Culture
The pursuit of harmony, beauty and tight
simplicity characterizes many of Japan's cultural
expressions. Traditional gardens and homes will radiate
these properties throughout their structure. In the
classic Japanese room, the colors are few and studied in
unison and the furniture is sparse. The art of arranging
flowers, ikebana, also strives for harmony. While the
West looks more at the beauty and variety of flowers,
the Japanese emphasize their line play and symbolism. In
a modern western-influenced variant, the moribath,
miniatures are created to give the impression of
landscapes or gardens.
Equally distinctive is the tea ceremony, chanoyu, a
sophisticated millennial ritual around the art of
preparing, serving and drinking green tea. Led by a
master, chanoyu will provide an aesthetic experience of
both the beverage, the room, the aids and the decor.
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Countryaah:
Latest population statistics of Japan, including religious profiles and major languages spoken as well as population growth rates in next three decades.
Many of Japan's traditional musical instruments have
come from China. Among the most famous are koto, which
resembles a citrus, the bamboo flute shakuhachi and the
three-stringed, banjo-like shamis. Throughout the
centuries, folk music and influences from the outside
have been mixed, and after World War II, Western music
has become increasingly resonant. Japan has about twenty
professional symphony orchestras, and musicians such as
the conductor Seiji Ozawa and pianist Mitsuko Uchida
have the whole world as a workplace.
The ubiquitous Japanese pop music (J-pop) has been
developed with influences from Western pop. The music is
often interwoven with vibrant visual presentation. There
are countless Japanese pop artists such as Ayumi
Hamasaki, Kumi Koda and Hikari Kutada.
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Songaah: List and lyrics of songs related to the country name of Japan. Artists and albums are also included.
 During the first heyday of Japanese literature a
thousand years ago, masterpieces such as The Story of
Genji and the Essay Collection Notes at the Pillow were
created, two courtiers' depictions of life in the
aristocracy of that time. The novel about the Emperor
Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu (c. 978 – c. 1016),
is still considered today as one of the great works of
world literature. At the same time, the classic verse
form was born - 31 syllables in five rows - still in
use.
In the Middle Ages, samurai novels and Buddhist
embossed stories were added. From the poetry system waka,
both the chain poem form was developed purely, with
several authors, and the concentrated poem form that for
many symbolizes Japanese poetry: haiku, a three-poem
poem in 17 syllables following the pattern 5-7-5. Matsuo
Basho brought haikun to heights in the 17th century that
today's poets also strive for. Tanka and haiku are so
popular that the daily press has special columns for
them.
During the military regime of the 1930s and up to
1945, "Japanese" literature was burned, but after the
war the literary supply has been the richer. In 1968,
Yasunari Kawabata (1899-1972), author of, among other
things, the Snow Kingdom, became the first Japanese to
be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Other great
late writers are Yukio Mishima, Kenzaburo Oe (Nobel
Prize 1994), avant-garde artist Kobo Abe and Haruki
Murakami, widely read also in the West.
A link between literature, book art and visual arts
are the famous color woodcuts, which have greatly
influenced art in Europe. In the case of porcelain and
ceramics, too, Japan has been superior to the West in
design and quality.
Japan's oldest preserved theater form is no, which
sheds all unnecessary decoration and has a single
protagonist. Easier for the accustomed is the colorful
Kabuki Theater, where all roles are played by men, and
the puppet theater bunraku. Today's cartoon and textual
culture includes the cartoon series, manga, which are
also read by adults. A Japanese comic book is often
several hundred pages thick and has a storytelling
technique similar to that of the film.
Japanese pop culture in the wider sense is a
phenomenon that has gained many followers in other
countries. It is characterized by manga series, animated
films and a variety of subcultures, for example,
role-plays with imaginative costumes that are often
inspired by different manga characters.
Japan also has extensive film production, and among
the major filmmakers who have achieved international
fame include Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu and Kenji
Mizoguchi. In recent years, director Hirokazu Koreeda
and animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away With Several)
have received attention.
Unmistakable expressions of Japanese culture also
exist in the world of sports, especially when national
sports sumo wrestling and martial arts such as judo and
karate.
2015
December
Historical settlement of six slaves
Japan and South Korea conclude a historic settlement
that countries hope to resolve the protracted conflict
over how Japan can make it possible for Korean women and
girls to be used as sex slaves by Japanese soldiers
during World War II. In 1993, Japan acknowledged that
the women were exploited but no apology was delivered.
According to the new settlement, Japan agrees to a
demand from South Korea and promises to establish a 1
billion yen fund (US $ 8.3 million) on behalf of women.
Prime Minister Abe also apologizes, saying that Japan
has a "deep responsibility" for women's fate. South
Korea announces that the issue will be considered
definitively resolved if Japan lives up to its promises.
September
Controversial legislative changes are adopted
Parliament's upper house adopts the controversial
legislative changes that allow Japanese troops to be
deployed in combat abroad. Despite the opposition's
attempts to block a vote in various ways, the proposals
were voted through with 148 votes in favor and 90
against.
August
Abe thanks no to military parade
Japan's Prime Minister Abe refuses the invitation
from China to participate in the country's military
parade in early September as a result of the end of the
Second World War.
Nuclear power plants start again
The first nuclear power plant in the country is
restarted after the long break after the Fukushima
disaster (see March 2011). A reactor is
set to start in Sendai, after the plant has undergone
extensive new safety tests. Demonstrations are ongoing
outside the Sendai plant and outside Prime Minister
Abe's residence in Tokyo. 25 nuclear power plants have
applied to start operations again.
July
Controversial legislative changes
Parliament's lower house adopts two legislative
amendments that make it possible for the first time
since World War II to deploy Japanese troops in combat
abroad (Compare June 2014). The law
changes are very controversial. According to opinion
polls, over half of the Japanese are against them, and
opposition members are leaving the parliament in protest
before the vote. The amendments now go to Parliament's
upper house where they will be considered within 60
days.
April
Japan and the United States agree on new guidelines
The US and Japan are adopting new guidelines for
their defense cooperation. The guidelines allow for
greater cooperation between the countries and open up
for more active Japanese participation. They reflect
both Prime Minister Abe's desire to abandon the strict
focus on self-defense in the country's defense policy
and the perceived threat from China in the region.
March
Japan and China in summit
Japan and China hold a high-level meeting on security
issues. It is the first meeting to be held since 2011.
Among other things, we discuss how direct communication
between the countries' military can be improved with
regard to the dispute over islands in the East China
Sea.
February
The Crown Prince comments on historical writing
Crown Prince Naruhito says it is important to
remember the Second World War "properly". The statement
is seen as a post in a debate that has erupted since
Prime Minister Abe suggested that Japan's war history
should be described in a less humiliating way for the
country.
Minister of Agriculture resigns
Agriculture Minister Koya Hishikawa resigns after
admitting he has received illegal financial aid from a
company. He is the first minister to leave Prime
Minister Abe's new government.
January
IS requires ransom
The extremist Islamist movement IS demanding $ 200
million as ransom to release two Japanese citizens
captured by the movement. At the end of January and the
beginning of February, video films are released at
intervals of one week, which are reported to show that
both Japanese were beheaded.
DPJ selects new leader
DPJ chooses Kutsuya Okada as new leader. He is a
61-year veteran of the party who has held several
government posts.
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