How the Japanese overcame the US' soft power and preserved their cultural liberty

The devastation suffered by Japan on August 6, 1945, after the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and three days later in Nagasaki was interpreted as a complete collapse of that country politically, economically and culturally. The sinister scenario emerging from that atomic havoc generated an impression that Japan’s unconditional surrender and the rule established by the American occupation forces would bring about a drastic change in its culture as well. It was believed within and outside Japan that a country after its defeat and surrender would hardly be able to retain its cultural liberty, which would be badly annihilated by the American values. It was widely believed that Japan’s very identity, which was best represented by the predominance of the Japanese language in every sphere of that country, would be endangered. It was even thought by the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers General Douglas A. MacArthur that with a calculated design encompassing widespread military, political, economic, and social reforms Japan’s culture could be altered beyond recognition.

While serving in the Prime Minister’s office in 2007, I was informed by the then joint secretary of the economic affairs department, Sanjay Krishna that my name had been recommended for a visit to Japan. After I reached the shores of the island country, I attended a Japanese professor’s lecture on Japanese culture. The professor asked a question as to why America easily dropped atomic bombs on Japan but failed to ‘drop’ English. It was a highly thought-provoking question and no one could raise their hands to answer it.

I was completely astonished to realise that America found it easy to exercise ‘hard power’ over Japan by dropping two atomic bombs, leading to much devastation, whereas it could not impose the English language, its soft power, on that country. That binary of the United States (US)’ hard power registering a victory over Japan and its soft power facing defeat made me think about the reasons behind Japan’s success in overcoming American soft power even as it was caught in the whirlpool of calamity caused in the aftermath of the atomic bomb.

As none could answer the deeply profound question posed by the Japanese professor, he himself answered it. He said that the commander of the American occupation forces, General MacArthur was asked by the US government to introduce English in Japan. After taking efforts for four years, he sent a report stating that it would be impossible to introduce English in the island country. Explaining the reason behind the bleak prospects of English succeeding in Japan, the professor said that in his country, right from the days of the promulgation of the Japenese Fundamental Code of Education of 1872, education was imparted to everyone in the Japanese language and communication across the length and breadth of the country was carried out in that language. Even science, technology and medical education were imparted in Japanese to successive generations of students. That is why the US authorities found it impossible to introduce English in Japan.

The celebrated American professor Joseph Nye Jr coined the term soft power and asserted that in future the idea of soft power would be more valuable than hard power in shaping foreign policy and diplomacy in the globalised world.

It is well known that soft power is defined in terms of power which is based on economic and cultural influence through persuasion and attraction. This is in contrast to the hard power associated with values of imposition, coercion, force and arm twisting. The Japanese language is part of the huge reservoir of Japan’s soft power. So the failure of the US to impose English in Japan marked the triumph of the Japanese language. It clearly signalled the victory of Japan’s soft power at a time when that country was reeling under the catastrophic ruin inflicted by the dropping of the atomic bomb.

As the world marks the anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan on August 6 every year people should remember that Japan refused to be trounced by the US’ soft power represented by the English language. Rather, Japan emerged victorious in keeping the English language at bay and upholding the Japanese language which defines the pride and self-esteem of Japan.

To this day, the Japanese language is ruling the hearts and minds of the Japanese people. They may learn the English language to interact with the rest of the world but their own language defines their core identity and pride.

The Japanese overcome the disaster they faced and set a shining example of success for the rest of the world. The success of the Japanese language in taking forward the cause of Japan from the ruins of the atomic disaster teaches the whole world to safeguard our cultural liberty in a diverse world. This remains at the heart of Japan’s rise and should be remembered foremost on the occasion of the anniversary of the day the atomic bomb fell.

S N Sahu served as officer on special duty to former President of India K R Narayanan. The views expressed are personal.