Shazhinbatyn, A. Anthropological Aspect of Japanese Identity

Abstract: Anthropological approach plays one of the most important roles in modern researches on Japan and Japanese society and especially in so called theories “Nihondzin ron” and “Nihon bunka ron” (theories on Japanese ethno-psychological and cultural distinguishing features). Today’s Japanese society is viewed by many researchers as something completely different from other societies because despite similar levels of overall development in Japan and other advanced capitalist countries, the former has a higher potential for socio-cultural development. So called “Japanese personality” is a very important anthropological element of such socio-cultural potential. Today Japanese studies offer three approaches to interpreting the phenomenon of Japanese personality: westernizing and modernizing approach that focuses on development of individual personality in Japanese society, uniqueness-based approach that views Japanese personality as a result of Japanese cultural and social development and Japan-oriented approach that considers Japanese society and its socio-cultural potentials as the model to be followed by other countries because this model, in particular, such personal identity, satisfies the requirements of the “future society” defined by researchers as the “post-industrial society”, “culture epoch society” or “alternative society” and “information society”.

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