ABSTRACT
A ftertheMeijiRestorationof1868,formanyyearsJapan soughttolearnfromEuropeandAmericainthefieldof
industrialdevelopment.Japaneseemployersbecameavid studentsofWesternknow-howandpractices,buttheir enthusiasmforindustrialtechnologydidnotextendtolabour relationsastheydevelopedinEuropeandelsewhere.Japanese employersstressedJapan'suniquenessorpeculiarity[tokushuset] whichmeantthatthelabourrelationsthatwereappropriatefor EuropeancountrieswerenotsuitedtoJapan.Initially,there seemtohavebeentwolinesofthinkingatworkhereinJapanese employers'heads.OnewasthatJapanwasdifferenttotheWest initssocialarrangements,cultureandhistory,andthatdifferent labourrelationswerejustonemoreaspectofthisoverall distinctiveness.Thesecondtrainofthoughtemphasizedbackwardnessmorethandistinctivenesssince,accordingtothiswayof thinking,theJapaneseapproachtolabourrelationswasa necessarycompensationforJapan'stechnologicaldisadvantages. JapancouldnotaffordWestern-stylelabourrelationsbecause,if theplayingfieldwerelevelledinthisway,Japanesecompanies wouldbeoutperformedandcouldnotcompetewiththeir Westerncounterparts.
