The Value Shift of Japanese Youth

Draws on 1977-1993 secondary source data to examine recent changes in Japanese values & systems, focusing on values that contemporary youth are choosing not to retain. The reconstruction of the value system after 1945 & value shifts during the Meiji restoration & their causes are discussed. It is argued that the postwar values of diligence, hard work, & cooperation have been undergoing radical change since the 1980s, especially among Japan's youth. Statistics indicate that Americans now hold the values of work, family, & society more highly, while Japanese place more importance on individualism, pleasure, & personal happiness. It is concluded that Japanese youths have abandoned economic success in favor of individual happiness, albeit not centered around any organized value system but rather on private concerns, which are consistent with the universal desire for personal happiness. 17 Figures, 5 References. T. Arnold