Japan: Global Ratings

The Observing Japan blog made a interesting note about a recent BBC release of its annual survey to rate how countries are viewed by other countries. Japan was one of the most positively rated countries along with the EU, Russia had one of the largest improvements in ratings, and the US has seen its first turn around from the negative ratings of the previous years. The blog comments Japan has been favorably viewed in just about every country except for China and South Korea. Then it argues that the negativity, which go in all three directions, comes from the deep ties among the three countries. The blgo calls the relationship among the East Asian countries "dense" and "messy," while arguing that it is probably softpower (money and culture) that is the source of Japan's positive ratings among the other countries since the region where Japan is most active in (Northeast Asia) is where it has the most negative ratings. In addition, it also states that Japan's soft power isn't viewed as negatively as during the height of its bubble economy because it is in recession and foreign powers find China a bigger target now. The blog also takes into account the increase in Japan's popularity despite issues over comfort women, whaling, and history. It concludes with the thought that, "Japan is well-liked because it is mostly invisible and entirely harmless to most of the countries surveyed. A more active Japan, a Japan that took sides in important international disputes, would likely be less popular."

This is an interesting article on the results of proximity and ties as well as on influences on image and power. Admittedly, even with Japan's participating and interjections into international politics via the Iraq war and other "peace-keeping missions," it has a tendancy to use more soft power than hard power such as water purification, rebuilding and restoration, education, and foreign investments.