A Critical Analysis of Japan's Public Diplomacy in the Global Arena

This report examines the public diplomacy of Japan, focusing on its reliance on cultural soft power and creative industries. It analyzes how Japan utilizes public diplomacy in global interdependence, highlighting the multifaceted image the country presents. The report discusses Japan's adoption of a pop-culture approach, its use of soft power instruments like foreign aid and cultural diplomacy, and the impact of Shinzo Abe's leadership. It explores challenges related to globalization, language barriers, and the need for effective public speaking. The analysis covers initiatives like Japan House, ICT technology, and the importance of research and critical networks for improving Japan's international image. The report references the work of Nancy Snow and provides a comprehensive overview of Japan's strategies and challenges in public diplomacy.

Running head: PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OF JAPAN
Public Diplomacy of Japan
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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The article, “Japan’s Challenges in Public Diplomacy: An American Vision”
discusses about how the public diplomacy of Japan is dependent on promoting the cultural
soft power that lays emphasis on the aspects of the mass consumer along with the creative
industries. The author has pertinently talked about how public diplomacy can act as a tool
that can come to be of use in the era of global interdependence. The article talks about the
fact that Japan has multifaceted image that includes the darker sides that cannot be reconciled
with that of the overall excellent reputation.
The article discusses that Japanese government has adopted the pop-culture approach
pertaining to diplomacy to the global politics when the term, “public diplomacy” was used in
the Diplomatic Bluebook 2004. Japan could not adopt the hard power options so it took
recourse to the soft power agendas.According to Snow(2016), Japan made use of foreign aid,
cultural diplomacy along with the person-to-person exchanges as the instruments so that it
can retain its position in the world. By the end of the year 2000, Japan used to depend on the
cultural products along with the cultural diplomacy. The domestic economy had slowed
however the popular culture of Japn held the superpower status which was marked by the
increase in the demand pertaining to the modern cultural products.
Shinzo Abe adopted the new interpretation of that of Article 9 of Constitution that
allowed the country of using the right of the collective self-defense. Japan shed the pacifist
nation brand that helped it in earning the rightful place among the various countries. It has
greatly helped the country in earning the rightful place. The author has talked about the fact
that there were many Japanese politicians who did not acknowledge the atrocities that were
carried out by Japan in the Second World War. They thought that such kind of
acknowledgement would spoil the image of Japan in home and in abroad.It has been argued
by Snow(2016), that the Japanese leaders wished to present in the public diplomacy the level
of the perfection in relation to the cultural superiority. The Big Power status of Japan with the

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cultural representation is lauded across the world. It has created the vocal enemies who think
that Japan would not acknowledge the imperfections along with the past mistakes.
The article has argued that Japan is facing challenges in relation to improving
globalization of the own society. The cultural characteristics can help in explaining the
difficulty that Japan faces in conducting the own self-promotion on that of the international
scene. Japan has tried to globalize the universities and it wants to make English Language
classes available for the people so that it can be instrumental in attracting the global
marketplace of the students. This can help Japan in gaining the attention of the students from
the international arena that can pave the path for the growth of the country. The article has
brought out the fact that around 130,000 foreign students are within the country of Japan. It
has been found that around 100,000 are from the neighbouring countries of China along with
the South Korea (Snow 2016). For giving Japan a sense of the urgency, China has outranked
Japan in that of the higher education. The problem resides in the fact that there is the dearth
of that of English-language instruction. The English-language instruction can be of much
help for the students of the country that can help them in overcoming the national barriers.
The article has argued that speaking well in the public in Japan holds more negative
as compared to the positive connotation within Japan. There are a large number of proverbs
that helps in demonstrating this fact. The author has correctly pointed out to the fact that the
European or the American places higher value on the element of the good public speaking.
The author has said that Japan does not make use of the non-native enthusiasts for the aspect
of guidance. They depend on the rotating government bureaucrats for figuring out how to tell
the story of Japan. The Japanese are not confident regarding whether they like to overdo the
promotion in that of the national objectives.

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The article talks about the fact that Shinzo Abe has been instrumental in adopting the
pro-active stance that has helped in targeting the global audience. There were various
initiatives that were undertaken by the personality of Shinzo Abe that helped in raising profile
of Prime Minister as global persuasion agent for that of Japan. Japan can be said to be one of
the country that has increased the global lobbying efforts. The article has stated that Abe has
introduced the value-based approach pertaining to the diplomacy of Japan. The value-based
approach can provide Japan with a unique position that can help them in rising above the
other countries. It has helped in advocating for freedom along with the democracy. The
public relations prowess of Abe has helped in marking the turn in the management of the
Japanese government. Abe was able to promote the catchphrases for the economic recovery
of Japan like the Womenomics along with the Abenomics. The Liberal Democratic Party
process of Shinzo Abe for updating the Constitution of Japan with the help of the unpopular
security bills can be stated to be a public relations disaster as a large number of citizens of
Japan did not want the ending of the pacifist nation brand of Japan.
The article has rightly pointed forward to the essential fact that Japan should lay focus
on finding the bilingual along with the charismatic spokespeople that can prove to of great
use for the country. Japan should improve on the arena of the foreign faculty that can help in
the development of the country. It can help Japan in extending its influence in the
international arena that can greatly benefit the country. There should be sponsored
educational exchanges that can greatly help in the growth of the country in the long run.
Japan can greatly benefit with the help of the international programs that can help in bringing
the foreign students to that of Japan. Japan can earn a great amount of benefits with the help
of the public-private partnership that can help in the creation of the ventures of Japan House
in the three cities of power called Los Angeles, London along with Sao Paulo. The ventures
of the Japan House will be led by that of the local secretariat within the respective cities.

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The public diplomacy in Japan operates without any kind of the public constituency.
Japan Foundation headquarters can be said to be understated in relation to architecture and it
is overshadowed by that of Korean Center. Japan should increase the amount of the
information sharing that can aid in the process of development of the nation. Japan should
redefine itself in front of the world and it should have accessible database that can help it in
sharing the information. Japan should educate along with train the Cultural Diplomacy Corps
that can help it in overcoming the perception along with the perspective myopias that are
related to that of Japan. The stereotypes can be said to be vulnerable to that of the belief
perseverance.
Japan can take recourse to the ICT technology that can help it in increasing the aspect
of the global connectivity. It can help in the promotion of the global transparency and help in
demystifying the Japanese society. It can play an important role in encouraging the element
of the global interest along with the participation. Japan can build the element of sympathy
that can help it in the creation of a positive image in front of the world. Japan should invest
itself in more amount of research before the public information campaign that can play a
crucial part in developing the country. Japan should make use of the critics along with the
champion networks that can help in spreading a positive image in front of the world. Japan
should develop the scholars on that of Public Diplomacy that can help it in the maintenance
of good image in front of the other countries of the world.

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References
Snow, N., 2016. Japan's Challenges in Public Diplomacy: An American Vision. IfriCenter for
Asian Studies.