Japanese Nationalism and Cultural Memory: Creating Memories of a Native Japanese Writing System

Abstract

Native Japanese writing or jindai moji (age of the gods script) discourse creates the cultural memory of a native Japanese writing system that never actually existed, and functions as a tool for establishing power and clarifying group identity. Another important function of this constructed cultural memory of native writing is to defend the honor of Japanese culture and argue for ethnic superiority over competing Asian cultures. This discourse attempts to proclaim the authority of those seeking divine legitimacy, using arguments based on the attribution of power to the Japanese gods. Here it will not be claimed that this native writing system was ever used to communicate messages. Rather, the conception of a native Japanese symbol system, one said to have been used by ancient Japanese authority figures, gods and their descendants who ruled Japan to demonstrate their superiority and the legitimacy of their rule, will be further explored.