “A world fuelled by clean energy” (JapanGov, n.d.) and discusses the government’s initiative on finding more suitable and stable sources of renewable energy. It examines the usage of solar as a renewable source of energy, and other alternatives such as lithium powered batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Japan’s endeavour on finding alternative sources of energy is also discussed by Holroyd (2017), where she studies the use of hydrogen as an alternative source of energy for all households and states that “Japan is promoting hydrogen in the belief that it will be better for the environment, help solve Japan’s energy security problem, and improve its industrial competitiveness” (p. 158). These efforts reflect Japan’s move to become more environmentally conscious as it turns to renewable sources of energy, as discussed in the article.

Japan’s move towards renewable energy, however, is not without controversy as seen in the case of Ōtama. The rapid installation of the solar panels in Ōtama raised concerns among villagers over the possible damage to the environment. Masao Takeda, the Deputy Mayor of Ōtama highlights that “these solar farms can be eyesores and increase landslide risks due to logging of mountain forests. It’s our duty to protect the majestic scenery of our village for our children” (Martin, 2019). However, they are not totally against solar energy and Takeda adds “we’re just asking developers to be responsible for what they build and work with residents to ensure it won’t be a burden for the village in the long run” (Martin, 2019). The case of Ōtama reflects the ambivalent attitude of the Japanese towards nature brought up by Kalland and Asquith (1997), whereby the love towards nature exists in only one-dimension. This is demonstrated by the developers who are seemingly in line with the government’s view to go green and expand on renewable energy sources but are in fact drawn to the economic benefits of the feed-in tariff system by the government. In their pursuit for economic benefits, they are not “understanding and preserving nature as a healthy ecosystem” (Kalland & Asquith, 1997, p. 29) by ignoring the consequences of logging the mountain forests, and this demonstrates their superficial concern for the environment. The villagers show more concern for the long-term impacts on the environment but also stresses the importance of aesthetic appreciation and cultural preservation. The love the villagers have for nature could be more towards an “aesthetic nature which is identical with culture” (Kalland & Asquith, 1997, p. 30) rather than nature as a whole. If the solar farms were constructed further away, would they have the same environmental concerns? Nonetheless, the case of Ōtama demonstrates some emerging issues that Japan faces on its new initiative with local communities and it should be taken into consideration when planning for future projects.

Japan’s increasing use of renewable energy sources brings it one step closer towards reducing its reliance on nuclear energy, but caution has to be taken in its implementation. The solar farms in this case provide a good source of renewable energy, but its indiscriminate construction can lead to opposition by local communities. With concerns regarding damage to the environment, there needs to be a regulation on the development of these farms to ensure limited damage to the environment in the process. A balance between a sustainable renewable source of energy and the protection of nature is certainly achievable and we believe it is something that can be done in the near future.

798 words

References

Holroyd, C. (2018). Green japan: Environmental technologies, innovation policy, and the pursuit of green growth. University of Toronto Press.

JapanGov. (n.d.). How Japan is advancing the virtuous circle of environmental protection and economic growth. Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://www.japan.go.jp/sidebyside/lookingahead/page02.html

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. J. (1997). Japanese perceptions of nature: ideals and illusions. Japanese images of nature: Cultural perspectives. Richmond, UK: Curzon.

Martin, A. (2020, January 19). Balance of power: Redefining Japan’s energy needs. Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://features.japantimes.co.jp/climate-crisis-renewables/

We are taking this article

Japanese Home on Narrow Lot Embraces Greenery with an Indoor Dry Garden

by Pan Wen & Chun Hou

Article: https://www.tokyoreview.net/2019/07/burning-problem-japan-waste-recycling/

This article by Lauren Altria discusses recycling efforts in Japan through an interview with Ishizaka, the CEO of an environmentally friendly recycling facility. Operated by the Ishizaka Group, the facility recycles up to 98% of the waste it collects. This is just one of the many local initiatives which hopes to inculcate “green consciousness” in the population. In comparison, government efforts on the national level appear limited, with its most recent policy being the introduction of plastic bag charges.

The article looks beyond the common assumption of Japan being an inherently green nation. It points out the enduring problem of waste treatment in Japan. In comparison to other OECD countries, Japan has one of the lowest recycling rates, at approximately 20%. Restricted by the environment with a lack of space for landfills, Japan burns most waste at  “environmentally friendly” incinerators with advanced filter systems that removes harmful pollutants usually emitted during incineration. Besides adopting such technologies, the Ishizaka recycling facility also has viewing platforms and conducts educational tours that attract many visitors. As such, despite the persisting problem of waste treatment, the adoption of the environmentally friendly technologies and advocating the “green consciousness” make Japanese firms such as the Ishizaka Group appear “green”.

This article debunks the myth of Japanese having an inherent “love for nature” (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 1). It shows some of the contradictions responsible for the limited effects of Japan’s environmental policies despite the island-state’s commonly believed and self-embracing image of being a “green” nation. As the article reveals, Japan’s “reliance on burning its waste fails to put the 3Rs at the heart of its waste strategy” (para 10). While Japan is known to have stringent waste segregation requirements (Kirby 2011, 181), such an approach ultimately defeats the purpose when the majority of the waste end up being incinerated. The contradictory and non-committing approach illustrates how Japan’s policies focus on the form over substance – measures put up an active front but with little substance and lasting impact. This may be true even for the local-based initiatives mentioned in the article such as Ishizaka facility’s viewing platform and educational tours. While visiting the facility is popular, the initiative may not have sufficient influence on the daily lives of people outside of their one-time visit (para 3). As Kalland and Asquith’s have aptly put, Japan sees nature – and only the beautiful and tamed kind – more as aesthetic than a way of life (1997, 6). In this case, relevant to the Japanese concept of nature, the idea of being environmentally friendly can also be seen as a kind of aesthetic to be appreciated – as an escape from and not a way of the people’s urban life.

Japan’s heavy reliance on incineration also arguably demonstrates Kalland and Asquith’s (1997, 17) idea of “reductionism” in its environmental issues and policies. Just as how the wild and untamed elements are sidelined in the appreciation of nature, the issue of waste management is also ignored in the urban development of Japan. With the vast amount of waste generated kept unseen with “the out of sight, out of mind attitude”, incineration in facilities away from city centres allows the problem of waste management to be reduced as being largely irrelevant to the public. When being green is only a day trip to a recycling factory, the local initiatives’ attempt to develop “green consciousness” in the population remains an uphill task.

Ultimately, the issue with Japan’s waste management and other environmental policies may be the unsustainability of the reasons that drive its environmentalism. As Ishizaka admitted in the interview, Ishizaka Group’s waste management facility only took a turn because of public concerns over health implications from emissions of waste incineration. This may be reflective of Japanese attitude and reason for actions towards environmental conservation. As seen in the shifts in attitude towards industrial waste over the years, the Japanese government only adopts seemingly environmentally friendly policies when faced with criticism and pressure (Kirby 2011, 177-9). Instead of truly recognising the need to become environmentally friendly, international criticism from foreign environmentalists and local pressure due to health concerns appear to be the main forces pushing Japan towards environmentalism. While there have been some desirable outcomes, policies motivated on such grounds are likely to be superficial, as seen in the futile segregation of waste when most are still burned in the end (Kirby 2011, 187), and do not contribute to environmental conservation in the long-term. Furthermore, the problem of excess waste is perpetuated when the demand for incineration increases with Japan using burning of waste to generate electricity (Kirby 2011, 189). Thus, being green only due to criticism and pressure results in the focus of form over substance in Japan’s waste management, and environmental policies at large, and hence its limited effectiveness and sustainability.

(797 words)

References

Altria, Lauren. 2019. “The Burning Problem of Japan’s Waste Disposal.” Tokyoreview.net. https://www.tokyoreview.net/2019/07/burning-problem-japan-waste-recycling/ 

Kalland, Arne, and Pamela J. Asquith. 2020. “Japanese Perceptions Of Nature”. In Japanese Images Of Nature: Cultural Perspectives, 1-35. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press.

Kirby, Peter Wynn. 2011. “Constructing Sustainable Japan”. In Troubled Natures. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

“The Light on the Moss” CC

The article written by Oishi Yoshitaka discusses the lofty status of Japanese moss and its degradation due to increasing urbanization. Yoshitaka (2020) begins by detailing the cultural significance of moss in Japan and how its beauty, imperfection, and ephemerality underpin its appeal.

Japan’s abundant rainfall allows for 1,700 varieties of moss to flourish. The centuries-old admiration for moss is not only seen in literature and art, but also in the Japanese gardening techniques of the Muromachi period (1336-1573). The rise of Zen Buddhism during this period also elevated the status of moss by molding the aesthetic taste of the Japanese (Yoshitaka 2020). Imbalance, simplicity and asymmetry came to be valued in many parts of Japanese culture (Hane 2000, 33). Thus, the simplicity of moss came to embody Zen, making it an essential part of Japanese gardening.

Yoshitaka (2020) points us to the diversity of moss within Japanese gardens, which can contain over 100 types of moss and other rare species. Urbanization however has drastically changed the landscape and made it difficult for moss to thrive. For instance, the profusion of concrete and asphalt in urban areas have increased nighttime temperatures and harmed moss colonies. The plant’s sensitivity to the environment warns us of the damage done by climate change. Yoshitaka (2020) highlights that the degradation of moss is representative of the greater environmental consequences that will eventually befall other organisms, humans included. Yoshitaka (2020) ends the article with uncertainty over whether humans will heed the warning signs and avoid greater environmental tragedy.

“Kyoto” CC

This article frames Japan as a “green” nation, calling attention to the collective admiration for moss, cultural prominence, and common concern over its future wellbeing. In this sense, Yoshitaka (2020) conveys how nature is a core component of the Japanese identity and ethos. Japan’s harmonious relationship with nature has been hailed as a model for the rest of the world, especially vis-á-vis the West’s rapacious exploitation of the environment (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 2). For example, Nakamura (1992) posits that the Japanese have a “love [for] mountains, rivers, flowers, birds, grass, and trees, while Murota (1985) contends that “nature is at once a blessing and a friend to the Japanese people” (114; 105). Yet this nature-loving narrative is a superficial account of the nuanced, complex dynamic between Japan and the natural world.

Yoshitaka (2020) describes how the Japanese admire moss for its “subtle beauty” and soothing aesthetic. These qualities make moss a perfect ingredient in the aforementioned Japanese gardens and “carefully-groomed” miniature terrariums (Ibid.). The perception of moss as “earthly loveliness” is a manifestation of the Japanese love for an idealized form of nature (Ibid.). Kalland and Asquith (1997) contextualize this dynamic by means of a “nature continuum,” in which one side is representative of nature that is “tamed” and “pure,” while the other is “wild” and “unbound” (13). Japanese culture is fixated on the former, as it values the “gentle and intimate aspects of nature” rather than its untamed, superfluous characteristics (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 16). 

The Japanese obsession with moss is thus ensconced in a deeper cultural understanding of nature is and what it should be, namely a mechanized form that is amenable to viewing and sensitive interaction. This challenges the nature-loving Japanese narrative, as this idealistic view of nature suggests that the Japanese do not really care for the real, untouched natural world. While Yoshitaka (2020) mentions the anthropogenic dangers to both garden and natural moss environments, the presiding cultural norm would suggest that the Japanese would tend more to the urbanized moss gardens than to their natural counterparts.

“Green Carpet” CC

Moss’s importance in Japanese literature and art also evinces the Japanese penchant for idealized nature (Yoshitaka 2020). More specifically, moss is seen as a portrayal of the “human condition” and the natural oscillation between life and death (Ibid.). This exemplifies the Japanese proclivity to use nature as a metaphor for the various emotions and experiences that are present throughout life (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 23). However, this suggests that Japanese literature is similarly predicated on an idealized conception of nature, as pruned moss gardens are utilized to make sense of life’s questions while “real” nature is left unexplored and ignored. As such, the Japanese appreciation for a tamed sense of nature is a type of cultural common thread, running through the physical (e.g. moss gardens) to the intangible (e.g. literature and art).

While the article paints Japan as a “green” society that not only loves moss and nature in general, analysis of Japanese cultural norms challenges this common narrative. That being said, this conclusion is not intended to over-generalize the beliefs of the Japanese people, but rather to complicate prevailing images and ideas. 

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Bibliography 

“Green Carpet” by tab2_dawa is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Hane, Kikoso. 2000. Japan: A Short History. Boston: Oneworld Publications.

Kalland, Arne and Pamela J. Asquith. 1997. “Japanese Perceptions of Nature: Ideals and Illusions.” In Japanese Images of Nature: Cultural Perspectives edited by Pamela J. Asquith and Arne Kalland, 2-23. London: Curzon Press.

“Kyoto” by leander.kirsteinheine is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Murota, Yasuhiro. 1985. “Culture and the Environment in Japan.” Environmental Management 9(2): 105. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01867110. 

Nakamura, Hajime. 1992. “The Idea of Nature in the East in Comparison with the West.” GeoJournal 26(2): 114. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41145342?seq=1.

“The Light on the Moss” by p medved is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Yoshitaka, Oishi. 2020. “Japan’s Emerald Carpets: The Cultural Importance and Environmental Promise of Moss.” Nippon.com. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/b02350/japan’s-emerald-carpets-the-cultural-importance-and-environmental-promise-of-moss.html.

By Angie Tan and Faith Siauw 

News Article: Feeling the heat: Japan uses 2020 Olympics to further climate awareness by Luke Mahoney

Mahoney’s article highlights Japan’s efforts to become a global leader in sustainability and climate change through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Japan aims to achieve this by implementing various innovative technologies that will contribute to an eco-friendly and sustainable Olympics. Examples include uniforms manufactured with recycled plastics and venues powered with renewable energy. Through these technologies, the Tokyo Olympics would hopefully set a precedent for sustainable initiatives in other Japanese cities and the rest of the world. Moreover, an eco-friendly and sustainable Olympics would send a clear message that Japan is going green. 

In his article, Mahoney presents Japan as a country with a long history of being environmentally conscious. He highlights the significance of the 1997 Kyoto Agreement, which was ratified in Japan. Moreover, Japan has considerably lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to other developed countries. This can be traced back to their culture of frugality that was closely associated with the samurai class in the Tokugawa period (Kirby, 2011). This attitude sustained throughout World War II and continued even during the post-war period, where frugality was promoted to reduce Japan’s reliance on foreign powers for resources (Kirby, 2011). Current policies and initiatives to reduce waste can therefore be attributed to Japan’s history and culture. Furthermore, Mahoney mentions how Japan is seen as being “in harmony with nature”. The fundamental nihonjinron argument states that favourable weather and rich resources available in Japan have allowed the Japanese to live in peace with nature, shaping the unique Japanese culture (Kalland & Asquith, 1997). Thus, Japan’s efforts at sustainability are seen as part of their deep-rooted culture and their harmonious relationship with nature. 

Mahoney also presents Japan as a country that has been active in their efforts to become more eco-friendly. He raises the example of Kamikatsu, a city in Shikoku that has a strict recycling policy. The city worked towards becoming waste-free after a waste management crisis when one of their trash incinerators was put out of use. More emphasis has been placed on recycling and reducing waste in light of several pollution disasters that have occurred in recent history. One prominent example is that of Minamata City, where mercury poisoning led to the deaths and permanent disability of many (Kalland & Asquith, 1997). As a result, the Japanese government started to prioritise the environment, creating the impression that they are an eco-friendly country. 

The upcoming Olympics and Japan’s long term efforts to be eco-friendly will help to solidify the image of a nature-loving Japan. The article highlights how, aside from the Olympics, Japan’s environmentalism can also be witnessed from its efforts to become waste-free. Using examples such as the Olympics and Kamikatsu’s recycling policy, the article bolsters the image of Japan as “environmentally friendly and in harmony with nature”. This image is in line with how Japan has been portrayed as nature-loving, both internationally and in Japan itself (Kalland & Asquith, 1997). The Olympics can therefore be seen as part of Japan’s long term efforts to showcase their love of nature, which then strengthens the idea of a unique Japanese culture and contributes to the nationalist discourse of nihonjinron. 

Furthermore, the Japanese government intends to use the Olympics as a platform to showcase an innovative and eco-friendly Japan, so as to establish Japan as a leader in the global green movement. The article explains how the Olympics intend to ensure sustainability through the use of “eco-friendly and renewable technologies” in Tokyo. By doing so, Japan hopes that these innovative technologies will be taken up by other cities in Japan and other countries. This will contribute to the global green movement and build on Japan’s image as an eco-friendly nation. Therefore, Japan will be able to leverage on its technologies and reputation for more influence in the global environmental discourse. 

Japan has used the ideology of nature to further their nationalist discourse and their international influence. This exemplifies how the human-nature relationship can be defined subjectively to fulfil a country’s political aims. However, the complex and varied perceptions of nature also means that the definition may be contested. Despite the Olympics’ focus on sustainability, the Olympics can also be seen as antithetical to nature and sustainability. For example, many areas were demolished to make way for Olympic venues, which has incited many local protests. 

Japan’s efforts to make the Tokyo Olympics eco-friendly are representative of the human-nature relationship in Japan. These efforts serve to strengthen the image of a nature-loving Japan, and while what is behind this image may be debatable, it is certainly a step forward in making Japan more eco-friendly.

Word Count : 757

References:

Boykoff, J., & Zirin, D. (2019, July 22). The 2020 Olympics Are Likely to Be a Disaster. Retrieved from https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/tokyo-okotowari-olympics-protest/ 

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. J. (1997). Japanese Perceptions of Nature: Ideals and Illusions. In P.J. Asquith & A. Kalland (Eds.), Japanese Images of Nature: Cultural Perspectives (pp.1-35). Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press. 

Kirby, P. W. (2011). Constructing Sustainable Japan. Troubled Natures: Waste, Environment, Japan (pp.160-192). Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press. 

Mahoney, L. (2020, January 14). Feeling the heat: Japan uses 2020 Olympics to further climate awareness. Retrieved from https://japantoday.com/category/2020-tokyo-olympics/feeling-the-heat-japan-uses-2020-olympics-to-further-climate-awareness 

Can Tragedy be Good?

News Article: The Floating Electric Car That Was Born From Tragedy by David Grossman, published January 18 2018.

From earthquakes to volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, Japan has seen many natural disasters that has claimed the lives of many. Events such as the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake are some of the most devastating natural disasters in the world (Hannah, 2018).

However, for Hideo Tsurumaki that survived the 2011 tsunami, he does not take nothing from the tragedy. Inspired by the tsunami, he constructs a floating vehicle powered by electric. According to Mr. Hideo, he believes that floating cars can greatly reduce the death toll generated from tsunamis, as the vehicle can float on flood waters and can drive through it. Additionally, the vehicle can even be used for daily activities to run errands.

Japan is no stranger to creative and innovative inventions. Being situated in a region susceptible to many forms of natural disasters, as a result of its geographical, topological and meteorological conditions (Hayashi, 2010), they have adapted to these occurrences by constructing earthquake-proofing buildings and large dams to hold back flood waters. In relation to Kalland and Asquith’s reading, a central theme that appears would be how the Japanese appreciation for nature is limited to forms which entail cultivation and having control over it. Being averse to the “wild and grandiose aspects” (pg. 16) of nature, the desire to transform and “tame” (pg. 16) it to their perceived idealised state takes precedence over nature’s original form. This reveals how their ‘love’ comes with the conditionality of having dominance over nature. The floating car, along with other technological constructions for disaster prevention, therefore emulates how these constant innovations produced advances towards their desire for absolute control over the unpredictability of nature, thus having their conditional love of nature be met.

Additionally, we can also analyse the claim of Japanese being harmonious in nature through their adjectives “mizukara” and “onozukara” from ancient times, which provides an insight as to why the Japanese have a conditional love for nature. As mentioned in the readings, the literary translations of “mi” and “ono” connotes that while nature is located within the body, it can be contrasted by oneself. In other words, an observer looking within. This creates an innate perception that humans have the capability to understand and observe ‘universal Principle’ (pg. 10), distinguishing us from plants or animals which nature encompasses and implying the superiority of humans in nature. In relation to the invention of floating cars, this superiority is then translated to the conditional love that the Japanese have for nature. To rise against the prowess and unpredictability of natural forces with innovations shows an unwillingness to be submissive to the elements, thereby choosing to contrast oneself by adopting a superior position towards nature. In doing so, the ‘ono’ plus ‘-kara’ aspect in relation to nature is emphasize in the resistance and controlling the forces of tsunamis and typhoons.

Focusing on the ‘green’ aspect, this article mentions that Mr Hideo aims to improve his prototype by making the car electric, removing its combustible engine. Cars are one of the most major source of air pollution in Japan along with industries, especially in major cities such as Osaka (Makiko, Itaru & Sonoyo, 2015) and Tokyo (Toshio, 2013). By opting for alternative sources of engine and energy fuel, the floating cars highlights the possibility for Japanese car makers to go green and start producing vehicles that do not exhaust harmful fumes. Inventions such as the floating car shows how newer car models are being developed with increasingly more concern to go green and be more environmentally friendly. As the article notes, more cars are being sold without combustion engines. The choice to be use energy alternatives reveals an underlying understanding of how humans are escalating pollution levels, which inevitably results in climate change and more importantly, in the context of Japan, more frequent natural disasters. Thus, the ‘green’ technology should be rightfully championed as a necessity and investment.

In conclusion, we see that natural tragedies can inspire new inventions which can be environmentally friendly in its own way. Whether these innovations are born out of their ‘love for nature’ is contestable, we acknowledge that Japan is making the effort to be more environmentally conscious. Just as Mr Hideo’s efforts has the potential to inspire other major car producers such as Toyota to follow suit on building electric or other types of vehicles that do not emit combustible gas, the Japanese perceptions of their love for nature should undoubtedly continue to inspire the population to be active in environmental issues, hence providing us a silver lining.

Word count: 758

References

Hayashi H. (2010). Natural Disasters in Japan. In: Marquina A. (eds) Global Warming and Climate Change. Energy, Climate and the Environment Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London

Nakata, M., Sano, I., & Mukai, S. (2015, March 18). Air pollutants in Osaka (Japan). Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2015.00018/full

Ritchie, H. (2018, October 5). What were the world’s deadliest earthquakes? Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/the-worlds-deadliest-earthquakes

Toyama, T. (2013, April 29). Air Pollution and Its Health Effects in Japan. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00039896.1964.10663646

The following is a review of Amy Chavez’s article from the Japan Times.

This article is about the interaction between humans and nature on Shiraishi Island in Okayama, Japan. Amy Chavez, the author of this article, lives on this island and writes about how the residents seem to care about the environment by recycling, but their other actions portray otherwise. The article encourages a deeper inquiry into the motivation behind “green” actions. The islanders live much closer to nature and even depend on it for their livelihoods. Thus, they provide a different perspective on what nature means to different groups of Japanese people.

 The residents seem to be enthusiastic about protecting the environment through their active recycling habits. They sort their garbage and recycle their glass, cans, PET bottles and other recyclables. The recyclable garbage day comes once a month, when their recyclables will be collected. However, it seems that they only do this because they are taught to do so. They are not taught “to choose environmentally friendly products over ones that aren’t, or to say no to plastic” (Chavez, 2020) because consumption is “what’s fueling the country’s economy” (Chavez, 2020). This creates a dichotomy between what is being stereotyped of Japanese people and their mindsets about recycling. Additionally, the islanders often incinerate their waste to make room for more trash. The author argues that the islanders find this acceptable because others (namely, the factory the the mainland) incinerate their rubbish as well. Thus, islanders may recycle not because they love the environment, but because recycling is a social norm they learned from young. This idea is further supported by the strong stigmas that many Japanese people attach to those who fail to recycle properly (Quek, 2018). Recycling can thus be seen as a social ritual for affirming one’s place in society (Kalland & Asquith, 1997, p. 12). Therefore, the author argues that environmental problems in Japan must be approached socially through the use of role models and effective education.

The article also touches on more pragmatic aspects of the human-nature relationship: utility and policy. For example, while islanders occasionally initiate beach cleanups, the author believes that they do so to beautify the beach for beach-goers. This relates to the idea that the Japanese people love only certain manicured and controlled forms of nature (Kalland & Asquith, 1997, pp. 16-17). Controlled forms of nature are more readily appreciated and used by people and might thus be preserved for those purposes rather than out of a love for nature itself. This view of nature as a commodity has become increasingly common (e.g. among advertisers) and contrasts with the more symbolic form that brings to mind the Japanese people’s love for nature (Kalland & Asquith, 1997, pp. 22-23). Unfortunately it is pragmatism that guides policy. For example, the author describes how the government fails to restrict unsustainable tourism practices such as jibikiami (tourists throw large nets into the ocean to catch few large fish for barbecue, killing thousands of smaller fish in the process) while being quick to build sea walls and provide subsidies to the fishermen affected by the sea walls. By building the sea walls, islanders “feel safe”, fishermen are satisfied with the subsidies, jobs are provided for workers in construction companies and everyone benefits. This apparent focus on immediate economic gains challenges the idea of a nature-loving Japan.

Admittedly, it is understandable for people whose business and livelihood depend on nature to see environmental protection as an obstacle: sustainable practices can be costly (the article mentions that it’s cheaper to buy a new bottle of soap than to get a refill that uses less plastic). Additionally, the islanders could perceive the “environment” we try to protect as distinct from the “environment” they interact with on a daily basis. The former is a material resource while the latter is an abstract idea that they interact with through social or religious rituals (e.g. recycling). This could explain why people fail to connect the consequences (e.g. air pollution) with their own actions (e.g. incineration of trash). It does not help that the government has historically reinforced this dichotomy through their shallow, short-sighted and disjointed policies (Sumikura, 1998, pp. 247-248). By distancing the consequences of environmental degradation from the root causes, this conception of nature could cause people to thoroughly extract nature’s resources without realising that they are simultaneously causing their own demise. 

The ethnographic account of life on the Shiraishi Island encourages us to question the idea of nature and what it means to different people. Ideas of nature are highly fluid and contextual, and these ideas guide action. Thus, it is imperative to understand how groups of people perceive nature in order to fundamentally change habits to be sustainable.

Word count: 776

References

Chavez, A. (2020, January 27). There’s a case for climate concern but not everyone in Japan is ready to go the extra mile. Japan Times. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2020/01/27/our-lives/climate-change-japan-ready/.

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. J. (1997). Japanese Perceptions of Nature: Ideals and Illusions. In P.J. Asquith & A. Kalland (Eds.), Japanese Images of Nature: Cultural Perspectives (pp.1-35). Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press.

Quek, T. (2018, April 18). Make environmental mindfulness a social norm. The Straits Times. Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/make-environmental-mindfulness-a-social-norm

Sumikura, I. (1998). A Brief History Of Japanese Environmental Administration: A Qualified Success Story? Journal of Environmental Law, 10(2), 241–256. doi: 10.1093/jel/10.2.241