Japan Today

1
Japan Today

• Government and Society
• Section 1

2
Postwar Reforms

• 1945- U.S. and allies
• Wanted to make sure Japan was no longer a threat
• Chief cause of war Japanese militarism, and
  undemocratic rule
• Wanted MacArthur to command forces in Japan
• Ending Militarism
• 1st Step MacArthur disband Japanese forces
• Japans overseas empire was disassembled
• Its military and civilian leaders were put on
  trial
• War criminals were imprisoned or executed

3
Postwar Reforms

• With MacArthur, new constitution introduced to
  Japan
• Made Japan democratic
• Constitution stripped emperor of all power
• Gave power to Diet Elected Legislature
• Included a list of rights Freedom of speech,
  religion, and press.
• Gave equal voting rights, right to equal
  education, and instilled equality between men and
  women
• Made waging war illegal
• Forbade government to control military
• Foreign Occcupation ends
• 1952- Japanese regained control
• Cold war helped bring about this shift in power
• U.S. now viewed Japan as ally in fighting
  communism

4
Political Patterns

• After 1952, Japan changed some American reforms
• i.e. Government worked closely with large
  companies and large landowners (Ziabatsu)
• Developed own Political parties and processes
• Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in control for
  38 years
• Coalition government was formed
• Promised political reform and stable foreign and
  economic policies

5
Changing Social Patterns

• Family
• Head of household no longer has legal authority
  over family members
• Father cannot leave entire estate to one child
• Arranged marriages are less prevalent
• Urbanization and Economic growth
• 76 live in cities
• Nuclear family or extended
• Older relatives remain on farms
• Role of mothers has increased
• Family is still center of Japanese life

6
Changing Social Patterns

• Role of Women
• Although constitution gave women equal rights,
  traditional attitudes are still apparent
• More difficult to be promoted and are paid less
• Despite this, half of workforce are women
• More women are finishing college
• 1 out of 3 women is an Office Lady

7
Education

• Japanese family firmly supports education
• School system set up by U.S.
• 9 year system
• Hard to get into good schools so higher
  competition
• Diploma from best university success

8
Western Influence

• Increased western customs after WWII
• Japanese adopted western clothing
• Western appliances
• Western forms of entertainment
• With prospering economy, Japanese travel to
  western countries where more western ideas are
  picked up

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