Change in Japan

Spring is symbolic of transformation; and in Japan, both nature and society is experiencing the pleasure and pain of rebirth.

In nature, fresh varieties of fish fill the seas, such as aji (horse mackerel), soon to meet their fate in anglers’ nets and served on tables across the country. Young flora and fauna, such as the peacock butterfly and cherry blossoms, are gracing the landscape with their immature beauty. The cherry blossoms in southern Japan bloomed, giving admirers a chance to throw down a blanket, collect oneself or let loose, sip on their alcohol of choice, and enjoy the beauty of the five petal sakura (cherry blossom).

Hanami (flower viewing) outings and festivals aren’t the only signal of change in Japan. Japan begins the school year in the spring, eliciting a long exhale from stressed out students. As I witnessed in the junior high, students work their bodies to exhaustion preparing for their tests in the winter. Come spring, they have taken their high school entrance exams, relaxed briefly, and started anew.

Along with a new school year come new textbooks. Of course, China and South Korea assail the revisions in the new texts, criticizing their remittance of information about disputed lands, the historical context of World War II, and the inert war heroes/criminals resting at Yakusuni Shrine. While the new texts and history, or lack of it, are a cause of disagreement, the essence of the issue might be natural resources.

Japan’s upper class, however, continue to fortify their wealth and stuff their pockets full of dough. An economic recovery in Japan, nevertheless, is limited to a few. Simultaneously, the middle class shrivels while those in poverty multiply. The Japanese government is also seeing that there is more oversight and less "entertainment visas" given to foreigners. The policy aims to reduce the number of women working in the sex trade in Japan.

In Tokyo, if you have the cash and looking for excitement, you can easily get a Hummer. The luxury goods market, as a whole, is doing well in Japan. It is doing so well in fact that even doggies are cruising in style and enjoying their own luxuries.

Finally, in the story of change, the U.S. will soon be packing up their Hummers and sending them to Guam. Japan and the U.S. have reached an agreement on the realignment of U.S. troops, costing Japan billions of dollars as they foot over half the bill.