THE UNBEARABLE UNIQUENESS OF THE JAPANESE RACE by Dice-K

THE UNBEARABLE UNIQUENESS OF THE JAPANESE RACE by Dice-K

Yo! It ain't easy being descended from a Divine Sun Goddess...


Nihonjinron as cultural nationalism
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihonjinron#Nihonjinron_as_cultural_nationalism)

The term Nihonjinron (日本人論^?) literally means theories/discussions about the Japanese. The term refers to a genre of texts that focuses on issues of Japanese national and cultural identity.

Scholars such as Peter N. Dale (1986), Harumi Befu (1987), and Kosaku Yoshino (1992) view nihonjinron more critically, identifying it as a tool for enforcing social and political conformity. Dale, for example, characterizes nihonjinron as follows:

"First, they implicitly assume that the Japanese constitute a culturally and socially homogeneous racial entity, whose essence is virtually unchanged from prehistoric times down to the present day. Secondly, they presuppose that the Japanese differ radically from all other known peoples. Thirdly, they are conspicuously nationalistic, displaying a conceptual and procedural hostility to any mode of analysis which might be seen to derive from external, non-Japanese sources. In a general sense then, nihonjinron may be defined as works of cultural nationalism concerned with ostensible 'uniqueness' of Japan in any aspect, and which are hostile to both individual experience and the notion of internal socio-historical diversity."^[22]

The emphasis on ingroup unity in nihonjinron writings, and its popularization during Japan's period of military expansion at the turn of the 20th century, has led many Western critics to brand it a form of ethnocentric nationalism. Karel van Wolferen echoes this assessment, noting that:

In the nihonjinron perspective, Japanese limit their actions, do not claim 'rights' and always obey those placed above them, not because they have no other choice, but because it comes naturally to them. Japanese are portrayed as if born with a special quality of brain that makes them want to suppress their individual selves.^[23]

As Japan is often deemed to be "almost as unique as its people like to think" (Pearl Buck, qtd. In Dale 1986:26) so too the Japanese people are considered not just unique but, in the words of Sugimoto and Mouer, "more unique than other societies."^[24]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1187573

Francona, Sox ’disappointed’ by Matsuzaka’s criticism

By Michael Silverman | Tuesday, July 28, 2009
| http://www.bostonherald.com | Boston Red Sox


Manager Terry Francona expressed disappointment on behalf of the Red Sox for Daisuke Matsuzaka’s comments about the team’s throwing program, comments that Francona believes Matsuzaka showed poor judgment in making.

Photo by Nancy Lane

“I thought we made huge strides in communicating through some of his frustrations and maybe ours, so to hear him say that is disappointing,” said Francona this afternoon. “Not disappointing that he has an opinion, that’s very welcome. Disappointing that he took a meeting that was confidential and decided to air it publicly. Yeah, we’re very disappointed.”

Matsuzaka expressed to a Japanese newspaper that he had considerable frustration with the Sox’ conditioning program, specifically that he is unable to do as much throwing off the mound as he would like. He also complained about the team being unable to give him a timetable for his return.

In comments that were translated and appeared on WEEI.com, based on an article written by Taeko Yoshi for the allatanys.com website, Matsuzaka also has told the Red Sox that because of ethnic, racial and physiological differences between U.S. and Japanese-born pitchers, different conditioning programs must be used. When it cannot be used, the result is the decline in performance of so many Japanese pitchers after only a couple of seasons in the major leagues.

“If I’m forced to continue to train in this environment, I may no longer be able to pitch like I did in Japan,” Matsuzaka said. “The only reason why I managed to win games during the first and second years (in the U.S.) was because I used the savings of the shoulder I built up in Japan. Since I came to the Major Leagues, I couldn’t train in my own way, so now I’ve lost all those savings.”

Francona does not believe that there will be a problem going forward.

“I think we already have a resolution,” he said. “I guess that’s why we’re somewhat disappointed. We came out of that meeting feeling very good. Came out of that meeting two days ago and felt that everybody was on board with exactly what we were doing, himself included. I don’t know that we felt there was an issue there, still don’t know. I think there were things said out of frustration that were poor judgment on his part.”

Speaking on the radio, Sox pitching coach John Farrell agreed.

“For this to come out as it has -- I mean, we recognize there are differences and we’ve worked diligently and thoroughly to bridge that gap. For them to come out as they have is, in a word, disappointing,” said Farrell.

Matsuzaka is on the disabled list now for the second time this season with a mild right shoulder strain that the team said translates into a weakness stemming mainly from his participation in the World Baseball Classic this spring.

Matsuzaka has been hit hard this season, and the Red Sox have gone to great lengths of late to portray their communication with the pitcher as positive and improving.

After a visit at Fenway Park last Friday, the Red Sox said that Matsuzaka’s shoulder strength had “vastly improved” and that his conditioning had also taken a turn for the better.

They also said that he would continue to throw from flat ground only for the immediate future and that no mound throwing had been scheduled.

But to the Japanese media, Matsuzaka also said, “Until now, many Japanese players have joined the majors, but they usually only lasted for two or three years. I realized from my own experience that this was not due to their individual abilities but because of the difference in training methods. If someone doesn’t act, the way people think in the Majors would never be changed. I want them to understand this, not only for my sake, but for the sake of future Japanese players in the Major Leagues.”

Matsuzaka added: “They come armed with data and logic. To counter that, I have to respond with my own logic and that takes a lot of thinking and energy, but I can’t back down on this one.”

Farrell disputed the notion of the cultural-physiological theory proposed by the pitcher.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re from Japan, the Dominican or the States,” said Farrell. “We feel that the human body has movements that it goes through that you’ve got to support with overall conditioning and strength in addition to throwing. But if you just take it from a throwing standpoint, you are reaching a point of diminishing return and putting your arm in jeopardy of further injury. That’s what we’ve felt along.”

Farrell said that the ball club never mandated that Matsuzaka make changes in his program but it appears clear that the club still believes that its way is the right way. For Matsuzaka to do the throwing off the mound he wants to do, he must first meet the club’s standards when it comes to shoulder strength.

“I know Daisuke’s transition here and the challenges he’s faced, he’s obviously on record now saying he has vast differences with the throwing program but we have a $103 million investment in a guy that we have to what we feel not only to protect him but to have that success that we just outlined,” said Farrell.

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