The wealth that the Japanese people have tirelessly built up over generations is now being generously scattered abroad under the guise of globalization, turning Japan into a nation that has fallen to the status of a country that betrays its own interests.
It’s possible that a wave of nationalism might soon sweep through Japan as well.
Nationalism is on the rise across the world, and it won't be long before this tide reaches Japan's shores.
Under a rapacious capitalist economic system, the state, claiming it must "win the international competition," prioritizes corporations over the well-being of its citizens.
This likely stems from the belief among policymakers that corporations are the engines of national prosperity.
But this approach is a throwback to the "mercantilism" of the absolutist era.
Meanwhile, these corporations, flush with profits amassed under the state’s favorable policies, do not reinvest in the nation or its people.
Instead, they channel their wealth into overseas mergers and acquisitions, investments, and exorbitant salaries for their executives.
The nation and its citizens are, at best, an afterthought.
In reality, these "domestic" companies are simply entities established under the country’s laws.
The majority of their shareholders are foreigners, and many are even led by foreign CEOs.
Such companies can hardly be called Japanese.
Even companies we’ve been familiar with for generations can no longer be called Japanese.
These days, it's rare to hear of a Japanese company building a new factory in Japan, or of any major new investment that would stimulate the domestic economy.
While there are plenty of stories about downsizing and layoffs affecting Japanese workers, there’s little talk of expanding employment.
On the contrary, in the name of globalization and strengthening international competitiveness, companies are building factories in countries where costs are lower than in Japan, employing the people of those nations.
To these companies, the future of Japan’s shrinking, aging population and its declining market might be of little concern.
What we’re witnessing is the reckless rampage of global monsters—companies that can no longer be called Japanese—showing no regard for Japan or its people.
The Japanese government not only turns a blind eye to this but even encourages the internationalization of these so-called Japanese companies.
The nation we’ve built through tireless efforts has now become a sellout state, carelessly dispersing its wealth abroad under the banner of "globalization."
As more citizens become aware of this harsh reality, they may awaken to their identity as Japanese and become the driving force of nationalism to protect themselves.
We can only hope that the wave of nationalism that began in the West, where "freedom and democracy" reign supreme, doesn't become a tidal wave that engulfs the world.
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白人ナショナリズム-アメリカを揺るがす「文化的反動」 (中公新書 2591)
渡辺 靖
中央公論新社
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超不確実性時代のWTO: ナショナリズムの台頭とWTOの危機
喜一郎, 深作
勁草書房
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アフター・ヨーロッパ――ポピュリズムという妖怪にどう向きあうか
イワン・クラステフ
岩波書店
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