Hi this is Brian Scherschel. I co-host Kaijuvision radio with Nathan Marchand.
We only have one week remaining until the release of our first episode next
Wednesday so as the final preparation for beginning our show I'll tell you why
it's the perfect time to create a Godzilla podcast. I have a Master's Degree in
public administration and I studied international affairs and comparative
politics. Many of the Godzilla movies express the Japanese national spirit in
one way or another whether on economic social or political subjects and
discussing these films is an incredibly interesting way to look at Japan. In my
opinion is too easy to discuss Godzilla without discussing Japan. The world is
drastically changing and a lot of us wonder what's going to happen. The nation-state
system is undergoing a partial collapse. The creative destruction of capitalism
is uncontrollable. The progression of technology and artificial intelligence
is reforming the world in ways previously thought impossible. The
advancement of genetics will assuredly change the course of history. The world
as we know it is collapsing and rebuilding itself and there is constant
death and rebirth. The post-World War Two and post-Cold War order is
disintegrating and the United States is losing its position not only as the
dominant military power in the world but also as the leader of the world economic
order. As the United States gives up its quasi-imperial role we will enter a new
likely unstable multipolar era. This means that much of the world will
undergo a rebalance of power and East Asia will likely be the epicenter of
that rebalance. Advanced industrial societies face many challenges but in
Japan they are much more intense. Japan has a high debt to GDP ratio which in
2016 was 250 percent which is by far the highest in the world. The economy is
stagnant, inflation is very low, and there are 148 jobs for every 100 applicants
which means many jobs are left unfilled. Japan has the most rapidly ageing
population in the world their population could decline by about 26 million before
it stabilizes to around 100 million. That's slightly over 20% of Japan's
population predicted to disappear. Japan's high government spending on the
elderly and the pension system is a major contributor to the debt.
Japan's young people are up against the harsh reality of bearing the burdens of
living in a gerontocracy. They face declining wages and higher taxes which
has caused them to delay getting married and having children which makes the
Democratic crisis worse. Aside from economic and demographic issues Japan
finds itself in an increasingly unstable and unfriendly East Asia. North Korea is
a major destabilizing force in the region because of its nuclear program,
missile tests, and kidnapping of Japanese citizens. Japan is as far from North
Korea as San Francisco is from Seattle. China has taken aggressive steps in the
region, specifically its contested claim of ownership of the Senkaku Islands
which are currently administrated by Japan. The number of air defense
incidents between Japan and foreign aircraft has rapidly increased in recent
years. China has also established the Nine-Dash Line which is the demarcation
line of its claim to nearly all of the South China Sea as its exclusive
national territory including the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands. China has
ignored a 2016 decision by a UN constituted arbitral tribunal which
declared their claim invalid. China has recently established bases on multiple
islands and Spratlys with surface-to-air missiles long runways and fortifications.
The rise of China is one of the biggest forces of change in the world at this
time. There are many pressures on Japan to increase its military power. These
include the pressure of the perceived threat of China, the pressure exerted by
the United States to be a more equal partner in the US-Japan alliance because
of its own debt and the shrinking of its quasi-empire, and the pressure of Prime
Minister Abe's party to strengthen the Japanese military. However some Japanese
citizens are weary of war and want the government to concentrate on the economy
instead of constitutional revisions. In addition some Japanese, particularly
Okinawans, want the US forces to leave Japan but at the same time Japan remains
almost entirely dependent on the US for defense.
What I find even more interesting is that Japan has built up a huge amount of soft
power. This relates to the Cool Japan phenomenon or what's called Japan's
Gross National Cool. Another nickname for Japan is the Pokemon hegemon. Japan is a
cultural superpower which has an effect on how the rest of the world views them.
This helps Japan's economy, increases tourism and other foreign interests, and
increases Japan's influence around the world. So here's my big question: Will
Japan ever be able to convert this soft power into real power if necessary down
the road if a crisis in Japan occurs? What will all of this soft power get
them? I think at some point we may find out. Godzilla is an official citizen of
Japan and he is the cultural ambassador for the Shinjuku Ward of Tokyo. He is one
of the most visible icons of Japan right up with Mario, Pikachu, Ultraman,
Evangelion, Totoro, Lupin, Naruto, Sonic Titan, Mega Man, and the chocobos of Final
Fantasy. Godzilla came before all of the others and in my opinion he's the
genesis of Cool Japan and therefore the core of the soft power that Japan
projects and exports. The godzilla series of films cover many Japanese issues
either directly or indirectly. It's great that these movies are not just
one-dimensional. Though they may appear simple,
they're often refreshingly intelligent and thought-provoking
allowing us to appreciate them on an entirely different level, which adds to the
fun of being a Godzilla fan. These movies are unique, intelligent, and enjoyable all
at the same time. As Japan and the rest of the world move forward into an
uncertain and very challenging future, the Godzilla movies tell much about
where Japan was in the past and where Japan is today. Next Wednesday, September
20th at noon Eastern, Nate and I will release the first episode of Kaijuvision
Radio. Join us as we appreciate these truly special movies in every way
that we can.
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