A comparative study of two memorials and their museums (Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Yasukuni Shrine) in Japan, with an insight on the public opinion of the two on the web.
Morning drama series, asadora, attract one of the highest number of viewers watching programmes on Japanese television. These serialised drama series broadcasted by state broadcaster NHK over the...Show moreMorning drama series, asadora, attract one of the highest number of viewers watching programmes on Japanese television. These serialised drama series broadcasted by state broadcaster NHK over the course of half a year, have induced large-scale tourism to sites related to the film locations in the series. The success of such “contents tourism” has a significant economic effect, inspiring producers to choose rural areas coping with depopulation and economic loss. This thesis takes the series Hiyokko, broadcasted in 2017, as an example to explore the field of contents tourism and its cultural framework and history. By investigating the content and narrative of asadora, as well as the economic impact of rural revitalisation, this thesis provides an extensive study on asadora from a socio-cultural and economic perspective.Show less
Veel ouders sturen vanwege de sterke competitie in het onderwijs hun kinderen naar naschoolse bijles instellingen, genaamd juku 塾. Dit doen ze om er zeker van te zijn dat hun kinderen voor het...Show moreVeel ouders sturen vanwege de sterke competitie in het onderwijs hun kinderen naar naschoolse bijles instellingen, genaamd juku 塾. Dit doen ze om er zeker van te zijn dat hun kinderen voor het toelatingsexamen zullen slagen. Door de grote vraag naar dit soort bijles is het aantal juku-instellingen enorm gestegen door de jaren heen. Om zich te onderscheiden van concurrenten en genoeg studenten te werven, maken juku veel gebruik van reclame. In deze scriptie kijk ik naar de wervingsactiviteiten van juku in de vorm van reclame-uitingen. Dit wordt gedaan door de framing-theorie van Ervin Goffman toe te passen om de reclame-uitingen te analyseren en te onderzoeken welke verschillende thema’s gebruikt worden door juku. Het doel is te onderzoeken op wat voor manier juku scholieren werven voor hun diensten om dit vervolgens te verklaren binnen de Japanse samenleving.Show less
The wind energy market in Japan lags behind other energy sources in size, development and implementation of the technology. This paper analyses the causes behind the stagnant nature of wind energy...Show moreThe wind energy market in Japan lags behind other energy sources in size, development and implementation of the technology. This paper analyses the causes behind the stagnant nature of wind energy in Japan, using a PESTLE analysis to determine important influencing factors. These are then used to make recommendations concerning government policy aimed at the wind energy market in Japan.Show less
This thesis describes the development of the phenomenon of yōkai in Japan throughout time and investigates the influence of nationalism on this phenomenon using the oni as a case study.
New Religious Movements in Japan are both inspired by and inspire the contents of Japanese works of fiction. This influence is notable in the fictional works of anime and manga in particular, which...Show moreNew Religious Movements in Japan are both inspired by and inspire the contents of Japanese works of fiction. This influence is notable in the fictional works of anime and manga in particular, which have always contained varying degrees of religious themes. Three new religions are discussed in this paper: Soka Gakkai, Aum Shinrikyo, and Kofuku no Kagaku. All of these religions have used manga as a tool for self-promotion, but have also indirectly been inspired by the medium itself. Two of the larger inspirations for the religions Aum Shinrikyo and Kofuku no Kagaku were the feature animation films Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Akira. This and other examples are used to create an image of the interconnected web that links these religious movements and anime and manga together.Show less
This essay builds on recent work on securitization theory by scholars such as Balzacq and Floyd, and explores the still underdeveloped field of resistance and counter-securitization. A successful...Show moreThis essay builds on recent work on securitization theory by scholars such as Balzacq and Floyd, and explores the still underdeveloped field of resistance and counter-securitization. A successful securitization allows for a securitizing actor to deal with an existential threat with extraordinary measures outside the boundaries of normal politics. Resistance refers to the creation of a separate securitization move with its own existential threat and extraordinary measure in relation to the original securitization move. Counter-securitization is defined as an act to halt a securitization move, or to bring the issue back to the realm of ordinary politics. This essay further develops the concept of counter-securitization in comparison to resistance. It also strengthens Floyd’s argument on a just securitization theory by examining the role of pacifism, democracy and constitutionalism using the Japanese security debate as a case study. Finally, it illustrates how norms such as democracy and rule of law have slowly become more significant within the Japanese security debate than the pacifist ideology. It first examines the case of Prime Minister Abe’s ideology on Japanese security policy before taking a look at the political opposition in regards to Abe’s security policies. The section argues that even though the political opposition has all fought against Abe’s policies, there is a clear divide between an Old Left and a New Left. This essay then examines two grass-roots movements, the Article 9 Association and a student activist organization by the name of SEALDs. It shows how the political Old Left and the Article 9 Association have created their own securitization move to protect the pacifist constitution, while the political New Left and SEALDs have generated a counteract to bring the topic of security back to the realm of ordinary politics.Show less
The Japanese population and its healthcare system is under pressure. The population is declining drastically; the amount of elderly is increasing heavily and with the costs to take care of them...Show moreThe Japanese population and its healthcare system is under pressure. The population is declining drastically; the amount of elderly is increasing heavily and with the costs to take care of them will be heavy. Their increasingly chasing population structure is a major concern for politicians and companies alike. Too often Japanese politicians keep this status quo alive, on one hand they agree that Japan needs to introduce pro-immigration policies but on the other hand, when it comes to implement real and viable policies they ignore it. Japanese politicians are hesitant to call for increased immigration, due to fear from the public. These fears often stem from some underbelly feeling, which also fueled by the Media. The introduction of the Foreign nurses and caretakers was a first step into the right direction. Sadly, the outcome was insignificant and had practically no influence. This program shows the weakness of the Japanese immigration policies. It lacks flexibility, practicality and long-term vision.Show less
Comparison of trends in work, family- and living conditions of Tokyo and Akita of the past years. Statistics of suicide will be compared while taking into account the theory of Durkheim.
This thesis explores how geopolitical developments and circumstances have influenced Germany’s and Japan’s political position so that Germany can exercise the use of force and Japan cannot as of...Show moreThis thesis explores how geopolitical developments and circumstances have influenced Germany’s and Japan’s political position so that Germany can exercise the use of force and Japan cannot as of the date of this thesis. Post-war history is outlined and explored, looking at historical data and academic reports. This overview focuses on the allied occupations, war trauma, geographic circumstances and demilitarization. By looking at the geopolitical circumstances in history, this thesis explores how these shaped the legal debate on the use of force in the military. Three case studies concerning the use of force are explored, discussing the political stance and military actions taken by Germany and Japan. The case studies include the Kosovo crisis, the war in Afghanistan, and the invasion of Iraq. Through these case studies, a trend can be discovered, enabling prediction for future military action and the use of force by either of these countries.Show less
Idols are the most popular performers in the Japanese entertainment world. They sing, dance, act and appear in magazines. Their pictures are sold in specialized shops and they sell several thousand...Show moreIdols are the most popular performers in the Japanese entertainment world. They sing, dance, act and appear in magazines. Their pictures are sold in specialized shops and they sell several thousand copies per single. But in Europe and America such idols don’t exist. What is it that makes these idols so popular in Japan, while they are not popular in Europe and America? What is important for a Japanese idol to become popular? I will look at three different aspects: looks, talent and personality. The general conclusion is that talent is more important for Japanese idols than looks and personalityShow less
This research deals with how stereotypes about Japanese people manifest themselves in news photographs published in Western media. Hopefully this thesis will also shed a bit of light on how...Show moreThis research deals with how stereotypes about Japanese people manifest themselves in news photographs published in Western media. Hopefully this thesis will also shed a bit of light on how qualitative data analysis methods can be applied not only to textual narratives, but also to (news) photographs. On March 11, 2011, Japan suffered two disasters. Off the Pacific coast of Tōhoku, the most powerful earthquake in Japan’s recorded history occurred (9.0 on the Richter scale). As a result, the eastern coasts of Japan were hit by devastating tsunami waves, killing around 15,000 people. Another disaster quickly followed. Because of the quake and tsunami, there were level 7 meltdowns at the nuclear reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant complex. It would be the largest nuclear incident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. It goes without saying that this was a major news story. But after a while, the discussion in the Western media seemed to shift from actual disaster reporting to assumptions about the Japanese mentality. Blatant stereotypes about Japanese people became more and more apparent in stories about the disaster. Stereotypes not only appeared in the textual narrative, but could also be found within its accompanying images. So it is within the photographs of Japanese people dealing with the tsunami and nuclear disaster that this research attempts to uncover certain stereotypical cues and tropes. These cues and tropes ultimately contribute to the collective manifestations of stereotypes about Japanese people. Current psychological theory conceptualizes stereotypes as cognitive structures or schemas that represent widely shared beliefs about the defining characteristics of social groups. The media most commonly use stereotypical categorizations of individuals or groups based on race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, employment, and age. These stereotypes are automatically activated when audiences encounter cues or symbols in mass media, according to Peffley, Shields and Williams (1996) and Abraham and Appiah (2006). Stereotypes about Eastern people and cultures in particular have been widely researched. Edward Saïd first posited the revolutionary theoretical framework of Orientalism, which is how he coined the particular form that Western stereotypical understandings of Asian cultures has taken. He, and many other experts, claim that this Orientalism has evolved into a cultural myth permeating Western thought. It has been articulated through metaphors which characterize the East in ways which emphasize its strangeness and otherness. The Oriental person is made up of a single image which carries with it the taint of inferiority. Kathleen Tierney and Erica Kuligowski postulate that the media help enforce already existing disaster myths among the general public and organizational actors. Examples of such myths are the notions that disasters are accompanied by looting, social disorganization, panic, and deviant behavior. This is relevant because the Japanese people after the disaster seemed to subvert many of those myths. Surprisingly, this subversion was seen as conformation of the Japanese supposedly stoic yet respectful nature, therefore affirming Orientalist stereotypes. Through the application of these theories and a qualitative data analysis of a selection of 200 images, this research uncovers how stereotypical cues and tropes about Japanese people manifest themselves in these photographs. Whether or not Western news media possess that knowledge and thus deliberately choose to photographs with stereotypical elements, however, are two wholly different questions.Show less
This thesis posits that the construction of a Japanese identity in government produced popular culture is inconsistent. The contradictory values within a constructed ‘Self’ portray Japan as a ...Show moreThis thesis posits that the construction of a Japanese identity in government produced popular culture is inconsistent. The contradictory values within a constructed ‘Self’ portray Japan as a ‘superior victim’ with regard to the abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea. By utilizing a value-action framework it can be determined that the values portrayed in the narratives of the analysed popular culture have indeed been affected by the lines of action in the production process, and can therefore be concluded to be, in this study, the dominant values in North Korea policymaking. These values can be found throughout the narratives analysed in this thesis. By positioning these values in a model of culture in action, it becomes clear that the perceived ‘Japanese identity’ is in a transitional phase.Show less
This thesis questions the phenomenon called gender speech in Japan and the ideology of it. To answer this doubt, theories about the origin of gender speech are discussed and research has been...Show moreThis thesis questions the phenomenon called gender speech in Japan and the ideology of it. To answer this doubt, theories about the origin of gender speech are discussed and research has been conducted to come to a conclusion if Japanese gender speech is still important till this day.Show less
