Issue 41 (October 2012, Volume 7, Number 5)

This issue focuses on the young people of Japanese society through the eyes of both foreigners and the Japanese themselves.

Sir Hugh Cortazzi starts off the issue with a review of Reimagining Japan, The Quest for a Future That Works which, as he highlights, covers the far-ranging challenges that Japan faces, such as inadequate leadership as well as young people who stay at home (not just their family home, but also don’t venture abroad) and lack the necessary skills to help revive the economy.

Ali Muskett and Lucy Searles follow this up with reviews of books covering alternative culture in Japan; Japanese street style fashion and the infamous Otaku. Ali finds that we should start raising questions about why teenage culture, in relation to clothes, displays such creativity in a country famous for conformity, while Lucy believes that the people labelled as Otaku are greatly misunderstood.

Susan Meehan attended a special charity viewing of Mitsuko Delivers that was shown at the ICA on the anniversary of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. This film focuses on the life of a young, carefree but pregnant girl who, despite having no boyfriend, job or money, never loses her positive outlook on life and actively helps other people.

Afterwards, Cortazzi reviews another book that illustrates the viewpoint of a foreigner observing Japanese customs and curiosities from his commute on the Odakyu railway line. Next Ali Muskett considers a Japan guidebook written for foreigners by a foreigner and then Susan Meehan finishes this issue with a film review of a romantic story surrounding a young photographer and three contrasting women.

• Reimagining Japan, The Quest for a Future That Works
  
  
• Japanese Street Style
  
  
• Otaku Spaces
  
  
• Mitsuko Delivers
  
  
• Tokyo Commute, Japanese Customs and way of Life viewed from the Odakyu Line
  
  
• A Gaijin’s Guide to Japan
  
  
• Tokyo Park
  
  
• The Japanese Consumer, An Alternative Economic History of Modern Japan

Contributors