Soft Power Case Study for Students of Fundamenta

1. 国際政治基礎A 2015
Final Exam
SOFT POWER CASE STUDY
Look at the following slide show and
write a short essay for question no.
on the exam.
Good luck!

2. “Japan Brand” Strategy
21st Century strategy to
“pick winners”
• Increase cultural exports
• Revitalize economy
• Budget of USD 371
million for 2014: USD 1
billion by 2015 (PUBLIC
money)
• 20 year plan
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3. • Promote Japanese
products around world.
• Advise Japanese
restaurants.
• Buy and rent space
throughout Southeast
Asia to sell and promote
Japanese cultural, food
and fashion products.
Cool Japan Fund: Private-Public

4. Japanese wine-tasting in Shanghai supermarket: Sponsored by
JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)
Cool Japan Fund

5. 和食 Washoku
UNESCO Intangible World Heritage, 2013
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6. Cool TV? Japan Channel

9. “harmony,” “compassion,” “coexistence”
-Council for the Promotion of Cultural Diplomacy
“Japan is a culture…that appeals to the general
population and that anyone can enjoy…We approach
the creation of objects with a love for their
beauty…At the root of this approach lies a spirit of
harmony, which is evident in our philosophy of co-
existence with nature.”
-Creative Japan, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
What is the Japan “Brand”?

10. “Manga is about love. Manga is about
friendship. Manga is about growing up Manga
is about everything.” Aso Taro
Former Foreign
Minister Aso Taro.

11. The Soft Power of Cool?
Cool Japan also has a
POLITICAL Goal
• Increase influence in
international affairs
• A soft power resource.
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12. Japan’s Soft Power Resources
• Cultural products
• Food
• University education & exchange
• “Peace” (Article 9)
• “harmony…compassion…coexistence…”
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13. The Soft Power of Being Cool
Soft power strategy tells us how Japan’s government
wants Japan to be seen
• Country of individuality
• Country of originality
• Japan remembers its traditions yet…
• Embraces modernity.
And most of all…
• Japan is a peaceful, peace-
loving country.
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14. • China’s “first generation”: Grew up with
filtered influence of foreign entertainment (esp.
Ikkyu-san, etc.)
• Chinese children in 80s and 90s saw more
Japanese children’s shows than American
J Pop Culture & China (Nakano Yoshiko)

15. “Modern, spacious” houses seen in shows like
Doraemon
J Pop Culture & China

16. Aspire to the lifestyle portrayed: Updated image
of Japan
1990s: J dramas become “how-to videos” for
middle-class lifestyles (Tokyo Love Story)
J Pop Culture & China

17. • Chinese have updated image of Japan
• Chinese aspire to Japanese-style middle-class lifestyle.
Do Chinese want the same things Japan wants?
J Pop Culture & China

18. How do other Asian countries feel about Japan?
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19. 19BBC Global Poll, 2011-2012

20. How does China feel about Japan?
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21. What are these? Who owns them?

23. Yasukuni Shrine

24. Anti-Japan demonstrations in China