ABSTRACT
This book has examined contemporary Japanese multiculturalism and the representation of ‘others’ in Japanese cinema. More specifically, the book has sought to answer the question of how these representations of ‘others’ are related to the socio-political context of contemporary Japan, in which the seemingly progressive idea and practice of multiculturalism may often become merely ‘cosmetic’, or a disguised form of nationalism. The intention, however, has not been to examine the representation of ‘others’ simply in terms of a binary opposition between ‘Japaneseness’ and ‘otherness’. Rather, it has been suggested that what is at stake in considering issues of minority groups and their representation is their relationship not only with dominant versions of Japaneseness, but also with the contested images and diverse identifications through which minority communities define themselves. Minority groups are conventionally seen as victims of Japanese hegemony. However, the formula of victims vs oppressors has often defined each minority group as ‘homogeneous’, ignoring their diversity and the complicated negotiation involved in the construction of their identities and subjectivities.
