Paper short abstract:

This paper traces the official Japanese narratives of 'globalisation' and 'utsukushii kuni'—and hence nationalism—to determine whether the two terms confront one another, or are complementary in the Japanese case.

Paper long abstract:

Western democracies are experiencing the resurgence of populism. Discontent towards globalisation produced Brexit in the UK's EU referendum, while Donald Trump seized Republican Party nomination. Those who failed to benefit from globalisation are shifting their support towards Rightwing parties in Western Europe, notably France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Japan is also experiencing a rightward shift; but is this due to a rising discontent with globalisation? Is Abe Shinzō's 'beautiful country' (utukushii kuni) narrative similar in characteristic to the nativist anger surging in Europe and the US? As a country that is amidst a nationalist swing towards the right, but benefits enormously from globalisation, is Japan comparable to Western Europe and the US? Or can we identify Japanese uniqueness? This paper traces the official Japanese narratives of 'globalisation' and 'utsukushii kuni'—and hence nationalism—to determine whether the two terms confront one another, or are complementary in the Japanese case. There are indications that globalisation- and nationalist narratives complement one another in a pragmatic recognition of Japan's vulnerabilities. On the one hand, Japan's economic success derives from embracing globalisation; while, on the other hand, the very economic success points to the instance of nationalist pride and anxiety which lends credence to the reproduction of the myth of Japanese uniqueness. In short, Japan might, indeed, be an outlier.