My main findings related to my initial research are as follow:
- Occupied Japan was led by General MacArthur who hepled reform the countries business and politics in the occupation years.
- From early research into the years after the war it was clear a defeated Japan itself was in flux and most welcoming to radical change. I discovered the reason for this radical change is because many Japanese felt the key factor in losing the war had not been a difference between the capabilities of the individual Japanese and American soldiers, but rather the superior ability of the American economy to rapidly produce large quantities of war materials. So Japan was happy to use America’s free enterprise system as the model for rebuilding Japan.
- 'The economic miracle' was used to describe Japan's record period of economic growth between the post World War two to the end of Cold War.
- One reason for Japan to recover from war trauma quickly was the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, which at the height of its influence, effectively ran much of Japanese industrial policy, funding research and directing investment. Another reason for Japans recovery was the Korean War, as it was one of the major supporters of the United States in who they provided firearms for which helped the Japanese economy, enabling Japan to recover from the wartime destruction.
- In the high increase era Japan gained support from the United States and achievied domestic economic reform, and subsequently was able to soar from the 1950s to the 1970s. Furthermore, Japan also completed its process toward industrialisation, and became one of the first developed countries in East Asia.
- The war itself forced Japan to accelerate the pace of investment in science and technology, as access to foreign technology was shut off. This isolation meant that Japan fell considerably behind the technical levels of other advanced countries during the war, but it led to larger scale research and development during and after the war. Japan's industrial and technological advancements in the postwar period were in place when the war began. But once engineering and technological capabilities that were focused on the war effort were diverted to commercial industries.
- Quality Control Handbook which changed the perception of 'Made In Japan' as it introduced quality.
On a whole the post war years gave Japan a clean slate and with the economic, social, political, and educational guidance from America, Japan was able to rebuild. The fact Japan wasn't aloud an army also heavily benefited them as they were guaranteed military protection from the US which freed up money. Additionally, the government at the time encouraged Japanese industrial development overseas while restricting foreign companies' business within the country. These practices, coupled with a reliance on the United States for defence, allowed Japan's economy to increase during the Cold War.
Brief
Using research to this point I aim to celebrate Japan's economic miracle through a editorial design piece. The outcome will reflect the period in which Japan flourished after the war (1945-1991) and aim to inform and educate the reader of this period. I want to be as broad as possible with the term 'economic miracle' as so many factors contributed to this term and the emergence of Japans revival.
Background
I need to consider all research conducted to this point on post war Japan and how this information acquired could be transferred into a editorial piece. I will look at contemporary Japanese design today and aim to reflect this in a editorial form, while also bearing in mind the editorial and binding methods in relation to my research and Japan.
Target audience
Creatives and intellectuals
Mandatory requirements
Editorial piece with accompanying deliverables such as a poster being optional.
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