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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
JAPAN'S IMPACT ON THE ASIAN IMAGE
t has long been seen as the fountainhead of consumer electronics technology. Its cars are consistently among the world's most admired. Its corporations own two major Hollywood studios. Its kiddie culture has all but killed off Mickey Mouse and Barbie. Its $4 trillion GDP is number two behind the U.S. and its workers earn 25% more per head than Americans.
Bravo Castrati!
That's how many Asian Americans see Japan. A nation that should command the stature of a powerhouse -- and elevate the image of all Asians in the process -- possesses the geopolitical profile of, say, Switzerland, a nation a thirtieth its size. Japan's leaders are seen as mere hand puppets in a sad half-century charade of democracy. Its homes are cramped. Its men function as soulless drones whose women fly into the arms of western males. Even its vaunted economy has been on the ropes for ten years and looks ready to go down for the count. What little testosterone it possessed seems to have left with Ichiro.
A nation that should champion the Asian image has only reinforced every insulting stereotype. To many Asian Americans, Japan has done less than its smaller, poorer neightbors. Little Hong Kong exports asskicking action stars. South Corea exports people who take hooey from no one. Taiwan exports tech entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley. Impoverished China, Vietnam and even nutcase North Corea showed balls in standing up to the west. But mighty Japan? Spiritually it seems never to have recovered from its defeat in World War II.
Is Japan carrying its weight or slacking in the Asian image department?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:00:37 PM)
Here's the deal about brand names and such. During the 30s and 40s, "Made in Japan" was associated with cheap inferior products. Now it is it associated with high quality, and sometimes high priced goods. Sure Chinese products are cheap and inferior, but that will almost guarantee to change in the future due to China's economic growth.
back off all you china haters
Thursday, July 11, 2002 at 10:36:43 (PDT)
Chinese girl,
I think you're way in over your head. Don't you know that China has official pirating businesses? These are state-sponsored factories that produce well-known brand name products. Of course they use Japanese brand names for various electronic products. This has been a major point of contention between China and the large economies of the world. It's not a matter of producing similiar products, it's become pirating at its worst and is highly illegal, but the Chinese government continues to support them because the produce $$$$ for them.
Next time, get the facts straight before you produce an incredibly weak and ignorant response.
c-web
Wednesday, July 10, 2002 at 14:23:54 (PDT)
WTO,
The other idoit on the board about international trade. No foriegn automobile company can manufacture and sell in PRC without a partner company. So Yamaha, Ford, and everyone else needs a Chinese partner.
So those brands are all Chinese made.
AC Dropout
Wednesday, July 10, 2002 at 11:55:35 (PDT)
huu76,
You're idiot. USA doesn't innovate on the world market. It is the Japanese that innovate. We just consume in the USA.
AC Dropout
Wednesday, July 10, 2002 at 11:52:00 (PDT)
chinese girl,
Nothing is wrong with having similar products. But chinese use names like suzuka or yamahan on their motorcyles. These motorcyles are EXACT rip offs but of poorer quality. At least name them chinese names like Dung. They don't because no one will buy a Dung or Wang Ching motorcycle. That's why I said Japanese companies will be more sucessful on the mainland because they have brand power which chinese and Americans do not.
WTO
Wednesday, July 10, 2002 at 02:27:39 (PDT)
Chinese Girl,
I think China does too much copying, and not enough improving/innovating. Look at Japan, everything the American's and Europeans make, they always improve on.
China should try to differentiate their stuff more, whether it be in quality, efficiency or whatever.
For arguments sake, what if the West stopped innovating? Would China be stuck?
huu76
Tuesday, July 09, 2002 at 23:10:27 (PDT)
First off, I don't feel that China rips off Japanese products. It's true they have similar products, but then again, who doesn't? In America, you see companies that rival each other using almost the exact same products, only with a different name. Besides, it's not China's fault that a long time ago, Japan used a little bit of Chinese in their language. Sometimes China might copy, but China has it's own products too.
chinese girl
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 20:24:00 (PDT)
WTO,
Well I think the US software industry is really pissed at PRC. I mean you can attribute PRC for stopping the growth of Microsoft, with all the piracy.
I think as China's software and entertainment industry grows will they try to stomp out piracy. I mean the Chinese can be a bunch of racist bastards in their own country. They have a you F*** us, we will F*** you kind of attitude.
However, PRC was smart when entering the WTO. It told the WTO to heck with free trade in China. To do business in China as a major player you need a Chinese partner company to sponsor you and work with you every step of the way. WTO can't do jack dodo in China, it can't do jack dodo in USA. Do you even know how the WTO operates.
Granted there will be shifts in unemployment as time goes on and industries shift. But if you check China unemployment rate it is 0.00, USA is at 5.8% and rising. American has been 27 months in a recession and counting. We're going down my friends. Pack you bags and invest in China like all the smart rich people are doing.
AC Dropout
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 15:41:14 (PDT)
huu76,
That's not plausible. Korea, Taiwan, and HK either invest heavily or are already part or China.
India has too much domestic stife, the national identity is very strong in China. Also the work ethic in China is also another reason people are willing to do business in China.
Latin America in comparison is just too lazy from a perception point view. Many Asian who do business in Latin American have been disappointed and go to China.
As time goes by and our economy spiral downwards we'll just bust unions and reduce the minium wage to compete.
AC Dropout
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 15:27:53 (PDT)
AC Dropout,
Look at India, they have a billion people too, but their living standards and wealth distribution are horendous.
With unions over here, North America will never be a source of cheap labour, well, except maybe Mexico.
When China gets going, it just means the U.S. has two (maybe even three if Corea, Taiwan and Hong Kong are considered another group) big economies to compete against.
huu76
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 03:49:05 (PDT)
WTO will destroy Chinese domestic industries. If you notice American and Japanese companies are flooding in China which is driving the growth. WTO will also crack down on chinese piracy and rip offs which accounts for 20% of chinese goods. I think Japan has an advantage over the US in China. The chinese seem more fond of ripping off japanese products.
WTO
Sunday, July 07, 2002 at 14:42:49 (PDT)
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