CULTURAL MODERNIZATION OF JAPAN: FROM TRADITIONALISM TO CULTURAL EXPANSION

Abstract

In the context of today's globalized world, countries face a dual challenge in the cultural sphere: on the one hand, cultural modernization – elevating the production of national cultural products to a level competitive in the global market – and on the other hand, preserving and promoting their unique ethno-national cultures and traditions, which serve as strong markers of national identity. After all, it is through culture that a state asserts itself on the international stage, shaping a positive image that appeals to the global community. Japan is perhaps the only country in the world whose cultural development has historically been either unaffected or only minimally influenced by external forces. The “Meiji Ishin” revolution of 1867–1868 marked a turning point, but despite the socio-political transformations of this period, Japan remained largely monocultural until the end of World War II. Nonetheless, from the second half of the 20th century onward, Japan made an extraordinary leap in cultural modernization. In its path toward cultural expansion, Japan has employed the latest technologies, discovering new ways to promote its national culture on the global stage. Although Japan recognized the importance of “soft power” in international politics slightly later than European countries or the United States, by the end of the 20th century, it began to make rapid strides in this area, compensating for lost opportunities. Japan's progress in cultural modernization and the transformation of its memory policy are quite significant. The experience of these modernization processes could serve as a model for the development of a modern and effective memory policy in Ukraine, a topic that has become especially pertinent in light of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war.