Japan is a country very dear to my heart. I have lived in this island country for close to a decade and still I am fascinated on a daily basis by various aspects of the nation.The courtesy, humility, patience and generosity of the Japanese people is one that awes every foreigner that encounters or interacts with the Japanese.
Japan is a great nation, one that can without exception be truly identified not as a giant of Asia but as the Giant of Asia regardless of the aging population and the economic downturn. Although, I have stated this in the present tense, the fact remains that this is fast becoming a past tense. This should not be seen to indicate that the Japanese are unproductive; NO! far from that.
The greatness of Japan though undeniable is at risk of becoming a thing of the history books because the political class constantly run away from or distort history to the point that they have failed to take a cue from what previous leaders of government and industry did to thrust Japan into greatness again a few years after the war.
I must categorically state that Japan can and MUST rise to greatness again to ensure that there is a balance of power in Asia and in the world in general.This is necessary because Japan has the capacity to bring a lot of calm into situations that other world powers would hastily, violently and arrogantly rush into. Japan is the only nation to have suffered the ill fortune of being bombed with a nuclear weapon. Japan therefore having suffered the devastating effects and after effects of the nuclear decimation of two of its cities understands that dialogue, diplomacy and peace are the only way to go.
Now, how can Japan by taking a cue from history rise to greatness again?
Well, some time in the 1950s, leaders of government and industry met to set the GOAL of being the number one in the production of textiles in the world within that decade and indeed, they met their target.
They came together again and set another GOAL. They decided to perform the impossible task of becoming the number one in the world in the production of steel. Regardless of the fact that Japan had [has] no iron ore deposits, they went ahead and built the factories, started importing the ore and within a decade outsold the competition to become number one in the production of steel in the world.
Japan needs to set DEFINITE GOALS, just like preceding leaders of government and industry came together and set definite goals in charting a way forward for Japan and posterity. However, one of the ways to do this is to go back to the pages of the CORRECT [not re-written or overly edited] history books.
I am confident that JAPAN would CERTAINLY rebound as THE GIANT OF ASIA.