This assignment will assess the factors behind the economic success of Japan. These factors will be assessed through units of time throughout the Japanese history and how these factors of success have also contributed to the economic difficulties that Japan has faced over time. We will start with a brief introduction to Japan as a nation, its cultural practices to language and arts. We will then progress onto discuss the economic success and difficulties that Japan has faced over time

Japan is situated next to the East Coast of Asia; it is four main islands which are Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu and Hokkaido. It is also surrounded by many a hundred little tiny islands. Over all Japan has mountain coverage of over 85 percent of its islands(HTAV, 1997).. The Japanese have strong cultural beliefs and values ranging from the traditional cultural clothing such as the Kimono (which translated to English means something one wears) to the traditional Japanese cuisines.

Today’s Japanese people enjoy a varied range of traditional foods such as miso soup, rice and seafood (Kennedy, 1963). Japanese as a language is produced and written using three different types of combined scripts which are Kanji the Chinese characters, Katakana and Hiragana the two syllabic type scripts. The language uses calligraphy which is complicated; this is also true for many other East Asian Countries when concerning the writing text, but with the Japanese written text this is seen as a traditional art form and not just for transferring written information to one and another

Art plays a large part in Japanese culture, the most common type of art still in existence today is painting and painting has played a big part in Japanese culture for many a hundred years, they still use native traditional painting techniques today. These Japanese painting techniques are used in poems, stories or even just a single painted character. The government of Japan is a constitutional monarchy which means the powers for the Emperor are limited. The Prime Minister for Japan holds the most power followed by his elected members of government.

The only stable party in Japan is the liberal democrats which has been together for over 40 years and has been in power from the beginning of its party in 1958. The clean government party or has its known Komeito is a close competitor but only holds less than ten percent of parliamentary seats. The other political parties include the socialist party, communist party, social domestic party and the liberal party. The Japanese economy is strong and very competitive with the areas that have links with trade and is overall one of the biggest economies in the world.

The factors behind Japans success is mainly down to exporting. Japan exports many products ranging from electronics, cars and computers with its main and the most important trading partner being the USA which in turn imports more than a quarter of japans exported products. The economic success of Japan is based on its ability to combine the west with its own traditional lifestyles. Japans success within the free markets of the world and its speedy ascension to be the world’s toped ranked and most powerful is a subject open up to debate.

Before the arrival of Commodore Perry during 1853 Japan was stagnated due to isolation and had receive a huge economic blow due to losing World War ll. But success came to the Japanese economy from a number of different attributes. These attributes range from social classes breaking down due to the creation of the Conscript Army and the victory it had gained against the Satsuma Rebellion and the manufacturing of its stable and low interest rates after World War ll which was to stimulate its venture capital.

Yet these economic success factors could be the attributes of the importation from the West, for example western social theory, economic practises, and technologies combined with the values of the State Shinto, Bushido and other Japanese traditions. The exception to note here is the major reform mainly came from its upper echelons of the society, which in turn means the government. To contrast the majority of reform in Europe was from the centre up, due to the signing of the Magna Carta, October Revolution and in turn show where limited power from the monarchy is pushed from below.

Japans economic speed of ascension could be attributed the novel transition which was instituted by the power of democracy. When looking into the Japanese economic susses there are two main periods which have great importance which are post World War ll Japan reconstruction and the Meiji Restoration, it is during these periods that Japans economic growth was at its greatest, this in turn paved the way for Japan to become a powerhouse for modern economics.