Politics and Culture Essay: Tokyo Olympics 2020 and Japan's Challenges

This essay delves into the intricate relationship between politics and culture in Japan, specifically examining how these factors will influence the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It highlights the political instability, including the revolving door of prime ministers and the challenges faced by Shinzo Abe's administration, along with the impact of North Korea's actions. The essay further explores the cultural aspects, particularly Japan's approach to multiculturalism, its ethno-national identity, and the concept of 'omotenashi.' It analyzes how these cultural nuances, including the Japanese language and perceptions of foreigners, might affect the Olympics. The essay concludes by emphasizing Japan's reluctance towards multiculturalism due to its strong sense of homogeneity and suggests the potential for mixed outcomes as the country prepares to host the international event. The essay provides a detailed analysis of the political and cultural challenges Japan faces while preparing for the Olympics and presents a comprehensive overview of the issues.

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Introduction
Politics in its broadest implication is identified as an activity through which people make,
preserve as well as shape the general rules under which people live. Politics is thus inextricably
associated with the phenomenon of conflict and cooperation. Politics further is signified in varied
ways related to the exercise of power, the science of government and further forming collective
or mutual decisions (O'Neil & Fields, 2015). In current times, Japan has been focusing on
nationally supported goals to augment its economic structure. Politics in Japan has been in a state
of drift in recent years with there being seven varied governance of prime ministers in as many
years. This, however, has resulted in the deprivation of the nation of the leadership and has been
consequential to economic instability and further encounter challenges of the developing country
(Turner, 2015). The breakdown of Japan’s political system can no longer be disregarded. Studies
conducted by Liff, (2015) has revealed another essential focus of attention of the Japanese
politics currently live on whether Shinzo Abe will be re-elected for the third term for Presidency
of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (O'Neil & Fields, 2015). However, Abe's chance to close
the lower house for a sudden general election has been paid off. Furthermore, popular agreement
ratings of Abe’s cabinet declined to a lower degree in early 2018 due to a series of scandals that
impacted the government and LDP lawmakers. These decisive disreputable events according to
Turner, (2015) have further re-bounded the levels which have been identified to be dominant
enough for a thriving administration in the sixth year of the present Prime Minister of Japan.
These criticalities of the political state of Japan have failed to distinguish any distinctive
direction of the separated opposition and have reflected high propensity to pose threats to the
upcoming Olympics in 2020 that would be hosted by Tokyo (O'Neil & Fields, 2015). The

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following essay will argue on the way specific cultural and political criticalities will impact the
upcoming Olympics 2020 that will be hosted by Tokyo.
Discussion
The current political scenario of Japan further indicates a significant change which
instituted last year to the LDP regulations and facilitated the party's President to address a third-
year term rather than focusing on the highest two terms previously (Liff, 2015). This, however,
may be consequential and increase contenders to Abe during the party leadership election in
September. Further to this, the disintegration of the former number one opposition democratic
party. Liff, (2017) has noted that some of its lower house members operated on the ticket of
Koike's new party others have created the new constitutional democratic party of Japan LDP and
left the opposition at a highly fractured state. At this juncture, Horiuchi, Saito & Yamada, (2015)
have noted that the previous election held in 2015 recorded achievement of Abe. Thus
disregarding the major setback, it can be pointed out that the chances of Abe reacquiring
supremacy for the third time as the LDP chief. This success, however, can be expected by
focusing on his record of leading the party towards great achievements during his Diet election
since 2012 (Turner, 2015). However with the solidified hold on power and authority, Abe
administration has been encountering several challenges starting from leading a robust economy,
domestic demand-centric growth to act receptive towards the amplified amount of threat posed
by North Korea which made significant advancement over the past years due to its nuclear
weapons as well as ballistic missile development programmes (Liff, 2015).
Meanwhile, Okamoto, (2017) is of the perspective that Abe has been emphasising for
revising the constitution as his fundamental political purpose with the LDP strategizing to submit

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its draft of an amendment to the Diet Commission. This strategy, however, has been planned in
order to attain the diet to initiate a change at the beginning of 2019. However even do with the
ruling coalition along with other through amendment forces with two-thirds majorities in both
the chambers needed to propose a revision for approval in the national referendum (Horiuchi,
Saito & Yamada, 2015). In such a scenario, harmony is expected to emerge among the parties or
within the domains of LDP based on these particulars of an amendment that incorporates
division of article 9 (Burrett, 2016). In addition to this, current political implications O'Neil &
Fields, (2015) further have shed light on the foreign policy front which Japan is experiencing.
Burrett, (2016) has noted that at the foreign policy front which has been dealing with the
challenges of North Korea has remained one of the crucial concerns for Tokyo. Abe while facing
such impediments has persistently demanded to maximise pressure on Kim Jong-hyun’s regime
in Pyongyang to compel it to discard its nuclear as well as missile programs (Okamoto, 2017).
Furthermore vital integrations have developed which would signify any form of the strategy of
following the regime of Kim in order to improve its policy.
On the other hand, Horiuchi, Saito & Yamada, (2015) have stated that in Japan forces in
the opposition party has been encountering significant challenges of reinstating following the
dismal general election results. Subotić, (2016) has witnessed certain negative anticipation in
Japan about the execution of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Sullivan & Leeds, (2016) noted as
Tokyo had reached its extensively costly centrepiece which is $80 billion Stadium along with the
official logo and allegations of high illegal use. Furthermore, the arrangements have been played
by some ambiguous mental cost overruns with effective leadership and prevalent hesitation and
discrepancy. These factors exhibit great reservation about the incompetent Japanese government.
At this juncture, Horiuchi, Saito & Yamada, (2015) have witnessed a prominent contrast with

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contemporary Tokyo which stands as one of the most technically sophisticated and efficient
cities in the world in comparison to the Tokyo with war free 1964, whereby the period signified
decaying, ailing and populated third-world megalopolis. During this period the harbour and the
city’s primary drivers were immensely immersed with human as well as industrial waste
(Sullivan & Leeds, 2016). Addition to this a diminutive rate of 25% of the capitals residence
experienced the luxury of a flush toilet and the rest of the services which collected faeces from
under the toilets in Japanese homes in transporting them to rice paddies for the use of fertilizers
(Liff, 2017). These scenarios however triggered the people to wonder reasons to which the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) had voted in 1959 in favour of Tokyo to host the
Olympic Games by declining the participation of Greater contemporary cities of Brussels and
Vienna. However, the 2020 Olympic insider Tokyo essentially aid garnering the interest of the
Japanese rather than relying on solving the IOC for its promised transformation for other
countries (Okamoto, 2017).
Horne, (2017) has described that's the Japanese people primarily out of the perspective that
foreigners do not have the utmost competence to learn real Japanese language. Japanese
language used by foreign characters in Japanese plays, novels and movies tend to reflect strange
accent along with several grammatical mistakes. Burrett, (2016) has stated According to the
Japanese foreigners in Japan as long as he is not perceived as an everlasting immigrant receives
polite treatment but is always regarded as an outsider to the Japanese society. However in the
opinion of Seiger, (2018), if a foreigner intends to speak the Japanese language even with several
errors and improper accent he or she is highly acknowledged and welcomed to the Japanese
society. Furthermore, scholars like Sullivan & Leeds, (2016) are of the perspective that one of
the most vital aspects of teaching the Japanese language is introducing the Japanese cultural

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elements and norms to the foreigners. Horne, (2017) has recognised that the endeavours have
given by Japan primarily emphasised on importing and transplanting, science and technology
from highly advanced industrialized nations like Europe and North America. However, it is not
always being seen as adequate efforts about the global exchange and contribution in the domains
of education, resource and development, culture and sports (Dodgson, 2018).
The increasing rate of exchange of people visiting Japan has caused a significant amount of
cultural resistance whereby this friction can be considered as a normal phenomenon in the
international community. However, Japan or its major city Tokyo instead of focusing on
multiculturalism have shed light on offering insights about the Japanese culture without adopting
the culture of other societies and form an undemanding process of cultural exchange (Subotić,
2016). In the Japanese political context, the primary approach in order to overcome cultural
fractions for the Japanese is not to purpose for acquiring a better understanding of other cultures
but relied mostly on spreading the Japanese cultural patterns throughout the world. Furthermore
determined to introduce the cultural patterns of Japan into other foreign nations is one of the
primary aspects of the Japanese technologies of internationalization. Thus Sullivan & Leeds,
(2016) have stated that the Japanese idea of multiculturalism signifies anti-multiculturalism. This
type of multiculturalism is not intended for the cultural minorities but enhances the cultural
patterns of the social and cultural majorities of the Japanese society.
However as Japan is preparing for the 2020 Olympic games which are going to take place
in Tokyo, the country along with sports in tourism-related projects which the Olympic
preparation primarily requires must take into consideration multicultural issues (Okamoto, 2017).
Furthermore, in the view of Hazelkorn, (2015), leading up to 2020 Tokyo government according
to reports has embarked upon a series of large-scale construction projects aimed for a new

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stadium and an Olympic village. Japan has received a substantial amount of repetition as a
renowned tourist destination with exceptional hospitality as perceived to the idea of
‘omotenashi’-the spirit of Japanese hospitality (Flake, 2017). With such recognition Kirsch,
(2015) has stated that Japan is expected to exhibit a warm welcome to its international guests in
the Olympics venue. However as the vast ranging world media descend on Tokyo, several social
media personalities will be seeking to find the real view of Japanese culture which includes its
prominent site. However, some of the areas of uncelebrated patterns of Japan will also be
discussed during the Olympic session that is its way of prejudice towards foreigners (Kirsch,
2015). The Japanese idea of multiculturalism and the way it portrays is anticipated to be exposed
by the wide-range media coming from various parts of the world. The areas of concern with
multiculturalism are further aggravated because the Japanese ethnic groups are often identified to
be ethnically consistent. However, according to Dodgson, (2018), there can be witnessed some
distinct look groups within Japan who are recognised as the aboriginals to the Hokkaido area of
Japan.
Furthermore, Kirsch, (2015) has posited that some of the efforts shown by the Japanese
towards multiculturalism in recent times have become assimilatory. This is because of its
reliance on superficial toleration of the distant culture and patterns and escaping social conflict.
Kirsch, (2015) has described Japan's internationalization policies to be exclusively identifying
cultural exchanges between Japanese people and the foreigners who are either immediate visitors
or impermanent immigrants. The purpose of these internationalization policies is to set Japan's
individualistic cultural identity through English language education policies by considerably
increasing a comprehensive structure of Japanese internationalisation along with the chief

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qualities of the Japanese culture by concurrently acknowledging the learning of English language
(Hazelkorn, 2015).
Conclusion
Hence to conclude, it can be stated that the strict ethno national identity of Japanese is
identified to be one of the crucial reasons why multiculturalism has not yet received a strong
foothold in Japan. Japanese have developed the notion of homogeneity in their country and have
consequently exhibited reluctance towards supporting the idea of multiculturalism. Japanese
often oppose in accepting cultural diversity within them for fear of losing their own identity.
Although Japan has taken positive steps towards increasing its economy through the influx of
inbound tourists, there can be witnessed some mixed information involving multiculturalism
which has the evidence in the Japanese society. Multiculturalism requires nurturing realisation
and appreciation of ethnic diversity by supported as well as expected minority group identities
and culture. In other words, multiculturalism can be based on cultural diversity within the nation.
However, past Japan showed the capability to transform specific parts of its nation for a
significant event. Many developments were made which Japan has co-hosted in the 2002 World
Cup that included accommodating visiting soccer fans. However, multiculturalism does not
primarily engage rising inbound visitor rate but needs to impact on massive shock in the
appearance of changing parts of the society which the other hosts of Olympic have implemented.
The legacies that Olympic game venue leave behind are not inherent in hosting games, but if
Japan shows lack of ability in the 2020 Olympic Games to capitalise on the opportunities of
addressing multiculturalism issues in its nation, it may leave an uncooperative legacy in the
country which it had not planned.

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