Culture and the development of technology in Japan

Abstract

Traditional Japanese culture has had a marked impact on that country's initial absorption and later development of Western technology. The development of Japanese machinery and processes is traced from the Meiji Restoration to the present. The relations to technology of the three components of indigenous Japanese culture — Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shintoism — are discussed. Zen has fostered such mental qualities as preference for self-reliance, the direct approach, and a willingness to work hard and to sacrifice comforts. Confucianism emphasizes learning and group harmony. Shintoism encourages the open acceptance of sensual gratification. It is argued that these values have shaped the course of modern technology in Japan, a course that both advanced and developing countries can learn from.