The Power of Constructive Work

ARTICLES OF WISDOM Japanese could not bear it and took their own lives in grief. According to Encyclopedia Britannica (1984), military extremists even tried to prevent the Emperor’s message from being broadcast. When they failed, many nationalists and army officers, overwhelmed by humiliation, committed suicide: “There were a number of suicides among the military officers and nationalists who felt themselves dishonoured” (Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 10, p. 86). By choosing realism, Japan accepted the role of being number two. But this did not mean it agreed to remain second forever. It simply meant avoiding conflict with the stronger side in order to gain time for reconstruction. Under this policy, Japan accepted America’s political and economic dominance and focused all its efforts on science and technology. This work continued, and within thirty years, history had changed. Militarily defeated Japan became an economic leader. Japan produced electronics and other goods of such high quality that even Americans began to prefer Japanese products over their own—because they were better in quality and cheaper in price. This deeply troubled American policymakers. One American politician, Pete Wilson, remarked: The Japanese semiconductor Godzilla is now destroying everything but Tokyo.