japanamerica

I'll be humbly honored to share the stage with Fred, Anne, Rebecca, David, Kyle, Dave and others on June 5 for a stellar conference at Temple University Japan. More info HERE Join us.

SOFT POWER HARD TRUTHS / 'Cool Japan' no longer cuts it Roland Kelts / Special to The Daily Yomiuri American journalist Douglas McGray's 2002 Foreign Policy essay "Gross National Cool" crystallized for many not only evidence that contemporary Japan had become hip and attractive, but also a nifty phrase to go with it. From Boston to Australia, "cool Japan" subsequently appeared in the titles of academic conferences, essays and articles addressing everything from Japan's anime and manga imagery to fashion, style, pop music, and even food. It signified a national brand that packed a lot of soft power--the appeal of a culture's sensibility and products. But that was eight years ago. And like most bits of journalistic shorthand, the phrase "cool Japan" is as convenient as it is vague. Does it refer to an aspect of the national or ethnic character that is fundamentally cool? Is it Japan's capacity to absorb and then reinvent a range of ou...