Japan, Football, and Four Nationalisms: Some thoughts on the 2006 World Cup.

Japan, Football, and Four

Nationalisms:

Japan, Football, and Four

Nationalisms:Some thoughts on the 2006 World CupSome thoughts on the 2006 World Cup

Todd Joseph Miles Holden

Todd Joseph Miles Holden

Professor of Mediated SociologyGraduate School of International Cultural Studies (GSICS)

Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan

Professor of Mediated SociologyGraduate School of International Cultural Studies (GSICS)

Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan

PremisePremise

Japan’s World Cup Campaign has been separated into various stages:

• Qualification• Team Selection• Team Preparation• World Cup Participation

Japan’s World Cup Campaign has been separated into various stages:

• Qualification• Team Selection• Team Preparation• World Cup Participation

Heavily MediatedHeavily Mediated

This has been a very public processAbetted in large part because of media involvementIn some ways this is likely due to the sophistication and reach of the Japanese “media system”

This has been a very public processAbetted in large part because of media involvementIn some ways this is likely due to the sophistication and reach of the Japanese “media system”

In this PaperIn this Paper

• I want to talk a bit about this media system• I will provide examples which will work to show that, through media, Japanese society has experienced (and expressed) four forms of nationalism during this World Cup campaign

• I want to talk a bit about this media system• I will provide examples which will work to show that, through media, Japanese society has experienced (and expressed) four forms of nationalism during this World Cup campaign

Four NationalismsFour Nationalisms

•Not all of these have been fully developed•Not all of these are specific to Japan•Although, in 2 and possibly 3 cases, their manifestations are relatively unique•Altogether, though, like nationalism in any country, they are ultimately reproductive

•And in large part due to the extensive power, reach and grip of media -- and mainly TV

•Not all of these have been fully developed•Not all of these are specific to Japan•Although, in 2 and possibly 3 cases, their manifestations are relatively unique•Altogether, though, like nationalism in any country, they are ultimately reproductive

•And in large part due to the extensive power, reach and grip of media -- and mainly TV

Four NationalismsFour Nationalisms

• In a nutshell, we can see 4 nationalisms:• political• social• cultural• economic

• Corresponding, to a large degree, to the 4 stages of the Cup qualification process Japan underwent over the past 2 years.

• In a nutshell, we can see 4 nationalisms:• political• social• cultural• economic

• Corresponding, to a large degree, to the 4 stages of the Cup qualification process Japan underwent over the past 2 years.

About Japanese TV:why this matters

About Japanese TV:why this matters

Political NationalismPolitical Nationalism• During the preliminary qualification round, Japan played China in China and after Japan won, Chinese fans burned a Japanese flag at the stadium and pelted the team with objects aboard the team bus

• This has to be placed in the context of a long history of animosity relating to the Japanese occupation of Manchuria beginning in the 1920s and the famous incident known as the Rape of Nanking,• An event some Japanese deny existed and which is often omitted from text books.

• During the preliminary qualification round, Japan played China in China and after Japan won, Chinese fans burned a Japanese flag at the stadium and pelted the team with objects aboard the team bus

• This has to be placed in the context of a long history of animosity relating to the Japanese occupation of Manchuria beginning in the 1920s and the famous incident known as the Rape of Nanking,• An event some Japanese deny existed and which is often omitted from text books.

Political NationalismPolitical Nationalism• During the final qualification round, Japan played

North Korea amid growing national tensions.• Among the numerous factors was the animosity between

the nations stemming from the Second World War• Japan’s relationship with the United States (which

had declared North Korea part of the “Axis of Evil”)• The missile that the North had test-fired over Japan

a year before• Past infiltrations of Japan by the North• The kidnapping over the past 3 decades of Japanese

nationals by the North Koreans for the purposes of training spies who could infiltrate Japan

• The refusal by the North to acknowledge or, finally, repatriate these Japanese nationals without compensation

• Continuing 6 party talks between nations about North Korea’s nuclear ambitions

• A near riot by North Korean fans in the previous world cup match, forcing FIFA to command the Japan-North Korea match to be played on a neutral site (in Bangkok)

• During the final qualification round, Japan played North Korea amid growing national tensions.• Among the numerous factors was the animosity between

the nations stemming from the Second World War• Japan’s relationship with the United States (which

had declared North Korea part of the “Axis of Evil”)• The missile that the North had test-fired over Japan

a year before• Past infiltrations of Japan by the North• The kidnapping over the past 3 decades of Japanese

nationals by the North Koreans for the purposes of training spies who could infiltrate Japan

• The refusal by the North to acknowledge or, finally, repatriate these Japanese nationals without compensation

• Continuing 6 party talks between nations about North Korea’s nuclear ambitions

• A near riot by North Korean fans in the previous world cup match, forcing FIFA to command the Japan-North Korea match to be played on a neutral site (in Bangkok)

Social NationalismSocial Nationalism• The second kind of nationalism refers to the national

community.• For those doing work on Japan, it is almost a given that

what is termed “uchi” and translates into a rough ecological equivalent of “gemeinschaft” orientation in social life is what is meant here.• “Uchi” means “inside” and is distinguished from “outside”• It is applied to everything from family, to school to clubs to

office or business organizations• Uchi provides a special warmth, protection, a way of orienting

oneself emotionally as well as physically • In my work I talk about the role television plays -- via its

tropes, and themes -- toward creating that kind of physcial and emotional connection

• In fact, this transpires on a daily basis as “talent” join together in groups sharing their viewpoints and personalities to shows ranging from quiz to news commentary.

• These talent, performers and public figures rotate among the shows, creating a kind of carousel, a world of hermetic experience for the (often anomous) viewer

• The second kind of nationalism refers to the national community.

• For those doing work on Japan, it is almost a given that what is termed “uchi” and translates into a rough ecological equivalent of “gemeinschaft” orientation in social life is what is meant here.• “Uchi” means “inside” and is distinguished from “outside”• It is applied to everything from family, to school to clubs to

office or business organizations• Uchi provides a special warmth, protection, a way of orienting

oneself emotionally as well as physically • In my work I talk about the role television plays -- via its

tropes, and themes -- toward creating that kind of physcial and emotional connection

• In fact, this transpires on a daily basis as “talent” join together in groups sharing their viewpoints and personalities to shows ranging from quiz to news commentary.

• These talent, performers and public figures rotate among the shows, creating a kind of carousel, a world of hermetic experience for the (often anomous) viewer

Social NationalismSocial Nationalism

• Content such as food shows -- so pervasive in Japan -- work to reinforce a kind of cultural nationalism• The historic notion of nihonjinron -- (“we Japanese” “theorizing”

that asserts national exceptionalism)• So, too, do shared events such as the Olympics, the Baseball

World Cup and the Soccer World Cup• TV’s role in this -- in reporting these events on daily Wide

(talk) shows, morning wake up shows, evening news, and nation-wide broadcast sports programs -- works to reinforce a sense of national community; a sense of collective uchi• Such media contributions were constant, repetitive, saturating• Remote reports provided daily updates on Japanese team conditions• Athletes from other sports and even fans came to be “expert”

• Weighing in on what deployment (formations) should be used, as well as which players should be selected

• Content such as food shows -- so pervasive in Japan -- work to reinforce a kind of cultural nationalism• The historic notion of nihonjinron -- (“we Japanese” “theorizing”

that asserts national exceptionalism)• So, too, do shared events such as the Olympics, the Baseball

World Cup and the Soccer World Cup• TV’s role in this -- in reporting these events on daily Wide

(talk) shows, morning wake up shows, evening news, and nation-wide broadcast sports programs -- works to reinforce a sense of national community; a sense of collective uchi• Such media contributions were constant, repetitive, saturating• Remote reports provided daily updates on Japanese team conditions• Athletes from other sports and even fans came to be “expert”

• Weighing in on what deployment (formations) should be used, as well as which players should be selected

Social NationalismSocial Nationalism

• The case of Maki• The case of Maki

Cultural NationalismCultural Nationalism

• The discussion of what makes Japan unique or else what is uniquely Japanese moves us into culture

• In this world cup

• The discussion of what makes Japan unique or else what is uniquely Japanese moves us into culture

• In this world cup